Gaming
Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan Returns Celebrating MENA’s Rising Influence in the Global Games Industry

The gaming industry’s most anticipated international conference, Pocket Gamer Connects, is triumphantly returning to Jordan this November, further solidifying the Middle East’s growing influence and presence in the global games industry. With its location near the stunning Dead Sea, the event promises two days of knowledge-sharing, networking, and innovation against the backdrop of one of the world’s most iconic natural wonders.
Pocket Gamer Connect Jordan is set to take place on November 4th to 5th at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre by Hilton, not far from Amman, Jordan, with PGC Jordan expecting 1,000 delegates from around the world. This gathering of gaming professionals will feature 80 + top industry experts who will share their insights and case studies on the latest innovations in the games industry.
In addition to the main conference, Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan offers a wide array of fringe events, including the Very Big Indie Pitch, Investor Connector, and Publisher SpeedMatch, all designed to create valuable connections within the games community. The MeetToMatch meeting platform will also be in place this year, enabling attendees to schedule meetings, connect with existing contacts, and forge new business relationships.
This year’s event offers attendees the opportunity to explore Petra and Wadi Rum on ‘workcation’ trips, providing a glimpse into the ancient wonders and natural beauty of the Middle East. Nestled near the Dead Sea, the event’s location allows for a perfect blend of business and leisure, with the chance to unwind at the hotel spa and soak in the unparalleled beauty of the surroundings, with an optional day trip available for selected guests in the days afterwards.
Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan 2023 takes place against the backdrop of a larger gaming and esports week unfolding across Jordan. While you’re in the country for the b2b conference at the Dead Sea, why not plan to travel to Um Qais or Aqaba, too, for more games industry activity in sites of historical interest?
The MENA gaming market is poised for substantial expansion, with Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan serving as a pivotal platform to showcase its potential global influence. Projections suggest that by 2025, the MENA games market will surpass $7.2 billion in value, supported by a player base exceeding 377 million, solidifying its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.
This growth is primarily driven by mobile platforms, responsible for over 65% of revenue, and is further fueled by the expected 565 million smartphone users by 2025. Attracting substantial investments, notably the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s $38 billion commitment, the gaming industry in the region is not only an economic force but also a catalyst for societal transformation, with its influence extending into education, healthcare, and marketing through gamification.
Dave Bradley, COO of Steel Media, said, “We are delighted to be back in the Middle East for Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan this year. We love to support the games industry in the region – while this is our third full PG Connects conference, Pocket Gamer has been to Jordan many times over the years to participate in local summits. It’s always inspiring to see what the next generation of young developers will bring to the world of games. Fueled by its rapid expansion, an enthusiastic and engaged player base, and substantial investments, the whole region is not just set to leave a mark but to emerge as a prominent force in shaping the future of the global games industry.”
A ticket to Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan grants you entry to the main conference, fringe events where eligible, and the eventful Global Connects Party, along with perks like complimentary refreshments and personal profiles on the MeetToMatch meeting system for limitless networking opportunities. Beyond the business aspects, the Middle East invites you to explore its rich cultural heritage, visit historical gems such as Petra, savour diverse cuisines, and engage in recreational activities, making it an appealing destination for both work and leisure.
Pocket Gamer Connects Jordan is not just an event; it’s a gateway to the future of the extraordinary games industry in the Middle East and an unforgettable experience in one of the world’s most remarkable ancient and historical locations.
Gaming
MGA Games continues to lead the Spanish market with new launch at Onecasino.es

The developer of localised slots for global operators, MGA Games, has entered into a new strategic partnership to integrate its premium productions into Oncasino .es. A deal that strengthens its lead in the Spanish online gaming market.
This collaboration allows both companies to further consolidate their position in the industry. It also offers Onecasino .es players a wide collection of successful slots such as Spanish Celebrities, Chiquito and Chiquito 2 Condemor al rescate, and the popular slots La Mina de Oro, Gnomos Mix, Pasapalabra, Popeye, 777 Caliente, La Taberna or El Habanero among many others.
Javier Lanfranchi, Head of Sales at MGA Games, commented on the partnership: “We are certain that One Casino players will love our offer. We have the right formula to build customer loyalty and increase their presence in Spain: the perfect combination of innovation, quality and service.
The alliance with One Casino has also borne fruit at international level with the launch of MGA Games slots on the operator’s Dutch platform. The Netherlands is a growing market, in which MGA Games has entered strongly, as announced by the company a few days ago.
“In Spain we have a 99% penetration and a 15% market share, and we are also positioning ourselves as a global supplier of reference” – recalled Lanfranchi.
Brazil
INSIDE THE POCKET (ITP) LAUNCHES HOTSPOT JOGOS FOR BRAZILIAN OPERATOR HOTSPOTBET

Inside The Pocket (ITP) the world’s only free-to-play and pay-to-play (F2P & P2P) aggregation platform, has partnered with rising-star operator HotSpotBet to boost acquisition and retention in Brazil around its growing client-base.
ITP has accordingly launched a breakthrough F2P offering for this key emerging market in the form of HotSpotJogos, a localised website supporting a series of engaging free-to-play (F2P) games which have already proven themselves to open flexible gateway through which to both acquire and retain customers in an international landscape of tightening regulatory ropes.
As operators look to new emerging markets, F2P solutions that track localised player proclivities are proving the reliable differentiator for operators who want to broaden their brand’s appeal and have discovered that obsolete bonusing techniques represent a race to the bottom.
This deal follows on the heels of a breakout performance for ITP at last year’s World Cup football, where it was tasked by leading local Brazilian operator, Pixbet, to create a bespoke slate of F2P games and a dedicated F2P website across the Qatar tournament. That new-account success informed a case study, premised on the acquisition and subsequent retention of a loyal audience, which proved pivotal in securing this HotSpotJogos assignment from HotSpotBet. Moreover, ITP has also teamed up with a major global affiliate to help optimise its Meta spend in Brazil, demonstrating a deep understanding and array of analytics tools for this key market.
ITP’s single-integration approach for one or multiple products delivers, in complementary fashion, customer engagement and retention across various products as sports betting regulation remains on the cusp of rolling out across Brazil’s legalised framework, with the Brazilian Ministry of Finance publishing ordinances for operators to apply for fast-track licensing earlier this month. ITP stands apart from any competitor in the F2P and P2P content market, in that through a one simple integration, it opens up an entire market of 30+ free-to-play and pay-to-play content providers.
HotSpotBet’s next-generation sportsbook and igaming platform runs off unique pricing models – allowing users to enjoy sophisticated and reactive in-play odds up to the last second of a game, with competitive pricing on all sports. This service arrives in good time for the ongoing international football league seasons, and a wider sporting schedule of 24/7 global activity. Its modern, modular technology also helps to overcome local regulatory challenges with a light physical deployment backed up by centralised control systems.
A HotSpotBet spokesperson said: “Collaborating with ITP on HotSpotJogos has been a fantastic journey so far. They share our values and vision and we look forward to putting our combined shoulders to the wheel to make HotSpotBet the best sportsbook in Brazil over the year ahead.
“We were initially taken with ITP’s success at last year’s World Cup and saw an immediate opportunity for us to roll out a more dedicated ongoing program around F2P for HotSpotBet over the coming months.
“The engaging gameplay and localized flexibility of our HotSpotJogos games has already helped generate clear spikes in acquisition and retention for, and provides us with a clear pathway in the white-hot Brazilian market, underscoring ITP’s innovative portfolio of native and third-party products as we go along.
“Latin America, while fragmented, is comprised of countries that are overwhelmingly football-focussed, with scope to cross-sell into other sports as they become popular, or reach their optimum seasons peaks, like basketball or baseball. Working with ITP’s varied catalogue, we can spin up new games across other emerging LatAm markets as we look to light up further territories with HotSpotBet’s versatile sportsbook.
Hussain Naqi, Founder and CEO of Inside The Pocket, said: “We saw that at last year’s football World Cup, the most important and most watched football competition in the world – especially amongst Brazil’s football-mad fanbase – that the largest home-grown operator executed far better than some of the global behemoths eyeing the Brazilian space simply because they knew their end users so intimately.
“Other local sportsbooks and media companies across the regulating Brazilian marketplace have also elevated their acquisition and retention targets via F2P, so it’s exciting to have already showcased the dexterous performance of ITP in this space, and to now be leading the LatAm charge on Brazil with HotSpotBet.
“Thanks to our software and platform partners, we were able to construct and curate this customized website, HotSpotJogos, from scratch. They couldn’t have been more collaborative and responsive. And based on encouraging performances in both acquisition and retention metrics, it seems HotSpotBet’s new customers are loving these local touches, too.
“Having developed some vital expertise in the F2P domain in Brazil by working hand-in-hand with proven operators and a major industry affiliate, ITP’s data mastery and marketing success stories will only continue for our partners across emerging territories like Brazil. We are ideally placed to leverage such opportunities because we can diversify content, leverage consumer data and segment it for our clients as the Brazilian coalesces into more definitive shape over the coming months. Our complementary partners at marketing analytics and geolocation are also affording ITP unique consumer insights that will allow us to hyper-localise audience communication around a variety of other mass-media sporting events on the horizon in 2024.”
Compliance Updates
ELA Games obtains the MGA Recognition Notice

ELA Games is delighted to announce that it has been authorized by the Malta Gaming Authority. Marking the beginning of our expansion into select global markets in collaboration with MGA.
ELA Games continues its strategic expansion in Europe and it is another major step in its ability to access distribution and commercial partnerships with companies based in the iGaming hub of Malta.
Mike Cini, Business Owner at ELA Games, commented: “We’re delighted to have obtained our MGA Recognition Notice as it is another major milestone in our regulatory expansion. Malta is the leading iGaming hub in Europe and being authorized there will enable us to work even more closely with our operators and bring player engagement to the next level for our partners.”
ELA Games focuses on producing high quality products that are stacked with gamification features, quality design and animation. Recent releases include Vikings Wild Cash and Lucky Dwarfs. They have already received amazing feedback from operators and players and the studio looks forward to signing more partnerships and launching more games in the coming months.
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