International gaming event organiser SBC Events has confirmed that its CasinoBeats Malta conference, being held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Malta, will go ahead on 24-26 March as planned.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO of SBC Events, explained: “There is obviously great concern around the globe about the outbreak of the Coronavirus and the uncertainty that builds up as a result of such an unfortunate and fast moving situation.
“However as it stands the island of Malta remains free from infection of COVID-19. Moreover, it seems that the reactions of health authorities to the crisis since its emergence are effectively controlling its diffusion and there remains no advice to avoid public gatherings from authorities.
“Given that CasinoBeats Malta will mainly attract industry executives based on the island, the event is to go ahead as planned after consultation with our speakers, sponsors and local key supporters.
“We will, of course, keep monitoring the situation closely and take on-board advice from official quarters, but at the moment it is business as usual in Malta.”
While media coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak is extensive and concerning, it is not preventing large-scale public events in most European countries. Next week’s Cheltenham Festival in the UK remains on with government blessing and the Barcelona marathon with 17,000 participants will be run the week after.
The gambling industry itself has seen postponements of some events, but these have mainly been located in areas with high occurrence of contagion. Given Malta remains free of infection, SBC Events feels it is important to take a sensible approach and continue with the event while monitoring official advice from the Maltese authorities.
The dates for Betting on Sports America, being held in New Jersey on 28-30 April 2020, and Betting on Sports Europe, being held at Stamford Bridge in London on 2-4 June 2020, also remain in place while the global situation develops.
FAQ
Have there been any changes to CasinoBeats Malta as a result of the COVID19 outbreak?
As it stands, there have been no material changes to the event as a result of the COVID19 outbreak. Events of this scale always have tweaks to the schedule and line-up in the run up to the event. Stay up-to date with the latest agenda and schedule at https://sbcevents.com/casinobeats-malta/
What happens if greater virus containment restrictions are introduced?
At the moment everything is running to the original CasinoBeats Malta timeline of 24-26 March. However should the situation develop which would make the event impossible to hold, then an alternate date will be found later this year. All tickets will be transferred to the new date automatically.
What happens if I cannot make any rescheduled date?
Then you will be eligible for a refund or would be able to transfer the ticket to one of the other SBC Events planned for this year: Betting on Sports America, being held in New Jersey on 28-30 April 2020, Betting on Sports Europe, being held at Stamford Bridge in London on 2-4 June 2020, and SBC Summit in Barcelona on 8-11 September.
