SBC Summit hits 40,000, stays in Lisbon

• SBC Summit 2026 drew 40,000 attendees to Lisbon, up 34.5% year on year.
• C-level attendance rose 40.7% to 8,398, outpacing overall growth.
• SBC has committed the event to Lisbon through 2030.

SBC Summit drew 40,000 attendees to Lisbon from 29 September to 1 October, up 34.5% on last year, according to organiser SBC. C-level numbers grew faster still, and SBC has signed a deal keeping the event in the city through 2030.

The C-suite turns up

The more telling number sits beneath the headcount. C-level attendance rose from 5,969 to 8,398, a 40.7% increase that outpaced the event’s overall growth.

Operator attendance climbed 37% and affiliate registrations rose 71%, according to SBC. Delegates travelled from 178 countries.

Africa delivered the sharpest regional growth at 129.6%. North America rose 58.5%, Asia 44.3%, Europe 32.3% and Latin America 10.7%.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said:

“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.”

Specialists split off

The biggest structural change was the standalone Affiliate Leaders Summit, which drew 10,000 attendees. That included 6,000 affiliates, 3,000 operator representatives and 150 exhibitors and sponsors, giving the performance marketing sector a dedicated commercial space.

Two new forums leaned into regulation. The African Gaming Forum made its debut, putting licensing frameworks and market development across African jurisdictions on the agenda.

The Global Prediction Markets Forum brought companies, legal specialists, policymakers and executives together. They tackled the regulatory questions emerging where betting meets financial markets and forecasting.

SBC also ran Regulatory Gaming Meet-ups with the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) and the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL). These gave regulators, lawyers and industry leaders from different jurisdictions direct access to one another.

The exhibition floor featured 800 sponsors and exhibitors across the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and the MEO Arena. A 600-speaker conference ran alongside it, with an expanded range of CPD-certified learning opportunities.

Michael Jordan held the main stage. He appeared with Sportradar Founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings Co-Founder and CEO Jason Robins in front of 5,000 attendees.

Transfer market insider Fabrizio Romano and UFC champion Charles Oliveira also spoke. Operator voices included Betsson Group CEO Jesper Svensson, Flutter International Chief Strategy Officer Tom Bowry, Fortuna Entertainment Group CEO Dieter John and LeoVegas Group CEO Gustaf Hagman.

Locked in to 2030

Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas opened the Summit. On the final day, SBC formalised a long-term agreement confirming the city as the event’s home through 2030.

The deal was signed with Turismo de Portugal, the Municipality of Lisbon and venue operator Lisboa FCE.

Sojmark said:

“Lisbon has become part of the identity of SBC Summit. Committing to the city through 2030 gives us the ability to plan much further ahead and continue building the event around what the industry needs commercially.”

SBC Summit returns to FIL and the MEO Arena from 21 to 23 September 2027. Four more confirmed editions give exhibitors and sponsors something few events can promise: certainty on venue and dates.