Continent 8 Technologies’ Principal of Innovation & Technology, David Brace, recently attended ICE 2025. With a new home in Barcelona, the event was busier than ever with a footfall of 56,000 attendees!

Here, David shares his key takeaways from the industry’s biggest ever event.

Panel Discussion
David Brace (far right) moderating a cybersecurity panel session at ICE 2025

What were your impressions of ICE 2025? What did you enjoy most about the show?

This year’s ICE was hosted in a significantly larger venue than in previous years. This expansion allowed for larger exhibition stands and provided ample space for engaging, meaningful discussions. It was a really great job from the organisers.

On Monday, the organisers also held a memorial for NEXT.io’s Nico Jansen, who passed away on January 9, just before ICE. Members of the iGaming community gathered to share memories of Nico. It was a heartfelt tribute to honour and remember a cherished member of our community.

That’s certainly a wonderful and touching gesture by the ICE organisers.

At ICE, this was a busier year than normal for you as you took on multiple roles, including Chair of ICE’s ‘Combating Cybercrime Workshop’ content stream and participating in several cybersecurity panels and sessions. Could you share some of your key insights from these experiences?

The World Gaming Forum – ICE’s three-day learning, networking and knowledge sharing exchange – featured various tracks, with my role as Chair of the cybercrime stream. The organisation was once again exemplary, with the event producers assembling a distinguished lineup of speakers. The four panels I participated in or chaired included CEOs, CISOs, company founders and expert consultants from various companies.

The first session, ‘Risks to the gaming industry: cybersecurity & organised crime,’ was a terrific opening presentation by AlixPartners. The US-based cybersecurity consultants delivered a global overview of cybersecurity, highlighting the potential impact of cyberattacks on organisations and sharing key statistics, such as the estimated average cost of a data breach exceeding 4.88 million USD, according to IBM’s 2024 Cost of a Data Breach Report.

Although I wasn’t involved in the subsequent session, ‘Meet the modern day hacker: What’s wrong with gaming’s current information security?’, Greg van der Gaast, Hacker & Ex-Undercover FBI Asset and Managing Director from Sequoia Consulting, did an exceptional job of translating cybersecurity risk into real-world analogies that people could use in boardrooms and for presentations.

In the panel session I moderated, ‘Convincing your boss that cyber matters: building a strong cybersecurity culture’, Alexandre Tomic, Founder of Alea, offered valuable insights on API security and its critical role in safeguarding against third-party vulnerabilities.

In the same session, Brian Harris, CISO of DraftKings, provided insights on third-party library vulnerabilities, illustrating a common scenario where engineers might download code snippets from the Internet and integrate them into their applications, potentially compromising their own systems. Brian emphasised that while human behavior cannot be entirely controlled, implementing static code reviews can help identify potential vulnerabilities.

From your discussions, could you highlight some prevalent trends, themes, or frequently asked questions regarding cybersecurity?

The biggest operators are now at the forefront of promoting cybersecurity adoption and advocacy. In the US and EU, publicly listed companies are legally required to ensure cybersecurity, leading them to implement stringent cybersecurity and business practices for their suppliers to ensure comprehensive security measures are in place. This topic was discussed on the aforementioned panel session, where it was noted that companies such as Alea, DraftKings and Entain conduct thorough due diligence on their suppliers, especially from a cybersecurity perspective, as part of any provisioning or tender process.

Do you have any final thoughts from the event and maybe what to keep an eye out for in 2025 and beyond?

ICE was extremely well-attended – there literally wasn’t a quiet moment!

Over the course of three days, it facilitated numerous good-quality discussions, interactions with existing customers and engagement with potential prospects. Our brand-new stand was busier than ever, and the team welcomed customers and partners to a must-attend cocktail and networking event on the Tuesday evening at the Terraza del Sercotel Rosellón.

The show is certainly a must-attend for Continent 8. We’re already looking forward to ICE 2026!

Cybersecurity solutions for a safer tomorrow

Continent 8 provides comprehensive, multi-layered threat prevention, detection and response solutions to secure your iGaming and online sports betting organisation’s digital assets in the face of evolving cyber threats. For more information on how Continent 8 can support your cybersecurity initiatives, email sales@continent.com or fill out our Contact Us page.

The year 2024 marked another remarkable chapter for Continent 8 Technologies. Over the course of the year, we expanded our global network, enhanced our infrastructure and cloud services, forged new cybersecurity partnerships, introduced innovative products, launched our inaugural podcast and much more.

Explore below as we reflect on some of our remarkable accomplishments from 2024.

  1. 100+ connected locations worldwide over a carrier-grade network

We continue to expand our data centre locations and points of presence globally, with an unrivalled private network of over 100 locations across four continents. Our carrier-grade network, which includes more than 35 global Internet Edge and Internet Exchange locations and over 5 Tb of IP transit capacity, provides resilient, high-performance and low-latency connectivity, ensuring zero-compromise user experiences. We’re equipped to support the growing regulated iGaming and online sports betting sector, covering more than 30 US states and six LATAM and Caribbean regions, including Brazil, an exciting new regulated market.

As the fastest go-to market supplier and the trusted infrastructure and cybersecurity partner to the industry, we power and protect the world’s leading brands, such as bet365, Apricot (formerly Microgaming), BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, PointsBet, Playtech, Sportingtech and more. We also take pride in being a supporting partner to 90% of the top 10 organisations on the 2024 EGR Power 50 Rankings list and over 95% on the 2024 EGR Power US Rankings list.

  1. Continued commitment to the AWS and hyperscale cloud ecosystem

We were selected to join the prestigious AWS Solution Provider Program (SPP). Through this AWS partnership, we introduced a suite of managed and professional services designed to simplify hybrid and multi-cloud environments and infrastructures. These new services, available via the AWS Marketplace, include:

This effort is part of our expanding cloud initiative designed to support the varied needs of our customers seeking hyperscale, hybrid, public and private cloud solutions.

  1. Emphasis on cybersecurity to mitigate cyber threats

To continue to provide the industry with comprehensive 360-degree protection, and meet the increasing market demand as a Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) via our cybersecurity division, C8 Secure, we collaborated with cybersecurity specialists to enhance our range of cybersecurity services and solutions.

In 2024, we partnered with MIRACL, a passwordless multi-factor authentication (MFA) provider, to deliver a secure, single-step MFA solution, ensuring the most secure and efficient authentication experience possible. Additionally, we teamed up with Corrata, an advanced detection and response provider for mobile endpoints, to fortify mobile devices against modern security threats, ensuring secure access to corporate data.

As cyber threats became the new normal in 2024, it is unsurprising that we observed a record number of customers adopting our managed cybersecurity services. Sportingtech, for example, has implemented our Managed Security Operations Centre (MSOC) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) services to ensure continuous 24/7 monitoring, prompt threat prevention and rapid response.

  1. 300+ employees across 19 countries…and counting!

In 2024, we marked a significant corporate milestone by meeting and exceeding 300 employees in December, representing a growth of over 20% from 2023. With specialists now located in 19 countries, including our newly established offices in the Philippines, we are dedicated to growing our team to deliver outstanding service and attention to our customers worldwide.

Continent 8 Philippines Manila
The grand opening of our Continent 8 office in the Philippines.
  1. 50+ events, 20+ industry panels and 5 industry awards

As industry leaders, we are committed to informing, educating and guiding the iGaming and online sports betting community on all matters related to infrastructure, cloud and cybersecurity. In 2024, as an engaged participant in the community, we participated in over 50 industry events, contributed to or led more than 20 industry panels and received 5 industry awards, along with numerous accolades and recognitions for our customer-centric managed services and solutions.

Continent at G2E
The Continent 8 team at Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2024.
Continent 8 at G2E
Continent 8’s Regulatory Account Director, Graham Foster, and Regional Sales Director, Aidan-Rees Williams (middle left and middle right, respectively), accepting an industry recognition at the EGR B2B awards ceremony.
  1. Sustained success through valued collaborations

Our enduring presence in the iGaming industry is largely attributed to the strong partnerships we have cultivated over our 25-plus years of operation. Among these is Playtech, a leading provider of platforms, content and services in the industry. In November, we were pleased to extend our two-decades-long partnership, allowing Playtech to further utilise our range of managed and professional services. This renewal underscores both companies’ shared commitment to advancing and shaping the expanding regulated online gaming market.

Shimon Akad, COO at Playtech, stated, “Continent 8 have been our hosting and connectivity partner since the onset of our journey, 20 years ago. Renewing our agreement is a testament to the joint work and success we’ve built together, and I look forward to continuing our strong collaboration for years to come.”

  1. Michael Tobin: Visionary Founder and CEO of Continent 8 and Hall of Fame Inductee

At the 2024 SBC Summit North America, Michael Tobin, the Founder and CEO of Continent 8, was formally inducted into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame. He was recognised for his relentless dedication over the past 25-plus years, driving innovation and fostering growth in the global gaming industry.

Michael expressed his gratitude, sharing, “It is truly an honour to be recognised by my peers, and it’s also a testament to the hard work and dedication of the entire Continent 8 team.

“I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished, the value we have added to the industry and the ways in which we have empowered our customers and partners to achieve success. The iGaming and online sports betting industry is constantly evolving, and I am excited to see how we can continue to embark on this journey to grow the market together.”

Continent 8- Michael Tobin
Michael Tobin (third from right): Sports Betting Hall of Fame Class of 2024!
  1. The shifting hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) landscape

Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware had a substantial impact on the HCI market. As a Nutanix Authorised Service Provider, we transitioned numerous iGaming and non-iGaming customers from their VMware ecosystems to Nutanix HCI environments. Our own documented journey from VMware’s Cloud Foundation platform to Nutanix’s Acropolis and Acropolis hypervisor (AHV) demonstrated the benefits of a VMware-to-Nutanix migration, reducing hardware infrastructure, physical footprint and operational costs, all with minimal disruption and downtime.

Continent 8 at Nutanix
Continent 8 CTO, Edward O’Connor (pictured on the right), along with Nutanix CTO, Manosiz Bhattacharyya, presenting the benefits of Nutanix-based IT infrastructures at the Gartner IT Symposium/Xpo 2024 Conference.
  1. A tribal gaming podcast – now streaming on Spotify!

In response to the growing need for tailored cybersecurity services and insights within the tribal gaming sector, we launched the ‘Tribal Talks: Cybersecurity Unlocked’ podcast series. Hosted by Continent 8’s Jerad Swimmer, this podcast provides a unique forum for tribal leaders and experts to share their experiences, accomplishments and lessons learned. Through insightful discussions, listeners gain a comprehensive understanding of the technological advancements, cybersecurity challenges and best practices influencing the tribal gaming industry.

Continent 8 Tribal Gaming podcast
Continent 8 Regional Sales Director, Jerad Swimmer (pictured on the right), hosts tribal cybersecurity leaders such as Frances Alvarez, Chairwoman of the Tribal Gaming Protection Network, President of the National Native American Hall of Fame and Gaming Commissioner for the Wilton Rancheria Gaming Commission.

Looking ahead to 2025

As 2024 draws to a close, we are excited to kick off the New Year with ICE 2025 (stand 2G20) in Barcelona. At ICE, we will showcase our regulatory and compliance-driven hosting, connectivity, cloud and cybersecurity solutions, with our industry experts on hand to discuss and explore the latest technological advancements, trends and challenges for 2025 and beyond.

If you’re interested in scheduling a meeting with one of our specialists or joining us for a coffee at our Caffein8 bar, please visit our ICE 2025 page.

Let's work together.

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