SBC Summit Canada returned to Toronto last week, bringing the industry together at a pivotal moment for the Canadian gaming sector, as Alberta’s upcoming regulated market launch accelerated conversations around regulation, responsible gambling, advertising reform, cybersecurity and future market expansion.
Held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre from May 19-21, the event marked the first edition under the SBC Summit Canada name following its rebrand from the Canadian Gaming Summit.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said: “This year’s event showed just how important Canada has become within the global gaming industry conversation. The level of discussion, the calibre of attendees and the urgency around topics like Alberta, regulation and player protection demonstrated a market that is evolving rapidly.
Across three days, the summit brought together operators, suppliers, regulators, government representatives, affiliates, sportsbooks, responsible gambling organisations, payment providers and technology companies for what many described as the industry’s central meeting point in Canada.
The timing of this year’s event placed Alberta firmly at the centre of industry discussions, with Alberta Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally delivering a keynote titled “Launching Alberta’s Safe, Regulated iGaming Future.”
Alberta’s incoming market remained one of the defining themes across the summit, with representatives from Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) and AGLC also in attendance, while Dan Keene, CEO of AiGC, joined Martin Lycka for a live edition of The Safe Bet Show to discuss the province’s evolving regulatory framework and responsible approach to market launch.
Keene said the event played a crucial role in helping industry stakeholders prepare for launch discussions.
“We’re not here to grow the gaming market, we’re here to channel the illegal market into the legal and regulated space,” he said.
He added: “If my schedule over the last two days has been any indication, it’s been great. It’s been back-to-back meetings and engagements. Very fulfilling and full of meaningful connections.”
Across the conference agenda, discussions focused heavily on the regulatory and operational challenges shaping the industry’s next phase of growth. Panels explored advertising reform, AI, cybersecurity, compliance, player protection, payments and evolving omnichannel strategies, alongside the opportunities presented by the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Tom Burdakin, Marketing Vice President at FanDuel, said: “Everybody’s really excited about Alberta and the World Cup, and I think a year from now, when we’re all back at this summit, we’re gonna look back on those two moments as ones that transformed the industry a little bit.”
Burdakin also highlighted the increasingly international profile of the event, noting: “It’s amazing how many folks are coming up from the US, from Europe, in order to attend this event in Toronto.”
While 64.6% of attendees were based in Canada, the summit also attracted a significant international audience, reinforcing Canada’s growing importance within the global gaming industry conversation.
The exhibition floor featured companies spanning sportsbook technology, payments, compliance, marketing, AI, data, lottery and casino solutions, reflecting the breadth of the Canadian gaming ecosystem and the increasingly interconnected nature of the industry.
Tracy Parker, SVP, Accreditation, Advisory & Insights at the Responsible Gambling Council, said the event reflected the increasingly collaborative nature of the Canadian industry.
“The cross-sector collaboration is something that I see happening in the creative content and the programs,” she said. “There is a really vibrant mix of land-based gaming, iGaming, charitable gaming, and lottery stakeholders here.”
Thomas Metzger, CEO of Lotto.com, said: “You really get your name out there, you get to tell your story, you get to have productive dialogue about where the industry is going with other CEOs.”
Paul Pellizzari, Vice President – Global Social Responsibility at Hard Rock International, said: “It is the only event in Canada where you will get balanced representation from across all types of players in the industry.”
Nearly half of attendees held senior decision-making positions, reinforcing the summit’s position as a high-level business and policy forum for the Canadian market, with executives, regulators and industry leaders using the event to drive strategic conversations and build new partnerships.
Amanda Brewer, SVP Policy & Communications at the Canadian Gaming Association, said: “When you look at the type of networking events that take place here and the caliber of people who are attending, you’re definitely seeing a lot of C-suite VIP level and above.”
Jeff Laniado, Director of Sales at Optimove, highlighted the breadth of representation across the industry, adding: “Earlier today, I met with a C-level executive from a tier-one operator, so really everybody from every size operator and every area of these companies seems to be represented.”
Mark Wrigley, Head of Betting at F1, said the seniority of attendees was key to the value of the event: “It’s crucial that we’re speaking to those decision-makers at that high level because that’s ultimately where we want to have those dialogues, really drive things forward, and get buy-in from the whole company.”
“SBC Summit Canada has become the place where the industry comes together to discuss what happens next, and we’re incredibly proud to provide that platform,” Sojmark added.
With Alberta’s market launch approaching and industry attention increasingly focused on Canada’s evolving regulatory landscape, the conversations and partnerships formed in Toronto are expected to shape the sector’s next phase of growth well beyond the summit itself.
SBC Summit Canada will return to Toronto from 15–17 June 2027. For sponsorship and exhibition enquiries, contact [email protected]
Source: Canadian Gaming Business
