SiGMA World 2026 is returning to Rome with plans to bring more than 30,000 delegates and 1,200 sponsors and exhibitors to Fiera Roma. The event will cover 120,000 square meters, bringing gaming, affiliate marketing, blockchain, AI and financial services under one roof. This year’s edition will also feature a dedicated Italy Stage and a Positive Impact Village for charities, NGOs and social enterprises.
Speaking to Yogonet, SiGMA founder Eman Pulis explains why the company is bringing these industries together, what Italy’s changing gambling regulations mean for the event and how SiGMA intends to maintain its focus on business relationships as it expands. He also discusses the thinking behind the Positive Impact Village and the markets and technologies he expects to influence the company’s future events.
What was the thinking behind the scale and format of this year’s event, and what should attendees expect from the 2026 edition?
When we started SiGMA in Malta, the idea was to build something that went beyond the traditional exhibition model. I always believed that business is built on relationships, and that bringing the right people together in the right environment can open doors that might otherwise remain closed. As the industry has grown, so has the opportunity to connect sectors that increasingly influence one another.
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. 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.
Italy is getting its own dedicated stage this year. How important is the Italian market to SiGMA’s global strategy, and what opportunities do you see emerging from the country’s evolving regulatory landscape?
Italy is an important market for us, both because of its established gaming industry and because of its position within the wider 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.
The Italy Stage reflects our commitment to giving local market developments the attention they deserve, while connecting those discussions to a broader international audience. We want Italian businesses to benefit from international partnerships, and we want international companies to understand the opportunities and responsibilities that come with operating in Italy.
As regulation evolves, there will be continued demand for reliable technology, compliance expertise, payment solutions, and responsible business practices. The important thing is that growth must go hand in hand with clear regulatory frameworks and player protection.
We see SiGMA’s role as providing a meeting point where the industry and regulators can exchange perspectives, discuss challenges, and work towards a sustainable future for regulated gaming.
How do you balance the demands of scaling the event with the need to deliver meaningful business opportunities and networking experiences for attendees?
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. From the beginning, I have wanted SiGMA to be a place where relationships come first, and business follows naturally.
That is why we invest in the wider experience, including conference content, networking events, meeting spaces, startup competitions and opportunities to engage with people outside the formal programme. Our events are designed to bring together different levels of the industry, from entrepreneurs and emerging businesses to established operators, investors and regulators.
Technology also plays an important role in helping delegates navigate an event of this size. Our goal is to make it easier for attendees to identify the people, companies and discussions most relevant to their objectives. At the same time, we know that some of the most valuable conversations happen unexpectedly, over dinner or through an introduction from someone you have known for years.
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.
This year’s edition introduces the Positive Impact Village. What prompted this initiative?
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. The gaming and technology industries generate significant commercial opportunities, bring people together from across the world, and have access to resources that can make a meaningful difference to communities.
Through the SiGMA Foundation, we have seen how investment in education and community projects can create opportunities for people who might otherwise have limited access to them. Our work has reinforced the belief that social impact should not be treated as an afterthought or something that happens separately from business.
The Positive Impact Village gives charities, NGOs, social enterprises and companies with active social-impact initiatives a dedicated space within the main exhibition. This brings their work directly to the attention of attendees at SiGMA World, creating opportunities for partnerships, funding, collaboration, and greater visibility.
I believe the industry has both the capacity and the opportunity to contribute positively, but that contribution needs to be practical and measurable. It is not enough to talk about responsibility. We need to support projects that deliver tangible benefits, whether through education, infrastructure, or other community initiatives.
If our platform can help connect organisations with the people and resources they need, then we are using our reach for something that matters beyond the event itself.
SiGMA has expanded well beyond its original focus on gaming, incorporating affiliates, emerging technologies, and financial markets into its events. Looking ahead, which sectors or industry trends do you expect to shape SiGMA’s next phase of growth?
I believe the next phase of growth will be shaped by the convergence of industries that were once treated as separate. Gaming is increasingly connected to financial technology, artificial intelligence, blockchain, digital payments, data infrastructure and affiliate marketing. These sectors are influencing how businesses operate, how products are developed and how companies enter new markets.
Artificial intelligence is particularly important because of its potential applications across customer experience, fraud prevention, operational efficiency, and compliance. At the same time, blockchain and digital asset infrastructure continue to spark discussions about payments, transparency, and new business models. Financial services will remain central to these developments, particularly as companies navigate different regulatory environments.
We are also paying close attention to regional opportunities. Latin America, Africa, and Asia each have distinct market conditions, regulatory priorities, and commercial needs. There is no single formula that works everywhere, which is why local knowledge and meaningful relationships remain essential to our international strategy.
For SiGMA, this means continuing to build events that respond to the needs of the markets they serve while connecting those markets to a wider global network. We want to create more opportunities for businesses to meet investors, learn from regulators, explore new technologies and develop partnerships across sectors.
Ultimately, our future isn’t simply organising larger exhibitions. I see it as building a stronger international ecosystem around business, knowledge, innovation and community. The events are where many of those connections begin, but the real value lies in what people build together afterwards.