SBC Summit 2026: Lisbon Week Draws 40,000 and Secures Home Through 2030

SBC Summit's 2026 edition closed in Lisbon with 40,000 attendees and a declared commitment to keep the event in the city through 2030. The organiser reported overall growth of 34.5%, with operators up 37% and C-level participation rising 40.7%, from 5,969 to 8,398 senior executives year-on-year.

Scale and composition: what the numbers show about SBC Summit 2026

The Summit ran across the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and the MEO Arena and drew delegates from 178 countries. Organisers emphasised that growth was not uniform but concentrated in commercially important segments. Affiliate registrations rose 71%, and regional attendance climbed across all major areas: Africa +129.6%, North America +58.5%, Asia +44.3%, Europe +32.3% and Latin America +10.7%.

The event structure reflected those shifts. Rather than simply scaling headline content, SBC reorganised around specific industry communities and distinct commercial objectives, creating pockets of activity intended to make business meetings more productive for buyers and sellers.

Affiliate Leaders Summit and expo footprint

A new standalone Affiliate Leaders Summit was launched as part of SBC Summit and drew 10,000 attendees, made up of 6,000 affiliates and 3,000 operator representatives, supported by 150 exhibitors and sponsors. That forum gave the affiliate sector its own commercial environment while remaining connected to the wider conference programme.

The wider exhibition comprised 800 sponsors and exhibitors. The conference and education programme featured 600 speakers and an expanded suite of CPD-certified learning opportunities. SBC also expanded structured networking through its SBC Connect programme to help delegates schedule meetings and identify relevant partners across the show floor.

Regulatory focus: new forums and direct engagement with policymakers

Regulation took a larger role in the 2026 agenda. SBC introduced the African Gaming Forum to reflect the increased African attendance and to address market access, licensing frameworks and the regulatory conditions required to support growth across African jurisdictions.

The Global Prediction Markets Forum convened companies, legal specialists and policymakers to examine emerging regulatory questions at the intersection of betting and financial markets. Regulatory Gaming Meet-ups were organised in partnership with the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) and the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) to create direct contact points between regulators, lawyers and industry leaders.

Headline speakers and conference highlights

A landmark keynote paired basketball legend, investor and philanthropist Michael Jordan with Sportradar Founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings Co-Founder and CEO Jason Robins. That session attracted an audience of 5,000 and stood out as one of the week's most-attended talks.

Other marquee names on conference stages included Fabrizio Romano, UFC champion Charles Oliveira, Betsson Group CEO Jesper Svensson, Allwyn Digital CEO Kresimir Spajic and Group Chief Brand Officer Tatiana Vivienne Jouanneau, Flutter International Chief Strategy Officer Tom Bowry, Fortuna Entertainment Group CEO Dieter John, Super Technologies Deputy CEO Albert Simsensohn, Jogos Santa Casa Co-CEO Rita Prates, LeoVegas Group CEO and Co-Founder Gustaf Hagman, Altenar COO and Co-Founder Dinos Stranomitis, Spribe Founder and CEO David Natroshvili, and SoftConstruct Co-Founder Vigen Badalyan.

“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,” said Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC.

Entertainment, civic ties and the Lisbon commitment

The event's entertainment programming aimed to bridge gaming with mainstream music and culture. International rock band The Script performed at the opening party and DJ Tiësto headlined the INFINITY Lisbon closing party.

Mayor Carlos Moedas formally opened the Summit. On the final day SBC and Lisbon signed a long-term agreement confirming the city as the home of SBC Summit through 2030. SBC announced dates for the next edition: the Summit will return to FIL and the MEO Arena from 21–23 September 2027.

Commercial implications for delegates and vendors

Organisers framed the expansion as a trade-first decision: the expo floor remains central because that is where business happens. The sharper commercial targeting — more operators, more C-levels, a larger affiliate community and increased regional representation — changes the composition of buyer interest on the floor. Exhibitors and platform vendors should expect a higher concentration of senior decision-makers and an audience that is more internationally diverse than in prior editions.

The 2026 edition also underlines regulatory engagement as an area of rising importance for suppliers and market entrants. The addition of forums like the African Gaming Forum and partnerships with IAGR and IMGL signal that conversations about licensing, local market access and legal frameworks will continue to be a priority for attendees seeking to expand into new jurisdictions.

What delegates should calendar-box now

SBC Summit 2026 positions Lisbon as a multi-year hub for industry deal-making and regulatory dialogue. For companies planning market-entry work, product rollouts or partner searches, the combination of targeted forums, structured networking and a larger senior audience suggests the Summit will remain a strategic event through at least 2030. The next confirmed dates are 21–23 September 2027 at FIL and the MEO Arena.