RENO, Nevada (May 29, 2008) – Three notable keynote speakers highlight the fifth annual Casino Marketing Conference and the second Player Development Summit, presented together at Paris Las Vegas, July 22-24. In its short history, Casino Marketing has become the gaming industry’s premiere marketing conference and trade show, while the Summit is a newer addition with a specific focus on one of the hottest topics in the gaming industry.

On July 22, the Player Development Summit will feature keynote speaker Richard Schuetz, a candid and sometimes controversial consultant and former Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Lyle Berman’s Grand Casinos. In a presentation entitled “Sleeping Well at Night in a Sometimes Ruthless Business,” Schuetz will share his thoughts on the evolution of player development (Cro-Magnon to corporate), where it is headed (for better and for worse), and how the marketer can survive it all (alcohol, needlepoint, and/or shock therapy).

The next day, Casino Marketing opens with a keynote presentation from Dr. Bill Eadington, Director of the Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming at the University of Nevada, Reno, and a world-renowned expert on gambling issues. He will speak on the topic of “Casino Marketing Challenges Worldwide,” sharing his casino marketing perspective as a savvy educator, economist and long-time industry observer.

On July 24, a luncheon keynote address will be given by Don McMillan, a humorist whose unique background allows him to take a light-hearted look at computers, technology, and the high-tech life. With a post-graduate degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University, he was part of the team that designed the world’s first 32-bit microprocessor. He later turned to comedy, and was the $100,000 Grand Champion on Star Search in 1993. Now a principal with Technically Funny, McMillan’s presentation is entitled “How NOT to Communicate and Sell Your Casino Marketing Message to Casino Management.”

“These three speakers provide a wide range of knowledge, with a little entertainment value thrown in for good measure,” said Dennis Conrad, President and Chief Strategist of Raving Consulting Company, co-producer of the conference together with BNP Media. “We couldn’t have asked for a better mix of expertise to be shared at this year’s events.”

In addition to these world-class keynotes, Casino Marketing and Player Development Summit both feature thought-provoking conference sessions and plenty of networking opportunities with a vibrant trade show area. There are also two prestigious annual awards ceremonies – the Romero Awards: Recognizing Excellence in Casino Marketing; and the Casino Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award. For 2008, the latter honor will be bestowed upon Ginny Shanks, former Senior Vice President of Brand Management for Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc.

Complete conference details and registration information are available at www.casinomarketing2008.com. A limited number of sponsorships and exhibit booths are available by contacting Lesley Grashow at (203) 938-2782; grashowl@bnpmedia.com.

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BNP Media Gaming Group is the world’s largest and most experienced gaming industry media resource and the leading producer of trade magazines, specialized conference and expos, websites, eNewsletters and targeted specialty publications serving the gaming industry worldwide. Raving Consulting Company is a Reno-based marketing company that has worked with more than 200 casino companies worldwide and trained more than 1,500 gaming executives in its insider-savvy gaming seminars.

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Media contacts:
Charles Anderer, Senior Events Manager, Gaming, BNP Media, (718) 432-8529; andererc@bnpmedia.com.
Dennis Conrad, President and Chief Strategist, Raving Consulting, (775) 329-7864; dennis@ravingconsulting.com.