There were mixed opinions of this year's EiG Congress and Expo, with some stating that the exhibition seemed quiet but others saying that the quality of visitor was high and business was booming.

The event was held in Copenhagen for the first time, after reports that crime rates were on the increase in Barcelona last year. The close proximity to an alternative and cheaper meeting place was not something that the organisers had to worry about this year either, as hundreds of delegates paid to network among the 70-odd exhibitors and listen to back-to-back conferences that took place over the three days.

Having acquired Player 2 Players earlier this year, Playtech was exhibiting at EiG to “test the waters” and was looking forward to hitting the market hard at ICEi 2010. Commenting on EiG’s footfall, Playtech’s sports betting product manager Jonathan Doubilet told iNTERGAMINGi that he thought this year’s event was busier than the last in Barcelona.

Head of egaming development on the Isle of Man, Garth Kimber, told iNTERGAMINGi that the first morning of EiG was quieter than he anticipated. However, he continued: “It is the first best day to any show.” Kimber went on to talk about the Isle of Man’s plans to offer companies the chance to move bits of their business to the island while keeping their core company licensed in their original jurisdiction. “We are becoming the banking jurisdiction in gaming,” said Kimber, a move that wasn’t entirely intentional but one that the Isle of Man seem content with and appear to be prospering from.

There were mixed opinions in the conference hall too. A panel discussion about US legislation chaired by Tony Coles, partner at Jeffrey Green Russell, heard two panel members’ strong views on whether or not online gaming will be legalised in the US. “I think there is zero chance of the law passing by next year,” said Jim Tabilio, chairman of Secured American Games. “I think it is being used as a vehicle to make money for the next 20 years,” he continued. One panel member thought there was a 50-50 chance on egaming being legalised in the US, whereas the president of IMGL, Robert Stocker II, believed that there is a 25 per cent chance of it passing. “Neither bill is going to be passed this year or next year as there are healthcare issues to think about, and there could be a bloody election next year. However, I believe Menendez’s bill has a greater chance of passing because poker is wildly popular in the US.”