SBC Summit 2025 wrapped up in style, confirming its place as the biggest show in the gaming world. More than 30,000 delegates from 150 countries came together, making it the largest and most international edition to date.
Participation jumped 20% compared to last year, attracting top operators, suppliers, affiliates, regulators, media, fintechs, and sports professionals. The summit also hosted over 700 exhibitors and sponsors, 550 expert speakers, and covered an impressive 135,000m² across FIL and the MEO Arena.
Elaine Gardiner-Ruddock, Managing Director of TAG Media, summed up the value of attending: “Last year’s Summit was the most fruitful show for us in terms of business,” she said. “This year it was definitely a must-attend.”
Why the Industry Shows Up Every Year
Jesper Svensson, CEO of Betsson Group, put it simply: “It’s a yearly occurrence in the calendar.”
For Altenar’s COO Dinos Stranomitis, the reason is clear. “SBC is one of the best shows in the world. At Altenar, we have clear metrics for deciding which events are worth attending, and SBC Summit stands out as one of the most prominent shows globally.”
Ivan Rozic, Global Commercial Director at EveryMatrix, agreed: “If there are two shows you know you have to visit in a year, this has got to be one of them. For us, it was a no-brainer.”
Pierre Cadena, COO of Catena Media, praised the size of the event: “It is certainly one of the biggest and most expansive conferences that I attend in a given year.”
Expanding Global Reach
This year, 16 new countries joined the mix, pushing international representation to new heights. Latin America saw growth of 78.2%, Asia 68.8%, Africa 40.4%, and Europe 49%.
Svensson pointed out the global impact: “When there are so many people here from all around the world, that’s the real value we’re after. For us, operating in so many different jurisdictions, the opportunity to meet people from different places is invaluable.”
Entain’s Chief Sportsbook Officer, Ivan Gojic, added: “I see a lot of people from Eastern Europe, a lot of people from South America; everybody in the same place, everybody with a chance to speak up. And what I really like is that I don’t see a difference between somebody being a CEO and somebody being a janitor in a company.”
New Stages and Networking Zones
Fresh features like the Global and Emerging Markets stages and regionally focused networking areas gave attendees more ways to explore opportunities in Africa, Asia, Latin America, North America, and beyond.
NetBet CEO Marcel Prioteasa said: “It’s a very good add-on. It offers operators the possibility to cherry-pick what we are interested in and where to go.”
Leaders at the Forefront
This year also attracted a record number of C-level leaders, with over 5,900 senior decision-makers attending. Of these, 600 joined the SBC Leaders Summit in Lisbon just before the main conference.
Dan Taylor, CEO of Flutter International, said: “I was at the Leaders Summit yesterday, where I spoke to the audience. It’s a great opportunity to meet other chief executives from businesses around the world in one place. It’s a really efficient way to do that, which is fantastic.”
Prioteasa noted: “You have leaders of big companies setting market trends here.”
Affiliates Step Into the Spotlight
Affiliate attendance soared 38%, boosted by the dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit and the brand-new Affiliate Leaders Awards.
Sarah Sabo, Director of Affiliate Marketing at BetMGM, said: “I think the Affiliate Leaders Summit is incredibly valuable. I don’t think a lot of conferences do it, so it definitely sets SBC apart. I run the affiliate marketing team at BetMGM, so to me, it’s great. I get to see all my partners; there are excellent sessions, and it’s very niche and focused on our vertical, which is fantastic.”
Exhibitors and Entertainment
More than 235 new exhibitors joined the 700 brands already on the floor. OPAP’s George Anestis noted: “When it comes to sportsbook or casino platforms and propositions, as well as CRM and acquisition, everything is covered at the exhibition here. Moreover, we see a lot of affiliates, which are an integral part of our business, and it’s a great opportunity to connect with them as well.”
EveryMatrix’s Rozic added: “Our stand gave us a dedicated space to host partners and engage in meaningful conversations, and we managed to meet pretty much everyone we wanted to. It’s been very useful, and we’re definitely coming back next year.”
Alea COO Ramon Glieneke echoed this: “It’s been packed and crazy busy. Our booth was buzzing with people, meetings, existing clients, and new leads. It’s a great opportunity for us to showcase our new releases and products. So far, it’s been amazing – we’re really, really happy.”
Keynotes and Sports Icons
Star speakers included Gary Vaynerchuk, Randi Zuckerberg, Oleksandr Usyk, and Rubens Barrichello.
GR8 Tech’s Yaroslava Romaniv highlighted Usyk’s impact: “Our partnership with Ready to Fight, co-founded by Oleksandr Usyk, made his appearance at SBC Summit especially meaningful. The response to his keynote has been fantastic. Later, when Usyk joined us at our booth, it created an incredible experience for everyone who wanted to interact with a true legend. For us, it was a huge milestone and a win-win.”
Entain’s Gojic added: “This year, you had Gary Vaynerchuk, you had Oleksandr Usyk, an undisputed champion. Those are things you don’t get to see often. And coming from somebody who is a huge sports fan, it really gets me going.”
Beyond Business
The Legends Charity Game was another highlight, featuring stars like Kaká, Del Piero, Roberto Carlos, and Edwin van der Sar against Portuguese greats Luís Figo, Ricardo Quaresma, and Nani. The match drew 20,000 fans and raised €600,000 for charity.
Flashscore CEO Pavel Krbec said: “I have to say that I really enjoyed the charity game. It was a great opportunity for Flashscore to invite our business partners. I really appreciated it, and I was pleasantly surprised by the attendance – over 20,000 people, from what I heard. A very nice achievement.”
Glieneke added: “For us, it was an easy yes (supporting Legends Charity Game). The event aligns perfectly with our culture and values. It shows how the iGaming industry can come together as a community to support causes that truly matter.”
A Week to Remember – SBC Summit 2025
From airport registration to a Food Festival with 40 trucks, to unforgettable parties headlined by global DJs, the hospitality side made just as much noise as the business.
Gardiner-Ruddock said: “What really stands out for me is the abundance of opportunities and side events. From food trucks to smoothie bars, there’s just so much of everything. I only wish I had more time to experience it all.”
BetMGM’s Sabo agreed: “I’d say the features and experiences have stood out the most to us. I thought it was great that we could register at the airport. I also loved the Food Festival – it’s a fun thing that SBC does. I loved all the food variety, and of course, the networking events at night are a lot of fun.”
Looking Ahead
The summit delivered a direct economic impact of €80-100 million in Lisbon, including 72,000+ hotel nights.
SBC founder Rasmus Sojmark summed it up: “We are incredibly proud of what we achieved with SBC Summit. The event continues to grow not just in size but in impact, bringing the global industry together for meaningful conversations, new partnerships, and memorable experiences. Our priority remains delivering an exceptional delegate experience, strong business ROI, and the greatest show in gaming.”
Planning is already underway for SBC Summit 2026, set to return to Lisbon from 29 September to 1 October.
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