Inside SBC Summit 2026: What it is and who should attend

In this article, SBC Summit outlines why the 2026 Lisbon edition will become one of the gaming industry’s must-attend events, bringing together 40,000 professionals from across the global betting and iGaming ecosystem for three days of business, networking, and insight.

SBC Summit is back in Lisbon from 29 September to 1 October 2026. For three days, 40,000 people from across the gaming industry will be in the same place. Operators, affiliates, suppliers, regulators, media. The people you usually email, message, or try to get time with all year round.

The event takes over the Feira Internacional de Lisboa and MEO Arena, but it doesn’t stay contained there. Meetings start early, run across the show floor, and carry on into dinners, drinks, and late-night conversations.

This is why people call it ‘The Greatest Show in Gaming.’ Not just because of the scale, but because of what actually happens when that many decision-makers are in the same place.

If you have been before, you already know how it feels. If you haven’t, this is a straightforward look at what the event actually is and who shows up.

What is SBC Summit?

SBC Summit is SBC’s flagship conference and exhibition, bringing together the global gaming industry in one place. What began as one of the fastest-growing events in the space has now firmly established itself as a must-attend for anyone serious about the industry.

• A truly global event: In 2025, attendees travelled from over 150 countries, making it one of the most internationally diverse gatherings in gaming.
• A hub for the entire ecosystem: From sports betting and iGaming to payments, affiliation, marketing, and technology, while also serving audiences in the marketing, AI, emerging tech, and startup space.
• A massive, product-driven expo: With 800+ exhibitors and sponsors, the show floor brings together the latest platforms, tools, and technologies shaping the industry.
• A senior decision-maker audience: A large share of attendees hold real decision-making power, turning conversations into tangible business opportunities.
• A best-in-class conference programme: Six stages cover global markets, payments, tech, regulation, and more, alongside workshops, tech academies, and masterclasses, plus a Super Stage featuring world-class speakers (2025 lineup included the likes of Gary Vaynerchuk, Randi Zuckerberg, and Oleksandr Usyk).
• A networking-first experience: With SBC Connections, attendees can network through curated meetings, speed networking formats like The Hive, and targeted meetups, all supported by a powerful event app, SBC Connect.
• Networking that goes beyond the venue: The experience extends beyond the venue with dinners, parties, and events across the city, including the INFINITY Lisbon closing party with some of the world’s hottest DJs (Alok and Timmy Trumpet headlined in 2025).
• A celebration of the industry: The SBC Awards recognise excellence across the sector and have been a benchmark for over a decade.
• An experience designed around the attendee: From a 50+ vendor Food Festival to Festival Square, themed lounges, and dedicated meeting spaces, everything is built to make connecting with other attendees easier.
• A platform for innovation and media: Featuring a startup hub, media headquarters, and content-driven spaces that bring new ideas and industry voices together.

SBC Summit: Who Attends?

SBC Summit is built for anyone working in sports betting and iGaming. But more importantly, it is for people who need to meet, learn from, and do business with the rest of the industry in one place.

The strength of the event comes from the mix. You are not just meeting your peers. You are meeting the full ecosystem around you.

• Operators: From global sportsbooks and casino brands to emerging platforms, with attendees spanning C-level executives, product leaders, trading teams, marketing, CRM, compliance, payments, and commercial roles. In 2025, companies like bet365, BetMGM, DraftKings, Flutter, and Entain were on the ground.
• Affiliates: From major affiliate networks and media groups to SEO specialists, content publishers, and performance marketers. This is where traffic strategies, commercial models, and partnerships are actively shaped. Attendees included Better Collective, Catena Media, Gambling.com, and Raketech.
• Suppliers and service providers: Platform providers, game studios, payments companies, data and tech specialists. The teams building the products the industry runs on, with brands like Sportradar, Pragmatic Play, OpenBet, and Genius Sports..
• Regulators and public sector: Licensing authorities, compliance leaders, and policy makers from across global jurisdictions. The people shaping how markets operate and evolve.
• Sports organisations: Clubs, leagues, federations, and integrity bodies managing sponsorships, partnerships, and commercial rights.
• Nonprofits and responsible gambling organisations: Groups focused on player protection, research, and safer gambling, ensuring the industry’s growth is balanced with responsibility.
• Industry associations and trade bodies: Organisations representing operators, suppliers, and national markets, facilitating collaboration, standard-setting, and industry-wide initiatives.
• Media: Journalists, editors, analysts, and content teams covering the industry and influencing the conversation globally, from trade publications to mainstream outlets.
• Startups and scale-ups: Early-stage and high-growth companies bringing new ideas to market, from niche products to disruptive business models across gaming and beyond.
• Marketing and martech specialists: Agencies, platforms, and performance experts from both inside and outside gaming, covering CRM, automation, influencer marketing, and customer acquisition strategies.
• Fintech and payments innovators: Payment providers, open banking platforms, crypto companies, and fraud and risk specialists shaping how money moves across regulated and emerging markets.
• AI and data specialists: Companies and experts working on machine learning, personalisation, automation, and predictive analytics, increasingly influencing product, marketing, and operations.
• Web3 and blockchain companies: Teams exploring decentralised technologies, tokenisation, digital identity, and new ownership models within and beyond gaming.
• Tech infrastructure providers: Cloud services, hosting, cybersecurity, and backend solutions supporting scalability, security, and performance across platforms.
• Consultants and advisory firms: Strategy, legal, compliance, and market entry specialists helping businesses navigate regulation, expansion, and operational challenges.
• Investment and finance professionals: Venture capital, private equity, and M&A specialists looking for opportunities, partnerships, and emerging trends. 

What this means in practice is simple. You are stepping into a space where the entire industry is present, accessible, and ready to do business.

Whether you are looking to close deals, find partners, understand regulation, or stay ahead of where the market is heading, it all happens here. In the same rooms. Over a few days. With the right people.

That is what makes SBC Summit different. And that is why it has become a must-attend.