The SBC Summit 2026 officially begins today, September 29, in Lisbon, drawing over 40,000 professionals from the betting and iGaming sectors to the Portuguese capital. Organizers are touting this edition as the largest in the event's history.
Running until October 1 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and MEO Arena, this marks the third consecutive year for the SBC Summit in Lisbon, featuring an extensive program that includes more than 800 exhibitors and sponsors, alongside over 600 speakers and delegates from upwards of 150 countries.
The growth of the event mirrors the expanding landscape of the betting and iGaming industries, with over 11,000 operators expected to attend, alongside increasing participation from regulators, lotteries, affiliates, technology firms, and various businesses within the sector.
Highlighting today’s opening agenda is the Super Stage at MEO Arena, where basketball legend Michael Jordan will join Sportradar's CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings' CEO Jason Robins for a session titled “Leadership in Sports Business.” This discussion, moderated by broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher, will delve into the evolution of sports from the perspectives of these three influential figures.
The Super Stage has quickly become a key feature of the SBC Summit since its inception in 2024, previously hosting notable personalities such as Sir Tim Berners-Lee, Tony Hawk, Oleksandr Usyk, and Gary Vaynerchuk.
Jordan’s participation is part of SBC Summit's initiative to incorporate voices from beyond the traditional betting and gaming realms onto its main stage.
In addition to Jordan, Koerl, and Robins, Wednesday’s Super Stage lineup will feature football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano and UFC champion Charles Oliveira. Romano will present “Here We Go: Trust, Speed and the Business of Breaking News,” discussing the media brand he has created around football transfers, emphasizing speed, accuracy, and partnerships with creators.
Oliveira will share insights on performance under pressure and the routines that contribute to sustained success during his appearance as an ambassador for game developer SPRIBE.
The Super Stage will also host a series of Founder Stories featuring executives like David Natroshvili, CEO of SPRIBE, Gustaf Hagman, CEO and Co-Founder of LeoVegas Group, and Vigen Badalyan, Co-Founder of SoftConstruct.
Another significant focus will be on sports business, with a session dedicated to the international growth of the Argentine Football Association’s brand, featuring former AFA marketing chief Leandro Petersen and ex-Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Goycochea.
A notable change for SBC Summit 2026 is the introduction of the affiliate component as a standalone event. The Affiliate Leaders Summit will now operate independently, complete with its own ticketing, conference agenda, exhibition area, and awards ceremony. SBC anticipates around 10,000 professionals from the affiliate and performance marketing sectors to participate.
This new format acknowledges the expanding scale of the affiliate industry, providing a dedicated space for operators, suppliers, affiliates, and performance marketers within the broader SBC Summit.
SBC has also collaborated with Conversion Conf for this year’s Affiliate Leaders Summit, enhancing the event's offerings for the affiliate and performance marketing community.
Additionally, the Global Prediction Markets Forum will take place, as prediction markets gain traction among investors, operators, and regulators, especially as they increasingly intersect with trading, betting, and forecasting.
Meanwhile, the African Gaming Forum has been developed in conjunction with the Gaming Regulators Africa Forum, further enriching the event's programming.