SBC Summit 2026 concludes a record-breaking week in Lisbon with 40 participants, and the event is committed to continuing until 2030.

The 2026 edition of the SBC Summit broke records and showed growth not only in overall participation, but also in some of the most commercially important audience groups in the sector, with a 37% increase in the number of operators and a 40,7% increase in the participation of high-level executives compared to the previous year.

With the presence of basketball icons like Michael Jordan, the event brought together some of the biggest names in gaming, sports, and entertainment for a historic edition, which also saw SBC confirm Lisbon as the host city for the SBC Summit until 2030.

Forty thousand people attended this year's event in Lisbon, representing an overall growth of 34,5%. Within this audience, the number of C-level executives rose from 5.969 to 8.398, meaning that the growth in high-level decision-makers outpaced the expansion of the event as a whole.

The number of affiliate sign-ups also increased by 71%, while participation grew in all major international regions, including growth of 129,6% in Africa, 58,5% in North America, 44,3% in Asia, 32,3% in Europe, and 10,7% in Latin America.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and founder of SBC, stated: “The numbers point to a broader shift in the composition of the SBC Summit as it grows: not only towards a larger international audience, but also towards greater representation of senior executives, operators and commercially significant industry segments.”

The size and composition of the audience were reflected in the structure of the 2026 edition. Held at the Lisbon International Fair (FIL) and the MEO Arena, the SBC Summit brought together operators, affiliates, suppliers, regulators, startups and investors from 178 countries, creating a broad commercial environment for meetings, product discovery, partnerships and market expansion.

Instead of simply adding more content to accommodate a larger audience, SBC expanded the event around specific industry communities and business objectives.

This evolution was particularly visible with the launch of the Affiliate Leaders Summit , a standalone event that brought together 10.000 participants, including 6.000 affiliates and 3.000 operator representatives, as well as 150 exhibitors and sponsors. The scale of the event provided the affiliate and performance marketing sector with a dedicated business environment, keeping it connected to the broader SBC Summit audience.

A greater emphasis on regulation and direct engagement with regulatory bodies was also evident throughout the event, with several dedicated forums and meetings on gaming regulation designed to bring together legislators and industry representatives.

The inaugural African Gaming Forum reflected both the growing internationalization of the audience and the increasing importance of regulatory development across the continent, especially with the 129,6% increase in African participation compared to the previous year. The forum brought together operators, suppliers, regulators, and other stakeholders to discuss licensing frameworks, market development, and the regulatory conditions necessary to support sustainable growth in African jurisdictions.

The Global Prediction Markets Forum placed a similar emphasis on regulation in a rapidly developing sector, bringing together companies, legal experts, policymakers, and industry executives to examine the regulatory issues arising at the intersection of betting, financial markets, and predictions.

This focus was reinforced through the Gaming Regulation Meetings, organized in conjunction with the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) and the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL) . The meetings created specific opportunities for regulators, lawyers, and industry leaders from different jurisdictions to connect directly, exchange perspectives, and discuss evolving regulatory approaches in global gaming markets.

Business interaction was also facilitated through a structured and expanded networking program , driven by SBC Connect, along with other specific formats designed to make it easier for participants to identify and meet relevant partners throughout the event.

Sojmark added: “The SBC Summit is, first and foremost, a large trade fair, and the exhibition space remains the heart of the event, because that's where a huge amount of business is closed.

“In this edition, we focused on the quality of the audience present in the exhibition hall and on ensuring that the right people could meet. As the event grows, this becomes even more important. Operators need access to the right suppliers, suppliers need access to decision-makers, and companies entering new markets need the right local connections.”

"The growth in the number of operators, affiliates, and high-level (C-level) participants indicates that the event is strengthening precisely in these areas."

The exhibition itself brought together 800 sponsors and exhibitors, supported by a conference and an educational program with 600 speakers and a wide range of learning opportunities with continuing professional development (CPD) certification.

“Our goal was to create more than just a trade show for the gaming industry. We wanted to build a global meeting point at the intersection of gaming, AI and technology, fintech, sports, music and entertainment,” added Sojmark.

This ambition was reflected in a conference program that brought together some of the most influential figures from various sectors. One of the highlights was the historic opening keynote address by basketball legend, investor, and philanthropist Michael Jordan, who took the stage alongside Sportradar founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins. The historic session attracted an audience of 5.000 people, becoming one of the event's high points and bringing together three influential figures from the worlds of sports, business, and technology.

The conference program also featured big names from the world of sports and media, including renowned football journalist and transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano and UFC champion Charles Oliveira.

Throughout the week, the conference program brought together some of the industry's most influential executives with prominent figures from sports and global media. Keynote speakers included basketball icon, investor, and philanthropist Michael Jordan; Sportradar founder and CEO Carsten Koerl; DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins; soccer journalist and transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano; and UFC champion Charles Oliveira.

They were joined by industry leaders, including Jesper Svensson, CEO of the Betsson Group, Kresimir Spajic, CEO of Allwyn Digital, and Tatiana Vivienne Jouanneau, Group Brand Director, Tom Bowry, Strategy Director of Flutter International, Dieter John, CEO of Fortuna Entertainment Group, Albert Simsensohn, Vice-CEO of Super Technologies, Rita Prates, Co-CEO of Jogos Santa Casa, Gustaf Hagman, CEO and Co-founder of LeoVegas Group, Dinos Stranomitis, COO and Co-founder of Altenar, David Natroshvili, Founder and CEO of Spribe, and Vigen Badalyan, Co-founder of SoftConstruct.

Beyond the conference stages, the event's entertainment program further reflected its ambition to unite the world of video games with the universe of music and entertainment, with the internationally acclaimed rock band The Script performing at the opening party and the world-famous DJ Tiësto headlining the closing party of INFINITY Lisbon.

The continued growth of the event also deepened the SBC's relationship with Lisbon. Mayor Carlos Moedas inaugurated the Summit and, on the final day, the SBC formalized a new long-term agreement, confirming Lisbon as the host city for the SBC Summit until 2030.

Sojmark added: “Lisbon has become part of the SBC Summit identity. The commitment to the city until 2030 gives us the possibility to plan much further in advance and continue to develop the event around the business needs of the sector.”

The SBC Summit will return to FIL and MEO Arena from September 21-23, 2027.