The 19th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking has announced additional keynote and panel presentations spanning sports betting, artificial intelligence, regulatory oversight, and risk in the entertainment industry.
The event, to be held May 26–28 at the Bellagio Resort & Casino, is organized by the UNLV International Gaming Institute and will bring together researchers and industry leaders to discuss emerging trends in gambling and risk-related sectors.
A featured keynote, “Candid Conversations: Sports Betting,” will include Chad Millman of The Action Network and Pamela Maldonado of ESPN. The session will focus on betting market trends, data-driven wagering, and media influence on sports gambling.
“The conference continues to evolve alongside the gambling and risk-taking ecosystem, bringing together leading voices to explore not only where each discipline is today, but where it is headed,” said Dr. Brett Abarbanel, Executive Director of IGI. “This year reflects a strong convergence of interdisciplinary research and industry expertise that aims to spark new ideas among attendees.”
Highlights of newly announced keynote and panel presentationsTuesday, May 26
- Taste of G2E: Signals from the Frontier: How Early-Stage Founders Are Building Gaming’s Next Five Years
This session previews themes from the Global Gaming Expo G2E. Benson Bleier of Regen and Rebecca Martin of Spin Pass, moderated by Ryan Rubio of Zero Labs and Quinton Singleton of nVenue, will explore how early-stage founders are reshaping gaming through AI-driven gamification and behavioral design. The discussion will also examine how the convergence of gaming and fintech is transforming relationships between operators and consumers, along with emerging risks and opportunities.
- The Three Gs: Gamification, Gamblification and Golf
As golf continues to evolve beyond the traditional course, this panel will examine the rise of off-course experiences, skill-based technology platforms, gamification, and the growing influence of sports betting. Speakers Christopher Cain of UNLV, Sameer Gupta of Evenplay, Lori Kalani of DraftKings, and Quinton Singleton of nVenue will discuss how innovation is reshaping golf’s commercial and cultural landscape for operators, investors, and fans.
Wednesday, May 27
- Candid Conversations: Sports Betting (Keynote)
Millman and Maldonado will lead an unscripted peer-to-peer dialogue focused on candid insights from industry leaders and an open discussion on the state of sports betting.
- UNLV IGI’s State of AI in Gaming Report
–The Industry Index: Melissa Swinehart of UNLV IGI and Rick Arpin of KPMG will present findings from the KPMG State of AI in Gaming 2026 report based on a survey of 83 gambling companies. The session will highlight implications for operators and suppliers.
–Regulatory Pulse: Cesar Lozoya Martinez of UNLV IGI and Zachary Birnbaum of VIXIO will share insights from a global regulator survey focused on AI governance gaps and emerging oversight priorities. A follow-up panel moderated by Simo Dragicevic of UNLV IGI will bring together regulatory experts to discuss the findings.
-Research and Advancements: Melissa Swineheart, Antonio Le, and Samantha Wells of UNLV IGI will present research on AI-related academic publications, patent activity, and key industry conference themes. Moderated by Piyush Puranik of UNLV IGI, the session will also feature Ryan Rubio of Zero Labs and Simo Dragicevic of UNLV IGI in a discussion on startups, innovation, and media narratives shaping AI in gaming.
-The Workshop: This interactive closing session of the State of AI in Gaming track will encourage collaboration across industry, regulatory, and academic perspectives. Participants will rotate through themed tables to exchange ideas, challenge assumptions, and identify practical takeaways on AI’s evolving role in gaming. Tables will be led by Rick Arpin of KPMG, Simo Dragicevic of UNLV IGI, and Kasra Ghaharian of UNLV IGI, with Bronwen Gregg of Insight Global serving as host.
Thursday, May 28
- Risk Taking in Arts and Entertainment Keynote
Featuring Jeanne Elfant Festa of White Horse Pictures and Myron Martin of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, this keynote explores how risk-taking drives creativity across film, television, and live performance. The discussion will be moderated by Alan Feldman, director of strategic initiatives at UNLV International Gaming Institute.
Conference programming, speaker updates, and the full agenda are available here.
Organizers said that the schedule will continue to be updated leading up to the event.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/05/14/120401-19th-international-conference-on-gambling-risk-taking-announces-additional-keynotes-panels
