SBC Summit 2026 closes with 40,000 attendees in Lisbon and secures the city as its home through 2030

SBC Summit has closed its 2026 edition in Lisbon with a record 40,000 attendees, an increase of 34.5% on the previous year. The organiser also confirmed that Lisbon will remain the home of the event through 2030.

The growth was strongest among senior audiences. Operator numbers rose by 37%, while the number of C-level executives climbed from 5,969 to 8,398, a rise of 40.7%. Affiliate registrations increased by 71%. Attendance grew across all major international regions, with Africa up 129.6%, North America up 58.5%, Asia up 44.3%, Europe up 32.3% and Latin America up 10.7%. Participants came from 178 countries.

The event was held across the Feira Internacional de Lisboa and the MEO Arena. It featured 800 sponsors and exhibitors and a conference programme of 600 speakers, including CPD-certified learning sessions. A standalone Affiliate Leaders Summit made its debut, bringing together 10,000 attendees, among them 6,000 affiliates and 3,000 operator representatives, alongside 150 exhibitors and sponsors.

Regulation received greater attention than in earlier editions. The new African Gaming Forum addressed licensing frameworks, market development and the regulatory conditions needed for sustainable growth in African jurisdictions. The Global Prediction Markets Forum examined the regulatory questions emerging where betting, financial markets and forecasting meet. Regulatory Gaming Meet-ups, organised with the International Association of Gaming Regulators and the International Masters of Gaming Law, gave regulators, lawyers and industry leaders a chance to exchange views on regulatory approaches across markets.

The keynote session featured basketball figure Michael Jordan alongside Sportradar founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins, drawing 5,000 attendees. Football journalist Fabrizio Romano and UFC champion Charles Oliveira also appeared on the programme.

SBC founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark said the figures point to a shift in the makeup of the audience, towards more senior executives, operators and commercially significant segments. He described the expo floor as the core of the event and said the focus this year was on helping the right people find each other, including suppliers seeking decision-makers and companies entering new markets seeking local connections. An expanded networking programme powered by SBC Connect supported that aim.