More than 1,000 delegates gathered at the Sheraton Grand Metechi Palace in Georgia on October 23-24 for the first-ever SBC Summit Tbilisi, a conference and exhibition that encompassed Georgia and surrounding regions, including Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Balkans.
The event was organized in partnership with the prominent Georgia-based igaming and sports-management company SMH, which first collaborated with SBC for the SBC Summit CIS event in Kyiv in 2021.
Andrew McCarron, Managing Director of SBC said, “SBC Summit Tbilisi was a fantastic opportunity for SBC to re-enter the region with our partners SMH and the local market really responded to what we were trying to achieve. Our opening-night networking party in one of the city’s most exclusive locations provided the perfect springboard for business conversations and education the following day.”
Throughout the day, the exhibition floor allowed attendees to fully engage with cutting-edge technologies and the most up-to-date services and providers. It played host to a diverse lineup of global and regional brands, such as Alea, Aviatrix, BetConstruct, Betlive, CreedRoomz, Crocobet, Leader-Bet, EGT Digital & Amusnet, EuropeBet, NLYC, Passimpay, Setanta Sports, and VBET.
Attendees also benefited from the comprehensive and in-depth conference, which featured two distinct tracks: “Marketing Digest” and “Innovation.” Discussions revolved around such topics as the evolution of street sports, the influence of artificial intelligence, payment systems, the role of regulation in brand development, and explorations of regions like Georgia, Eastern Europe, and Asia.
The agenda, featuring an opening keynote by ShotaArveladze, a former professional footballer and the founder of the youth sports organization, the AAA Foundation, offered insights from more than 40 regional experts.
Tereza Tokmajyan, CMO at TotoGaming commented, “As a speaker at SBC Summit Tbilisi, I was impressed by the outstanding experience and the positive energy that permeated the event. It provided excellent networking opportunities for our teams, serving as a fantastic platform for operators and service providers from the region to come together, connect, and discuss important industry topics. It was where like-minded professionals could generate cool ideas and find ways to bring them to reality.”
Additional experts featured throughout the conference included Giorgi Isakadze (Editor in Chief, Forbes Georgia), Maia Kopinadze (CEO, Europebet), Quirino Mancini (President, IMGL), Nika Ghudushauri (CCO, betlive.com), Viktoriya Zakrevskaya (Deputy Chairman for Communications, Ukrainian Gambling Council), Dmitry Starostenkov (CEO, EvenBet Gaming), and many more.
Lasha Machavariani, CEO & Founder of SMH said, “SBC Summit Tbilisi brought top-quality SBC standards to the region. This event managed to bring together the igaming and related industries from Eastern Europe, the Black Sea, and the Central Asian region, establishing a new hub for sharing experiences, networking, and forming new partnerships.”
In the evenings, delegates had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the scenic Georgian surroundings at the lavish networking events. These included the pre-registration drinks held at the Stamba Hotel on October 23 and the Official Network Party, which concluded the event, held at the luxurious Republic Event Hall on October 24.
Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming, said: “It’s a classic case of expectation versus reality. Expected: a regional summit with few visitors and mediocre content. Reality: an event with a global presence and ambitious goals, featuring a very active and representative audience, outstanding topics, and speakers. Additionally, it offered fantastic Caucasian hospitality, a warm atmosphere, and meaningful open networking.”
