Pay4Fun CEO named Latin America Leader of the Year at the SBC Awards Americas 2026

Leonardo Baptista, CEO and co-founder of Pay4Fun, won the Leader of the Year, LATAM category at the SBC Awards Americas 2026, one of the most prestigious awards in the iGaming and sports betting industry in the Americas. This recognition reinforces the executive's leadership trajectory and Pay4Fun's role in the development and strengthening of the regulated market in Latin America.

The ceremony was held last Tuesday (10), at Pier Sixty-Six, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, bringing together around 600 executives, operators and suppliers from the industry from different countries.

This category recognizes professionals who have demonstrated leadership, strategic impact, and a significant contribution to the sustainable growth of the Latin American industry. With over 20 years of experience in the iGaming market, Leonardo Baptista is one of the sector's most experienced leaders, having witnessed and contributed to important transformations in the industry over the last few decades. Currently, he leads Pay4Fun, a pioneering payment institution serving the regulated betting sector in Brazil and a partner of some of the leading national and international operators in the country. Since its founding, the company has played a significant role in meeting the regulatory requirements of the Brazilian market.

The awards ceremony was part of the SBC Summit Americas 2026 program and recognized companies, operators, affiliates, suppliers, and executives who have been driving innovation, professionalization, and growth in the sector throughout the region.

Commenting on the achievement, Leonardo Baptista highlighted that the recognition represents the collective work carried out over the years by Pay4Fun's employees, clients, and partners.

“I receive this recognition with great gratitude and humility. More than an individual achievement, it represents the work of the entire Pay4Fun team, our clients, partners, and friends who walk with us every day. We are living through a historic moment for the industry in Brazil and Latin America, and contributing to the construction of an increasingly safe, transparent, and sustainable market is something that motivates us every day,” he stated.

The executive also emphasized that the award increases his responsibility to continue contributing to the sector's evolution.

“After more than 20 years dedicated to the iGaming industry, I continue to believe that long-term relationships, ethics, innovation, and hard work remain the fundamental pillars for building solid companies and generating value for the entire ecosystem,” he adds. In this edition, the SBC Awards Americas distributed 34 awards to companies and professionals from North and Latin America. The recognition of Leonardo Baptista comes at a time of consolidation in the Brazilian regulated market, in which Pay4Fun has been expanding its operations with major global operators and strengthening its position as a benchmark in financial infrastructure for the betting and digital entertainment industry in the region.