Cristina Turbatu brings 14 years of executive experience in the iGaming sector, having served as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at both BeyondPlay and Casumo, as well as Head of the Innovation Lab at Playtech. She has expressed her support for the vision behind the establishment of an Advisory Board for ICE Barcelona, which is tasked with helping to shape the new “Hall 7” at the Fira Barcelona exhibition center.
“Bringing together technology experts to explore what kind of content and formats will truly deliver value to attendees in Hall 7 is a game-changer for how industry events are organized,” she says. “The Advisory Board has been conducting a deep dive into our target audiences, meticulously planning the daily agenda, and constantly asking: what tangible, actionable value will attendees take away with them when they leave?”
Reflecting on the significance of this new technology-focused zone, she notes:
“ICE has long served as a hub for business networking. The addition of Hall 7 creates a dedicated space where you can explore how companies are approaching innovation—including the setbacks they’ve encountered and the solutions they’ve found—seek advice on specific technical challenges, and connect with peers and partners from the tech world, both within and beyond the gambling industry.”
“The Advisory Board incorporates perspectives from both the B2B and B2C sectors, which is crucial, as these are the very groups that stand to gain the most from this event.”
Discussing the role of technology in enhancing player protection, Cristina Turbatu emphasizes that this remains a core priority for any regulated online gambling operator. She points out:
“Unlike in the past, we are now able to adopt a proactive strategy. We continuously track user behavior, identifying emerging patterns in their early stages—rather than waiting until the monthly reports are released. Once an alert is triggered, the relevant team can intervene immediately, taking action while the player is still in the midst of their gaming session.”
“If risk-control measures only kick in after damage has already been done, it is difficult to claim that gambling constitutes ‘safe entertainment.’ This level of responsiveness is also highly valued by regulators, as it allows them to see the system in action, rather than simply hearing about its existence.”
This carefully planned, hands-on interactive environment will make the experience in Hall 7 truly unique. “Pragmatic discussions, real-world examples, and case studies offer far greater value than hours-long panel discussions that only scratch the surface of a topic,” she says. “Panel discussions often remain superficial because participants cannot disclose specific details about their own companies’ internal operations. Consequently, you end up hearing only generic commentary on artificial intelligence, data, or cloud technology—the kind of information you can find anywhere else. In contrast, seeing technology in action, with the developers themselves on hand, allows the audience to gain deeper, more granular insights.”
“Most operators are already familiar with what these technologies can do. What they haven’t seen, however, is how these solutions function while meeting compliance requirements, maintaining audit trails, and delivering the expected uptime. Without such assurances, a technology is likely to remain on a ‘pending’ list, year after year. Only by witnessing it operate successfully in a comparable environment are operators more likely to move forward with actual implementation.”
“Bringing technology leaders into the heart of this fast-paced industry creates an ideal environment for learning and applying new concepts. In Hall 7, transformation managers can attend workshops, engage directly with vendors on the exhibition floor, and have candid discussions with peers about practical challenges, such as migration costs. Ultimately, success hinges not just on the technology chosen, but on the sequence of implementation, system stability, and team engagement—insights that are frequently shared through the informal, peer-to-peer exchanges that take place at events like ICE Barcelona.”
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