With our 10-year anniversary on the horizon, our vision for the next decade shines crystal clear. The SiGMA Group is on a mission to revolutionise the gambling landscape, creating a secure and responsible haven for the industry. We’re building a unified platform that blends education, regulation, innovation, and entertainment. Our goal, moving forward, is to empower businesses in the sector to flourish within an ecosystem where gambling is not only fun but also safe and sustainable.

The 2020 Covid pandemic offered a valuable lesson that has shaped the SiGMA Group’s journey: Change is the only constant, and in the face of it, we have two choices – resist or adapt.

It became evident that we needed to expand our horizons beyond the events sector. And so we ventured into media - becoming affiliates with the launch of our SiGMA Play brand. This initiative gained strength through our recent acquisition of CasinoBee. Additionally we have garnered several affiliate licences throughout the US - to date we are active across 10 states, with the announcement of several new US-based licences in the wings. Other notable pillars of growth include establishing the SiGMA Foundation, and launching a 20 MIL VC fund - Ikigai Ventures.

So, what sets Ikigai Ventures apart from other funds? We’re not your typical passive investors; we’re strategic partners. We don’t just write checks and hope for the best. With the backing of the SiGMA Group, investments enjoy invaluable global exposure and game-changing introductions.

Historically, the venture capital landscape has been shaped by newcomers and early-stage investors, offering attractive return profiles.

Eman Pulis

As we navigate the next few years, Ikigai Ventures’ mission will be to nurture the growth of the next generation of innovative companies at the forefront of their fields - particularly those in frontier sectors such as iGaming and emerging technologies.

The fund has a strong track record of value creation, with a unique investment thesis that combines equity and token investments with incubation. After its launch in 2022, Ikigai introduced its innovative fund strategy of incubated projects in the iGaming industry. This approach involved partnering with the foremost experts in this sector, providing unparalleled support and taking majority positions and board seats in promising ventures. In 2023, Ikigai saw a strong start with strategic investments in Kero, iGaming Academy (iGA), and EverX all aligned with portfolio objectives.

Our recent investment in Affiliate World is also a significant milestone in SiGMA’s growth trajectory

Over the next four years the plan is to acquire four start-up projects over four years. In 2022, Quantum Gaming, a B2B platform was selected and launched. The second project, Wicked Games, was selected this year. A payments company has been selected for 2024 and in 2025, the opportunity was offered to a live studio, a subsidiary of Wicked Games.

Meanwhile the Foundation’s upcoming philanthropic initiatives in 2024 will focus on two main projects. In collaboration with the esteemed local NGO, Premium Care Kids, the first will extend a helping hand to the children of Colombia who are born with cleft lip and cleft palate deformities. The project will be supported by a four-day trek along the Lost City Trail Expedition in Colombia. The SiGMA Foundation’s establishment of a Maltese-funded school in Jimma Bonga, Ethiopia, has positively impacted 1,000 children by providing access to education. Now, they aim to empower 500 women annually in diverse fields, such as IT, cooking, sewing, and hairdressing, fostering self-sufficiency and sustainable development in the community. 2024’s Mount Toubkal and Camino expeditions will be undertaken in aid of this project.

Our recent investment in Affiliate World is also a significant milestone in SiGMA’s growth trajectory. This partnership will see the alignment of Affiliate World’s three shows (traditionally held in Bangkok, Barcelona, and Dubai) with three SiGMA summits. Operators attending SiGMA can now connect with over 5,000 super affiliates in the same city where the event unfolds. This domino effect promises happier operators and, in turn, more suppliers. We believe we’ve struck a deal that will open tremendous prospects for us in 2024.

Over the past few years, we’ve expanded into various regions. Along with the acquisition of the Brazil iGaming Summit (BIS), we introduced successful new shows into our events portfolio, launching SiGMA Africa, SiGMA Asia, and SiGMA Americas in Kenya, Manila, and Brazil, respectively. We were also thrilled to host our SiGMA Balkans and CIS event in Limassol’s brand new City of Dreams Mediterranean, Europe’s first integrated resort. Recently, SiGMA Curacao, hosted by Curacao’s Minister of Finance, also graced our calendar of events.

Beyond being a platform for new business and connections, our events have played a crucial role in driving sustainable, regulated gaming in these regions, putting them on the industry map. Notably, both Brazil and Dubai took significant steps toward a regulated landscape following the SiGMA shows, with Dubai announcing plans for a commercial gaming regulatory framework and Brazil continuing its regulatory journey with fresh updates to its legislation. We’ll explore these markets - and others - in more depth throughout 2024. With a slew of new events already confirmed, the road ahead looks promising.

Join us in 2024 for our February event in Dubai, South Africa in March, Brazil in April, Manila in June, and Budapest in September. We then come full circle with an end-of-year event in Malta.

Eman Pulis, Founder SiGMA Group, GP Ikigai Ventures.