The biggest names from both the land-based and online gambling industries will today descend on the Spanish capital Madrid for the start of the World Gaming Executive Summit.

This year’s event, which is being held at the Melia Avenida America hotel and conference centre from July 5-7, kicks off with a Focus Day exploring the opening of new markets, new regulation and taxation in Europe and beyond.

The conference itself begins on Wednesday and is this year chaired by Nick Harding, chief executive officer of Praesepe, and will feature a variety of speakers including American Gaming Association chief, Frank Fahrenkopf.

Naturally the convergence between online and bricks and mortar operations will be high on the agenda and the day’s main draw will be the Big Casino Debate, featuring a panel comprising key executives from the world’s largest casino groups.

In a similar vein, the final day of the conference - this time chaired by Roger Withers, chairman of Playtech - brings together online gaming’s most influential figures in the Big Online Debate. Sure to be a highlight, this lively discussion will no doubt see the panel dissect the events of Black Friday and the recent controversy surrounding Full Tilt Poker.

In recent years, the quality of the line-up of speakers, the variety of round-table discussions and the host of networking opportunities on offer has ensured that WGES has become a must-see event. This year’s edition is unlikely to be an exception.