SBC’s global flagship event, SBC Summit 2024 was held in Lisbon last week, achieving record-breaking success, setting a new benchmark in the industry and solidifying SBC’s status as a leader in the events sector.
The summit drew almost 25,000 attendees, marking a 70% surge over the 2023 edition in Barcelona. With representation from 134 countries, 20 more than the previous year, and a massive show floor of 110,000 square metres at Feira Internacional de Lisboa and MEO Arena, the event has claimed its place as the fastest-growing and leading event in the industry.
Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas, alongside Portuguese Minister of Economy Pedro Reis and Secretary of State for Tourism Pedro Machado, welcomed the SBC Summit to the city, acknowledging the event’s considerable economic contribution. Estimated to generate up to 100 million euros in indirect benefits, SBC Summit has left a lasting mark on the city.
The SBC Summit expo floor was a resounding success, with over 600 exhibitors creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere. Of these, 250 were new to the SBC Summit, and more than 100 were first-time exhibitors at any SBC event. According to data from the official SBC Summit app, SBC Connect Plus, a record 10,000 meetings were scheduled through the app alone, with thousands more meetings taking place across the summit.
As SBC’s flagship event, the company strategically focused on boosting attendance from key geographic regions vital to the industry’s growth, with impressive results. Attendance surged by 126% from Latin America and the Caribbean, 80% from Asia, 45% from Africa, and a remarkable 127% from North America, highlighting the event’s global appeal and expanding influence.
The event further reinforced its focus on global markets through the introduction of the Global Markets Lounge, where 11 market-specific sessions and meet-ups were held. Country and region-focused panels and 12 high-level Global Roundtables, featuring prominent market experts, further deepened engagement with key international audiences.
A major highlight of the event was its celebrity power, as the SBC Summit welcomed World Wide Web inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee, iconic skateboarder Tony Hawk, UFC Champion Merab Dvalishvili, football legends Luis Figo and Peter Schmeichel, and renowned British TV presenter Laura Woods. These global stars took the Super Stage at MEO Arena, one of Europe’s largest indoor venues, which was one of eight stages running simultaneously during the summit. They were part of an impressive lineup of 600 speakers, including industry leaders, decision-makers, and numerous C-level executives.
The SBC Summit also attracted top-tier leadership from the industry, with notable speaker appearances from C-levels such as Alex Fonseca, CEO Brazil of Superbet; Carsten Koerl, CEO of Sportradar; Gustaf Hagman, CEO of LeoVegas; Livia Troise, CEO of Betmais; Neal Menashe, CEO of Super Group; Nils Anden, CEO of Kindred Group; Per Widerstrom, CEO of Evoke; Stuart Simms, Group CEO of FairPlay Sports Media; Zlatko Hrkać, CEO & Co-Founder of Sofascore; and Zsófia Bánhegyi, CCO of Szerencsejáték Zrt.
500 industry leaders, including prominent CEOs and C-level executives, also assembled for the invite-only SBC Leaders Summit on 24 September at the 5-star Myriad By Sana hotel. The high-profile event featured exclusive networking opportunities, educational sessions, and a prestigious Hall of Fame ceremony honouring Barry Gibson, who marked his final engagement as Chair of Entain Group. The event also featured a keynote interview with Formula 1 legend and SOFTSWISS Non-Executive Director, Rubens Barrichello.
Networking was a major highlight of the event, with dedicated dinners and parties spanning the three days. The undeniable crescendo was the spectacular closing party, INFINITY Lisbon, hailed as one of the industry’s largest-ever celebrations. Hosted at the iconic MEO Arena, the party featured electrifying performances from world-renowned DJs Miss Monique, Don Diablo, and Darude.
Another major highlight of the event was the record-breaking SBC Awards ceremony, where 1,300 industry professionals gathered to celebrate excellence across 39 categories. Leading names such as Soft2Bet, Betsson Group, and Kaizen Gaming were among the night’s biggest winners.
New to this year’s event were the ESI Lisbon, Payment Expert Summit, and Affiliate Leaders Summit, each boasting their own dedicated space on the expo floor with curated educational content and networking events. The Media Headquarters served as the pulse of media activity, hosting top media houses, press conferences, and interview rooms for global industry outreach. The expo also featured the Startupsphere, which showcased the best of industry innovation, culminating in the First Pitch competition, where Match Hype took home the crown. SBC Summit also proudly launched the Women Empowerment Initiative, which garnered widespread support from global organisations championing women in sports betting and iGaming.
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