Last week’s SBC Summit Americas, combining SBC Summit North America and SBC Summit Latinoamerica, is in the books. Next up is SBC Summit in Lisbon.
Scheduled for September 16-18 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa in Portugal, organizers promise a reimagined agenda for this year’s event.
“SBC has always taken pride in delivering educational experiences that tackle the topics and challenges that matter most to our delegates,” SBC CEO and Founder Rasmus Sojmark said in a statement. “One of the major highlights of the 2025 edition is that we’ve reshuffled and expanded the agenda to place every major and emerging market firmly in the spotlight.”
SBC Summit is expected to welcome 30,000 attendees to a six-stage, industry-wide conference agenda, with topics including spanning global and emerging markets, payments, affiliation, player protection, and new hands-on Operator Academy workshops.
Attendees are expected from emerging markets including Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe; C-level executives from Brazil; and Europe, United States, and Latin America to discuss regulation, innovation, and customer engagement.
Marketer and entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk is confirmed for this year’s program.
SBC Summit will feature two dedicated conference tracks, Global Markets and Emerging Markets, each day. The Emerging Markets track will feature participants from Africa (Tuesday), Eurasia and the Middle East (Wednesday) and Asia (Thursday).
The Global Markets track will cover regions such as Latin America and Brazil (Tuesday), Western Europe (Wednesday), and North America (Thursday). Countries featured across both tracks include Georgia, Uzbekistan, the UAE, Mexico, Colombia, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
“Last year, we brought together attendees from 134 countries. This year, we’re going even bigger — with a laser focus on making sure every part of this industry is seen, heard, and represented,” Sojmark said. “Conference stages are often seen as just that: stages. But these stages are far more than lecture halls. They are complete with a dedicated networking lounge positioned right beside them, transforming the learning experience into a fully interactive platform.”
Technology will be featured at SBC Summit, with a dedicated conference track exploring its role across the industry. Sessions will examine innovation through three lenses: transformative technologies driving change, advancements in payments technology, and cutting-edge compliance solutions. Delegates will hear a range of topics discussed, from payment innovations in emerging markets and subscription-based casino models to fraud prevention tools and enhancements in UX and UI for sportsbook platforms.
“Tech isn’t just a topic anymore — it’s the foundation of every major discussion happening across the industry. That’s why this year, SBC Summit will feature a dedicated technology stage, while also weaving tech innovation into tracks like Affiliate Leaders and Player Protection to reflect the reality of where the industry is headed,” Sojmark said.
The Affiliate Leaders’ track will focus on key pillars of modern affiliation, starting with marketing technology innovations on Tuesday, shifting to audience engagement strategies on Wednesday, and ending with a forward-looking discussion on the future of the affiliate industry on Thursday.
Sessions also will explore how affiliates can harness AI to enhance SEO and CRM strategies, the growing influence of affiliate networks, streamers, and influencers, and the importance of localized content. Additional panels will look at the rise of new sports and their effect on affiliate marketing, innovations shaping the sector, and how affiliates can diversify their offerings to increase reach and engagement.
SBC Summit will feature a dedicated Player Protection conference track focused on regulation, research, and safer gambling technologies.
Opening day will explore issues such as whether stringent regulations are driving players toward illegal markets and how the industry can reshape public perception. Day Two will examine the ethics of advertising, the industry’s duty of care, and the effect of grey and black markets on player safety. The final day will spotlight collaborative approaches between operators to enhance player protection, the risks associated with alternative currencies, and the evolution of player monitoring technologies.
The Operator Academy will give operator representatives an opportunity to explore core disciplines essential for operational excellence. Through a series of workshops, attendees can discuss key areas including trading, marketing, gamification and player engagement, Web 3.0 and crypto, AI and regulation, compliance, and cybersecurity.
