SBC Summit 2026 Wraps Up Record-Breaking Lisbon Edition

SBC Summit’s record-breaking 2026 edition concluded in Lisbon after welcoming 40,000 attendees, marking a 34.5% increase compared with the previous year. The event also reported significant growth among key industry audiences, with operator participation up 37% and C-level attendance rising 40.7%.

Headlined by basketball legend Michael Jordan, the summit brought together leading figures from gaming, sports, technology and entertainment. During the event, SBC confirmed that Lisbon will remain the home of SBC Summit through 2030.

The number of C-level executives increased from 5,969 to 8,398, demonstrating that senior decision-maker participation grew faster than overall attendance.

Affiliate registrations also rose by 71%, while attendance increased across every major international region. Africa recorded the strongest growth at 129.6%, followed by North America at 58.5%, Asia at 44.3%, Europe at 32.3% and Latin America at 10.7%.

SBC CEO and Founder Rasmus Sojmark said: “The figures point to a broader shift in the composition of SBC Summit as it scales: not simply towards a larger international audience, but towards greater representation from senior executives, operators and commercially significant industry segments.”

A Global Gathering Focused on Business and Industry Connections

Held across the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and the MEO Arena, SBC Summit welcomed participants from 178 countries, including operators, affiliates, suppliers, regulators, startups and investors.

The event expanded its programme around specific industry communities and commercial objectives, rather than simply increasing the volume of conference content.

One of the key developments was the launch of the standalone Affiliate Leaders Summit, which attracted 10,000 attendees, including 6,000 affiliates and 3,000 operator representatives, alongside 150 exhibitors and sponsors.

The dedicated event provided the affiliate and performance marketing sectors with a focused commercial environment while remaining connected to the broader SBC Summit audience.

Regulation and direct engagement between industry stakeholders and policymakers were also central themes, supported by dedicated forums and regulatory networking sessions.

New Forums Address Emerging Markets and Regulatory Challenges

The debut of the African Gaming Forum reflected the growing international reach of SBC Summit and the increasing importance of regulatory developments across Africa.

With attendance from the continent up 129.6% year-on-year, the forum brought together operators, suppliers, regulators and other stakeholders to discuss licensing frameworks, market development and the conditions required for sustainable industry growth.

The Global Prediction Markets Forum addressed regulatory questions in the rapidly evolving prediction markets sector. Companies, legal specialists, policymakers and executives examined issues at the intersection of betting, financial markets and forecasting.

SBC also strengthened its regulatory programme through Regulatory Gaming Meet-ups, organised in conjunction with the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) and the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL).

These meetings provided opportunities for regulators, legal professionals and industry leaders from different jurisdictions to exchange perspectives and discuss evolving regulatory approaches.

Expanded Networking Programme and Exhibition Floor

Commercial engagement remained at the centre of the event, supported by an expanded structured networking programme powered by SBC Connect.

The initiative was designed to help attendees identify relevant business partners, connect with decision-makers and develop relationships throughout the summit.

Sojmark emphasised the importance of the exhibition floor, saying: “SBC Summit is, first and foremost, a major trade show, and the expo floor remains at the heart of the event because that is where a huge amount of business gets done.”

He added that the focus for the 2026 edition was on improving the quality of the audience and making it easier for the right industry participants to connect.

The exhibition featured 800 sponsors and exhibitors, while the conference and educational programme included 600 speakers and an expanded selection of CPD-certified learning opportunities.

“We set out to create more than a gaming industry trade show. We wanted to build a global meeting place at the intersection of gaming, AI & tech, fintech, sports, music and entertainment,” Sojmark added.

Michael Jordan Headlines Star-Studded Conference Programme

One of the event’s defining moments was a keynote featuring basketball legend, investor and philanthropist Michael Jordan, who appeared alongside Sportradar Founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings Co-Founder and CEO Jason Robins.

The session attracted 5,000 attendees, bringing together prominent figures from sports, business and technology.

The conference programme also featured internationally recognised names from sports and media, including football journalist and transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano and UFC champion Charles Oliveira.

They were joined by industry executives such as Betsson Group CEO Jesper Svensson, Allwyn Digital CEO Kresimir Spajic, Flutter International Chief Strategy Officer Tom Bowry, Fortuna Entertainment Group CEO Dieter John and LeoVegas Group CEO and Co-Founder Gustaf Hagman.

Other speakers included Super Technologies Deputy CEO Albert Simsensohn, Jogos Santa Casa Co-CEO Rita Prates, Altenar COO and Co-Founder Dinos Stranomitis, Spribe Founder and CEO David Natroshvili and SoftConstruct Co-Founder Vigen Badalyan.

Entertainment also played a prominent role throughout the week. International rock band The Script performed at the opening party, while world-renowned DJ Tiësto headlined the INFINITY Lisbon closing party.

Lisbon Confirmed as SBC Summit Host City Through 2030

The event’s continued growth has strengthened SBC’s relationship with Lisbon. Mayor Carlos Moedas opened the summit, and on the final day, SBC formalised a new long-term agreement confirming Lisbon as the home of SBC Summit through 2030.

Sojmark said: “Lisbon has become part of the identity of SBC Summit. Committing to the city through 2030 gives us the ability to plan much further ahead and continue building the event around what the industry needs commercially.”

The next edition of SBC Summit will take place at FIL and the MEO Arena from September 21–23, 2027.