Affiliate Leaders Summit is entering a new era.
For the first time ever, the event will run as a standalone experience, co-located with SBC Summit in Lisbon from 29 September to 1 October 2026.
And naturally, that has raised a lot of questions.
What exactly does “standalone” mean? Has Affiliate Leaders Summit separated completely from SBC Summit? Do you need two tickets? Who should attend which event? Can you still access SBC Summit networking events? And perhaps most importantly: which option actually makes the most sense for your role and business goals?
The short answer is that Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit are now two distinct events designed for two different, although heavily connected, audiences.
Affiliate Leaders Summit is built specifically for the affiliation and performance marketing ecosystem, creating a more focused environment for affiliates, acquisition teams on the operator side, media buyers, SEO specialists, and performance-driven businesses.
SBC Summit, meanwhile, remains the industry’s flagship global gathering, bringing together 40,000 professionals from every corner of gaming, including operators, suppliers, fintech, payments, compliance, AI, media, and technology.
The real question is not whether you should attend SBC Summit or Affiliate Leaders Summit, but which experience best matches your goals, priorities, and the people you want to meet during the industry’s biggest week of the year.
For many attendees, the greatest value will come from combining both experiences: using Affiliate Leaders Summit for highly focused performance marketing conversations, while leveraging SBC Summit’s scale to connect with the wider global gaming ecosystem.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know before booking your tickets, including:
- The difference between the two events
- Who each event is designed for
- How ticketing works
- Which complimentary passes you may qualify for
- Whether you should attend one event or both
What does “standalone” actually mean?
In simple terms, Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit are now two separate events running side by side during the same week in Lisbon.
That means each event has its own dedicated ticketing system, expo floor, conference agenda, networking opportunities, and overall experience.
Here’s how access works:
- If you want to attend SBC Summit but are not interested in Affiliate Leaders Summit, you’ll need an SBC Summit pass. There are five ticket types available.
- If you want to attend Affiliate Leaders Summit, you’ll need an Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP pass, even if you already have an SBC Summit pass. Access to the Affiliate Leaders Summit is only available with a dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit pass. Affiliates can attend for free (apply here), while non-affiliates will need to purchase a VIP Pass.
- The Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass also includes access to SBC Summit, so there’s no need to purchase a separate SBC Summit pass if you already hold an Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass. Please note, however, that this pass only includes access to the Affiliate Leaders Summit SBC Connect app and does not include access to the SBC Summit SBC Connect app.
So, to summarise:
SBC Summit attendees cannot access the Affiliate Leaders Summit without a dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit pass.
However, Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees with a valid Affiliate Leaders Summit pass can also access SBC Summit.
Why the Affiliate Leaders Summit is now a standalone event
The answer is simple: both events have grown tremendously.
SBC Summit is expected to welcome 40,000 attendees this year, while Affiliate Leaders Summit has rapidly evolved into a major event in its own right. The affiliate and performance marketing sector continues to expand, and with that growth comes the need for a more focused environment dedicated entirely to this side of the industry.
Affiliate Leaders Summit is no longer just a content track or a small show floor area within a larger event. It now has the scale and demand to support its own:
- Expo floor
- Conference agenda
- Networking opportunities
- Affiliate Academy sessions
- Awards ceremony
- Dedicated attendee experience
Most importantly, it is a space built specifically for professionals working in affiliation and performance marketing.
For many attendees, the scale of SBC Summit can be incredibly exciting, but also overwhelming. Affiliate Leaders Summit offers a more targeted environment where attendees can focus on the partnerships, conversations, and business opportunities most relevant to their day-to-day roles.
Who is the Affiliate Leaders Summit designed for?
Affiliate Leaders Summit is built for professionals and companies operating within the affiliation and performance marketing ecosystem.
In simple terms, if your role or business includes player acquisition, traffic generation, audience growth, or performance-based partnerships, this is your event.
That includes:
- Affiliate websites and media brands
- SEO specialists
- Paid media and PPC professionals
- Streamers and influencer marketers
- CRM and retention specialists
- Content and acquisition teams
- Performance marketing agencies
- Tracking and analytics platforms
- Conversion optimisation specialists
- Affiliate managers and media buying teams from operators looking to grow their traffic
- Suppliers building affiliate-facing products and solutions
The event is specifically designed to create an environment where these professionals can meet the right people faster, have more relevant conversations, and spend less time navigating areas of the industry outside their focus.
Why Affiliate Leaders Summit still runs alongside SBC Summit
Because while Affiliate Leaders Summit now has its own identity, we want its attendees to still benefit from being part of the biggest week in gaming.
By running alongside SBC Summit, Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees still get access to the energy, opportunities, and atmosphere that come with having the entire industry gathered in Lisbon at the same time.
That includes access to major experiences connected to SBC Summit, such as the Super Stage keynote sessions. Last year’s lineup featured Gary Vaynerchuk, Randi Zuckerberg, Oleksandr Usyk, and a host of football legends.
It also means access to the industry’s biggest networking celebrations and evening events, where Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit attendees come together in a more relaxed setting after a full day of meetings and conference sessions.
And of course, there’s INFINITY Lisbon.
Last year’s edition featured performances from Alok and Timmy Trumpet, helping cement it as one of the industry’s most talked-about networking parties. This year’s headline act is still under wraps, but trust us; you’ll want to be there.
Who attends SBC Summit?
The list of professionals the SBC Summit is relevant for is extensive.
In fact, we recently published a full breakdown of who attends SBC Summit.
But in short, SBC Summit is our flagship global event, bringing together every major corner of the gaming industry under one roof.
With 40,000 attendees expected this year, the event attracts an incredibly diverse mix of companies, professionals, and decision-makers, not only from gambling, but also from adjacent industries such as payments, fintech, AI, media, marketing, and technology.
At SBC Summit, you’ll meet:
- Major global operators
- Emerging regional gambling brands
- Casino and sportsbook platform providers
- Game studios and content providers
- Affiliate and media companies
- Payments and fintech businesses
- Compliance, legal, and AML specialists
- Data and analytics providers
- AI and tech startups
- Marketing and CRM professionals
- Investors and business development teams
In many ways, SBC Summit is designed for companies looking to network beyond a single niche or vertical.
It’s where businesses come to explore partnerships across the entire gaming ecosystem, discover new technologies and markets, and connect with professionals from every area of the industry.
So while Affiliate Leaders Summit offers a highly focused performance marketing environment, SBC Summit delivers scale, diversity, and access to the broader global gaming landscape.
Which event is right for you?
Affiliate Leaders Summit ticket guide
Things are fairly straightforward when it comes to Affiliate Leaders Summit passes. There are essentially two options, depending on who you are and what your business does.
- Affiliates attend for free on a VIP Pass Basis
Affiliates are eligible for complimentary access to Affiliate Leaders Summit, helping ensure a strong mix of media brands, traffic partners, content creators and performance marketing professionals across the event.
All you need to do is submit an application form. Once our Relationship Management team reviews and confirms that your company primarily operates as an affiliate business (meaning your core function is driving traffic to gambling brands through affiliate partnerships and referral links), your pass will be approved, and you will receive your ticket on your associated email address.
Successful applicants receive access equivalent to the VIP Event Pass (you can check what this includes here), giving them access to almost everything Affiliate Leaders Summit has to offer.
And the bonus? Your Affiliate Leaders Summit pass also includes access to SBC Summit, including conference stages, the Infinity Lisbon, the SBC Summit networking programme, and much more.
Note: Please note that some premium experiences and add-ons may require an upgrade, so it’s always worth checking the ticket page for full details. For a complete breakdown of what’s included, check the ticket page.
- Non-affiliates require a VIP Event Pass
If you are not an affiliate (whether you work for an operator, supplier, agency, platform provider, or any other type of gaming business), you’ll need to purchase a VIP Event Pass to attend Affiliate Leaders Summit.
Unlike SBC Summit, which offers multiple ticket tiers, Affiliate Leaders Summit operates with a single premium ticket category for non-affiliates.
Currently, the VIP Pass is available at the Early Bird rate of €419. However, this discounted rate expires on 5 June, after which the ticket price increases to €599. So if you already know you’ll be attending, securing your pass early will save you €180.
And the bonus? Your Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP pass also includes access to SBC Summit, including conference stages, the Infinity Lisbon, the SBC Summit networking programme, and much more. Check the ticket page to see what’s included.
- Complimentary access exceptions
There are a few attendee categories that also qualify for complimentary access:
- Regulatory authority representatives attend free of charge
- Exhibitors and sponsors of Affiliate Leaders Summit receive VIP tickets as part of their package. Your Customer Success representative can confirm how many passes are included in your agreement
- SBC media partners and accredited press members are eligible for complimentary press passes
To see what’s included in the VIP Pass, head here.
What if I’m an affiliate and want to attend both events?
Then you’re in the best position possible.
Affiliates are the only attendee group that receives complimentary VIP access to both Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit. That means you do not need to apply for two separate passes.
Once your free Affiliate Leaders Summit application is approved, you’ll automatically be registered for SBC Summit as well, giving you access to everything our flagship event has to offer alongside the dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit experience.
In practice, this means you can move freely between both event areas throughout the week. And since the two events are located directly next to each other, transitioning between them is quick and seamless.
So if you’re an affiliate, there’s really no need to choose between focused networking and broader industry opportunities; you get both.
You can apply for your complimentary pass here.
I’m an operator. Which of the two events should I attend?
That heavily depends on your role more than anything else.
If you work on the user acquisition side of the business, which typically includes roles like Head of Affiliates, Affiliate Manager, Director of Acquisition and similar positions, Affiliate Leaders Summit is the most fitting option for you.
This is where you’ll meet affiliates you can work with, strengthen relationships with existing partners, and connect with companies focused on traffic generation and performance marketing.
But that’s also a very simplistic way of looking at things.
While affiliate and acquisition teams are the most immediate operator audience that comes to mind when talking about Affiliate Leaders Summit, plenty of other operator-side professionals could benefit from attending.
For example:
- You may be looking for new traffic or acquisition partners
- You may want a new tracking or data management solution
- You may be searching for an SEO, PPC, or influencer agency
- You may be part of a leadership team focused on growing affiliate-driven revenue
- Or you may simply want to better understand where the acquisition side of the industry is heading
There are no strict rules around who can attend from the operator side, so we always recommend checking:
That will usually give you a very clear idea of whether Affiliate Leaders Summit is a good fit for your goals.
As an operator, if you want to attend Affiliate Leaders Summit, you’ll need to purchase a VIP Event Pass. The good news is that this Affiliate Leaders Summit pass also gives you access to the SBC Summit. Check this page for details on what’s included.
The current Early Bird price is €419 until 5 June. After that, the price increases to €599.
If your role does not really intersect with affiliation or performance marketing, then SBC Summit is probably the better fit for you.
SBC Summit is where the entire gaming ecosystem comes together, making it much more relevant for professionals working across areas like:
- Casino product
- Sportsbook
- Payments and fintech
- Compliance and regulation
- Game development
- AI and technology
- Operations
- Leadership and strategy
- Trading and risk
- Business development
Again, we recommend checking our “Who Attends SBC Summit” blog post to get a clearer idea of whether the event aligns with your role and business goals.
Can operators attend SBC Summit for free?
Operator-side professionals may qualify for complimentary SBC Summit passes. You can apply for your SBC Summit pass here (scroll down to the “COMPLIMENTARY ACCESS FOR OPERATORS, AFFILIATES & REGULATORS” section).
Please note, however, that this pass does not include complimentary access to Affiliate Leaders Summit. To attend Affiliate Leaders Summit, you will need to purchase an Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass.
Once you submit your SBC Summit complimentary pass application, our Relationship Management team will review it and confirm your eligibility. If approved, your ticket will be issued along with clear details on what is included in your pass. Please allow 3–5 business days for the review process.
I’m an operator. What if I want to attend both events?
- You’ll need to purchase an Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass.
- You may still, however, qualify for a complimentary SBC Summit pass (apply here).
I’m a supplier. Which event should I attend?
That depends largely on what your company sells, who your target customers are, and what kind of conversations you’re looking to have during the week in Lisbon.
If your business is heavily focused on affiliation and performance marketing, Affiliate Leaders Summit is likely going to be highly relevant for you.
This includes companies such as:
- Tracking and attribution platforms
- SEO and content agencies
- PPC and paid media agencies
- CRM and retention tools
- Affiliate management software
- Data and analytics providers
- Influencer and creator marketing platforms
- Conversion optimisation tools
- Performance marketing solutions
For these businesses, Affiliate Leaders Summit creates a highly concentrated environment filled with affiliates, acquisition teams, media buyers, and operators actively looking for growth-focused solutions and partnerships.
However, if your company operates across the wider gaming ecosystem, SBC Summit may be the more suitable option.
This is particularly relevant for suppliers working across areas such as:
- Casino and sportsbook platforms
- Payments and fintech
- Compliance and AML
- AI and technology
- Game development
- Data infrastructure
- Cybersecurity
- KYC and identity solutions
- CRM and engagement platforms
- B2B gaming services
SBC Summit gives suppliers access to a much broader audience base across every major sector of the gaming industry.
Supplier ticket options explained
Unlike affiliates and some operator categories, suppliers will need to purchase tickets to attend either the SBC Summit or the Affiliate Leaders Summit.
The good news is that SBC Summit offers several ticket tiers, allowing you to choose the level of access that best fits your goals and budget.
SBC Summit ticket options for suppliers
SBC Summit does offer a free Expo Only Pass, which gives you access to the exhibition floor so you can browse the expo and network with attendees on-site.
However, all ticket tiers that include conference content, networking programmes, and evening events are paid options.
Depending on your priorities, you can choose from:
- Conference Pass – Includes access to the expo floor and conference sessions. Price: €419 till 5 June (Early Bird), then €599.
- Networking Pass – Includes expo access, curated networking opportunities, evening networking events, and more. Price: €419 till 5 June (Early Bird), then €599.
- Business Pass – Includes expo access, conference access, and curated networking, but does not include evening networking events. Price: €559 till 5 June (Early Bird), then €799.
- VIP Pass – Includes access to almost everything the event has to offer, including evening networking events and free access to the Food Festival, although some premium add-ons (such as access to the Tech Academies) still require an upgrade (this is the case for all ticket types). Price: €699 till 5 June (Early Bird), then €999.
So, as a supplier attending SBC Summit, the process is the following: you choose the ticket tier that best aligns with the type of experience and networking opportunities you’re looking for.
What about Affiliate Leaders Summit?
Affiliate Leaders Summit operates differently.
Like operators, suppliers attending the Affiliate Leaders Summit will need to purchase a VIP Event Pass. Currently, the Early Bird price is €419 until 5 June. After that, the ticket price increases to €599.
Final thoughts: one week, two experiences
The launch of Affiliate Leaders Summit as a standalone event is really about one thing: creating better, more focused experiences for different parts of the industry.
Affiliate Leaders Summit gives affiliates, acquisition teams, media buyers, and performance marketing professionals a dedicated environment built specifically around the challenges, conversations, and partnerships that matter most to them.
SBC Summit, meanwhile, continues to serve as the industry’s global meeting point, bringing together every major vertical of gaming at an unmatched scale.
For some attendees, the choice will be straightforward. For others, the real value will come from combining both experiences during what has become the single biggest week in gaming.
And because both events are co-located in Lisbon, attendees can experience all of this while being part of a city-wide industry gathering that extends far beyond the venue itself.
So, whether you’re an affiliate, operator, supplier, agency, startup, or technology provider, the most important thing is choosing the experience that best aligns with your business goals.
Or, for many companies, making the most of both.
Ready to join us in Lisbon?
FAQs
What’s the main difference between Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit?
The Affiliate Leaders Summit focuses specifically on affiliate and performance marketing.
SBC Summit is a much broader global gaming industry event covering every major vertical, including sportsbook, casino, payments, compliance, AI, fintech, product, and technology.
Can I attend both events with one ticket?
Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit are now two separate events, each with its own dedicated ticketing system and access areas.
SBC Summit pass holders cannot access Affiliate Leaders Summit unless they also have a dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit pass.
However, Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees with a valid VIP Pass can also access SBC Summit, including selected conference stages, networking events, Infinity Lisbon, and more.
Can I access the Affiliate Leaders Summit expo floor with an SBC Summit ticket?
No. Access to the Affiliate Leaders Summit expo and conference areas requires a dedicated Affiliate Leaders Summit pass.
If I buy passes for both events, can I move freely between them?
Yes. The two events are co-located and hosted side by side at FIL in Lisbon, meaning attendees with access to both can move freely between event areas throughout the week.
Is Affiliate Leaders Summit only for affiliates?
No. While affiliates are the central audience, the event is also designed for operators, suppliers, agencies, platforms, and service providers working within the performance marketing ecosystem.
Operators/suppliers simply need to purchase a VIP Event Pass to attend.
Do Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees get access to SBC Summit networking parties?
Yes. Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees get complimentary access to the SBC Summit networking parties in the evenings.
Does an Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass include access to SBC Summit?
Yes. The Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass also includes access to SBC Summit, so there’s no need to purchase a separate SBC Summit pass if you already hold an Affiliate Leaders Summit VIP Pass.
This includes access to SBC Summit conference stages, networking events, Infinity Lisbon, and much more. For a full breakdown of what’s included, please check the ticket page.
Please note, however, that Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees do not receive access to the SBC Summit SBC Connect app (only to the Affiliate Leaders Summit SBC Connect app), so should you want access to that, you’ll need to purchase an appropriate SBC Summit pass.
What does the SBC Summit Expo Only Pass actually include?
The Expo Only Pass gives attendees access to the exhibition floor and networking on the expo floor itself.
However, it does not include access to conference sessions, evening networking parties, or premium networking experiences.
Can I upgrade my SBC Summit ticket later?
Yes. Attendees can upgrade their ticket type later if they decide they want additional access, such as conference sessions, networking events, or evening parties.
To upgrade your event pass, whether that’s moving to a different ticket type or adding Party and/or Education+ access, delegates need to email: [email protected]
In the email, they should include the ticket type they currently have & the ticket type or add-on they’d like to upgrade to.
They’ll then receive a payment link to pay the remaining balance needed for the upgrade.
Do Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees get access to SBC Summit conference sessions?
Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees receive access to all Affiliate Leaders Summit and SBC Summit content, including:
- The Affiliate Leaders Summit conference stage
- Affiliate Academy sessions
- The SBC Summit conference stages
- AND The Super Stage sessions
If Affiliate Leaders Summit attendees would like to access additional premium educational content, such as the Tech Academies or specialised workshops, these can be purchased separately as add-ons (Education+ add-on). Email: [email protected] if you want to purchase additional access not covered by your ticket.
