SiGMA World 2026 opens its exhibition floor today, November 3, at Fiera Roma, bringing together more than 30,000 delegates for four days of business, networking and discussions across the gaming and technology industries.
The event runs through Thursday. While Monday was dedicated primarily to pre-registration, welcome activities, and networking events, the opening of the main exhibition on Tuesday marks the start of the central business program. For 2026, the floor features more than 1,200 sponsors and exhibitors, over 550 speakers, and five conference stages across approximately 120,000 square meters.
This year’s edition brings together four communities under the SiGMA World umbrella: SiGMA, focused on gaming; Affiliate Grand Slam (AGS), dedicated to affiliate marketing; AIBC, covering artificial intelligence, blockchain and emerging technologies; and FX World, focused on financial markets and fintech.
The format is designed to bring together professionals from sectors that increasingly intersect, while allowing each community to maintain its own dedicated exhibition and conference spaces. The program will include discussions on industry developments, business opportunities, technology and regulation, alongside exhibition areas and networking activities.
More than 7,000 people were involved in preparing the venue over a 10-day setup period. The exhibition will occupy nine halls at Fiera Roma, with dedicated areas for gaming, affiliates, emerging technology and financial markets, as well as meeting rooms, lounges and food courts.
Speaking to Yogonet ahead of the event, SiGMA founder Eman Pulis said the Rome edition reflects the group’s ambition to bring industries with increasingly connected interests into the same environment.
“Rome represents that vision on a global scale by bringing SiGMA, Affiliate Grand Slam, AIBC, and FX together. We are creating an environment where gaming, affiliate marketing, emerging technologies, and financial markets can interact while retaining their own identities,” Pulis said.
“The 2026 edition will welcome more than 30,000 delegates, over 1,200 sponsors and exhibitors, and more than 550 speakers across five stages. But the numbers only tell part of the story. We want people to leave Rome with new partnerships, practical insights and opportunities that translate into real business,” he added.
Italy Stage and Positive Impact Village among this year’s additions
One of the main additions for 2026 is the Italy Stage, located in Hall 5. The dedicated space will focus on the Italian market, with discussions covering regulation, local operators, institutions and business opportunities, while connecting those topics to the wider international industry.
The initiative comes as SiGMA seeks to give the local market a more prominent role within its international event program. Pulis described Italy as an important market because of its established gaming industry and its position within the broader European and international business landscape.
“Rome also allows us to bring together stakeholders who might not ordinarily share the same room, from local operators and suppliers to international investors, regulators and technology companies,” he said.
The Italy Stage is intended to help local businesses develop international partnerships while giving companies from other markets a clearer understanding of the opportunities and responsibilities involved in operating in Italy.
The program will also address the regulatory environment and the infrastructure required to support the market’s development. According to Pulis, areas such as compliance, payment solutions, technology and responsible business practices will remain relevant as regulation evolves.
Hall 5 will also host the Positive Impact Village, a space co-hosted by the SiGMA Foundation and SiGMA World. The initiative will bring together charities, NGOs, social enterprises and companies with active social-impact programs, giving them a dedicated presence within the main exhibition.
The village will feature display panels and listings through which participating organizations can present their work to event attendees. Pulis said the project reflects the group’s intention to make social impact a more visible part of its activities.
“The Positive Impact Village reflects something that has become increasingly important to me as SiGMA has grown: success should also be measured by what we give back,” he said. “The Positive Impact Village gives charities, NGOs, social enterprises and companies with active social-impact initiatives a dedicated space within the main exhibition.”
Four communities, five stages and a broader networking program
The exhibition is spread across nine halls, each hosting different parts of the event. Hall 3 will serve as a central area for the main stage, B2B and B2C gaming exhibitors, the Media Zone and the Platinum and VIP Lounge. Hall 2 will host the AGS Stage, while Hall 7 will be dedicated to AIBC. Hall 8 will feature the Global Finance Stage, and Hall 5 will house the Italy Stage and Positive Impact Village.
The program also includes dedicated spaces for meetings and networking, with 19 meeting rooms available at the venue. Food courts in Halls 4 and 6, alongside outdoor food and activity areas, will provide additional spaces for delegates between conference sessions and meetings.
Outside the exhibition halls, the event’s schedule includes several activities aimed at bringing attendees together in a less formal setting. The Bloko Padel Tour Rome Edition began on November 2, while the Media Duel Tour is scheduled for November 3 in Hall 9. The Bloko Padel Finalissima will follow on November 4, with media competitions and the Super Cup scheduled for November 5. A go-kart track sponsored by SOFTSWISS will also be available during the event.
Delegates can use the SiGMA Match app to browse the floor plan, consult exhibitor and speaker information, arrange meetings and share their profiles through QR codes. The platform is intended to help attendees navigate the exhibition and organize business meetings throughout the four-day program.
Scale matters when it creates business opportunities
Beyond the exhibition’s size, Pulis emphasized the importance of the relationships and commercial opportunities that participants can develop during the event. For the founder, attendance figures and floor space are not sufficient measures of success if they do not translate into meaningful connections.
“Scale is valuable only when it creates opportunities. We could focus entirely on growing the exhibition floor, increasing attendance and adding more stands, but those figures would mean very little if people left without making useful connections,” he told Yogonet.
The same approach informs the decision to bring gaming, affiliate marketing, emerging technologies and financial services together under one event. While the sectors retain their own identities, their convergence creates opportunities for companies to exchange knowledge, identify potential partners and explore areas of collaboration.
Pulis also pointed to the role of technology in shaping the industry’s next phase, particularly artificial intelligence in customer experience, fraud prevention, operational efficiency and compliance. Blockchain, digital assets and payment solutions are also among the areas he expects to remain relevant, alongside the different opportunities emerging across markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
For SiGMA, the Rome edition represents the group’s final major event of 2026 and another step in its effort to build an international business ecosystem around gaming and related industries.
“We will continue to grow, but the measure of success is not simply how many people walk through the doors. It is what happens after they leave,” Pulis said.
Review today’s agenda here.