Left to right: Marvin L. Pickering, VICCC Chairman; Paris Smith, CEO Pinnacle Sports; Sue Schneider, VP Growth & Strategy, SBC and Jaime Rivera Emmanuelli, Acting Executive Director, Puerto Rico Gaming Commission. Photo credit – Henry E. Schjang.
CROIX, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS – Marvin L. Pickering, Chairman/CEO of the Virgin Islands Casino Control Commission (‘the Commission”), was an invited panelist at the second annual SBC Summit Latinoamerica 2022, held at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, from November 1 – 3, 2022. On Thursday, November 3rd, Mr. Pickering co-hosted a roundtable event entitled “A Trip Around Latin Americas Betting Market, with Attorney Jaime Rivera Emmanuelli, Acting Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission. Other roundtable participants included representatives from Brazil, Central America, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, and Mexico. That discussion centered around the gaming environment in the respective jurisdictions. Later that day, Mr. Pickering was one of three panelists to participate in the panel discussion entitled “Caribbean: Details of a Key Market.” He was joined by Mr. Emmanuelli and Ms. Paris Smith, CEO, Pinnacle Sports, which is based in Curacao. The panel was moderated by Sue Schneider, VP Growth & Strategy/Americas, SBC. That discussion concerned access to the lucrative legal sports betting market and the challenges, opportunities, and regulatory issues in these jurisdictions. Mr. Pickering told the group that the Commission is committed to implementing the Virgin Islands’ Internet Gaming and Gambling Act (IGGA), but in order to do so, the Commission must first review the twenty-year old Act and propose the necessary amendments to the Act and the related rules and regulations. A reputable and respected consultant in the gaming industry is currently conducting this review under the auspices of the Commission and is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2023.
SBC is an industry-leading events company that organizes global conferences and exhibitions for the sports betting and igaming industry. They are headquartered in London, with offices in Manchester, Poland, Malta, Argentina, and the United States.