SBC Summit Lisbon closed its 2026 edition on Thursday after three days of conferences, networking, product launches and business meetings, bringing together more than 40,000 registered attendees from across the global betting and gaming industry.
The third edition of SBC Summit in Lisbon brought together a global audience from more than 150 countries, with more than 800 exhibitors and sponsors and around 600 speakers taking part across the event’s conference and exhibition programme.
Held from September 29 to October 1 at Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and MEO Arena, the 2026 edition marked the largest iteration of the event since SBC moved its flagship summit to the Portuguese capital.
The scale of the event was also reflected in its impact on the city. Attendees travelled from 178 countries, generating an estimated 85,000 room nights across Lisbon.
For SBC, the three-day event was designed to bring together operators, suppliers, affiliates, regulators, technology companies and other industry stakeholders around business opportunities, education and networking.
Michael Jordan headlines three days of industry content
One of the biggest moments of the summit came on the opening day, when basketball icon, investor and philanthropist Michael Jordan joined Sportradar founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings co-founder, CEO and Chairman Jason Robins on the MEO Arena stage.
Moderated by broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher, the Leadership in Sports Business keynote explored the convergence of sports, technology, data, betting and fan engagement, with the speakers discussing everything from artificial intelligence and live sports data to prediction markets and the changing relationship between athletes and fans.
Jordan used the keynote to offer his perspective as a former player, highlighting how much the environment around professional athletes has changed since his playing days.
He acknowledged that modern athletes have to deal with a much broader set of pressures, from personal branding and social media to contracts, statistics, and the growing attention around betting. For Jordan, however, the fundamental objective remains unchanged.
“I just played the game. I can’t worry about what people are betting on. I can’t worry about what the stats are,” he said. “When I played, all we cared about was making the Chicago Bulls the best team in the NBA and winning championships.”
The session was one of several high-profile keynote events across the summit, which also featured football transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano and UFC champion Charles Oliveira.
SBC also used the 2026 edition to introduce several new formats and events, including the standalone Affiliate Leaders Summit, the Global Prediction Markets Forum and the African Gaming Forum.
The event also featured a new structured networking programme and expanded opportunities for attendees to connect with potential business partners, clients and investors.
Focus on education, technology and industry dialogue
Beyond the exhibition floor and networking programme, SBC placed a strong emphasis on education and practical takeaways for attendees.
Speaking as the summit entered its final hours, SBC Media Managing Director Andrew McCarron said the company wanted to increase dialogue around regulatory issues and industry sustainability, particularly as markets face growing legislative and regulatory pressure.
“Dialogue with regulators is going to be critical to the sustainability of this industry,” McCarron said, pointing to the need for greater understanding between regulators and industry stakeholders.
He also highlighted the launch of SBC Summit Europe, which will take place in Amsterdam from April 19-21, 2027, with a conference-first format focused heavily on regulated markets and greater participation from regulators.
Stuart Duff, Head of Events, Flagship Shows at SBC, meanwhile highlighted the importance of education and community alongside the competitive side of the industry.
The summit’s educational programme included tech academies and sessions designed to provide actionable takeaways that attendees could take back to their businesses.
The combination of business, education and networking remained central to the event as operators and suppliers used the summit to showcase new products, discuss market expansion and explore emerging areas including AI, prediction markets and sports technology.
SBC Awards recognise industry leaders
The final day also saw the industry gather at the MEO Arena for the SBC Awards 2026.
Kaizen Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Sportradar and BetConstruct AI were among the standout winners, with each company securing two awards during the ceremony.
Hosted by Dutch football legend Edgar Davids and Kirsty Gallacher, the 13th edition of the awards recognised achievements across 39 categories covering areas including company leadership, player protection, payments and product innovation.
SBC Summit kicked off Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
The ceremony provided a final celebration of the companies and individuals shaping the betting and gaming industry before the summit came to a close.
“One of my favourite parts of these awards is seeing the teams behind the achievements get their moment on stage. We know how much work goes into building a successful business or bringing a new product to market, and tonight was an opportunity to celebrate that together,” said Rasmus Sojmark, founder and CEO of SBC.
The event then concluded with INFINITY Lisbon, headlined by famous DJ Tiësto.
SBC secures Lisbon through 2030
The end of this year’s summit also brought confirmation that Lisbon will remain the home of SBC Summit for the long term.
SBC signed a new agreement with Turismo de Portugal, the Municipality of Lisbon and Lisboa FCE, securing the Portuguese capital as the host city for the flagship event through 2030.
The agreement extends SBC’s commitment beyond the previously confirmed 2027 edition, with support and dates now agreed for 2028, 2029 and 2030.
The deal reinforces Lisbon’s position as the long-term home of SBC Summit and allows the organiser to continue using the combination of FIL and MEO Arena to host its exhibition, conference, networking and entertainment programme.
The 2026 edition also marked the third year since SBC Summit moved to Lisbon, following its previous editions in Barcelona.
“We are very happy to have the support of the city we have chosen to host our biggest and most ambitious event. Year on year, Lisbon is proving to be the perfect fit, and we’re grateful for all the support we’ve received from the city so far,” Sojmark stated
Lisbon set to host SBC Summit again in 2027
SBC Summit will return to Lisbon next year from September 21-23, 2027, with FIL again set to host the event.
Following three days that brought together more than 40,000 registered attendees, 800+ exhibitors and sponsors, and 600 speakers, the 2026 edition closed with SBC looking to build on the event’s growing scale while expanding its presence across new markets and industry segments.
The summit will return to Lisbon as the city enters the next phase of its long-term partnership with SBC, with the organiser now committed to the Portuguese capital through 2030.
António Ramalho, president of the Executive Board at FIL, commented: “We are committed to working alongside SBC, supporting its ambitions and creating the conditions for the Summit to continue growing in Lisbon.
“Events of this scale and international reach are key to positioning Lisbon, Parque das Nações and FIL at the forefront of the global events industry, reinforcing our city’s ability to attract and successfully host some of the world’s leading events.”