Strong leadership rarely comes down to one skill alone.
It takes strategic thinking, clear communication, bold ideas and the ability to guide organisations through constant change. With so much to consider, SBC Summit Malta 2026 will place leadership at the heart of its conference.
From CEO and CMO panels to practical workshops focused on career development, attendees will hear directly from the figures driving the industry forward, while also gaining the tools to sharpen their own leadership skills.
This blog breaks down the leadership-focused sessions worth attending, the workshops built to strengthen professional skills, and the C-level executives appearing across the conference.
Leadership Sessions: Hear From the Voices Shaping Global Gaming
The C-level panels at SBC Summit Malta offer direct access to the people running the industry’s biggest companies, and the strategies and lessons behind how they got there.
Across three sessions, you’ll hear from CEOs on how they’re steering growth through a period of rising regulation and market complexity, CMOs on what’s actually working in modern marketing, and COOs on the operational challenges that will define the next two years.
For fellow leaders, it’s a chance to benchmark against the most successful companies in the industry. For those aspiring to senior roles, it offers insight into the strategic thinking that drives success at the top.
The CEO Chat Show: Leadership in the Hot Seat
Wednesday, 29th April | Marketing Unplugged
A series of 10–15 minute fireside conversations with the CEOs shaping global betting and gaming. Expect candid, unrestricted access to the leadership strategies driving European gaming.
What they’ll tackle on stage:
- How CEOs are navigating tightening regulation, market competition and operational complexity
- The leadership decisions shaping the next phase of growth across gaming companies
- Where industry leaders see the biggest opportunities for innovation and expansion
- Why many leaders remain optimistic despite increasingly challenging market conditions
Leaders on stage:
- Jesper Kärrbrink, CEO of Immense Group, the parent company behind Videoslots and Mr Vegas. They operate across multiple regulated markets with a strong focus on product innovation and player engagement. (11:00 – 11:20)
- Francesco Postiglione, CEO of Casumo, one of Europe’s most recognisable casino brands, built on a gamified player experience and an immersive approach to product design. (11:00 – 11:20)
- Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO of EvenBet Gaming, a leading poker platform provider powering operators worldwide with scalable multiplayer gaming technology. (12:00 – 12:20)
The CMO Review: Campaigns Under the Spotlight
Wednesday, 29th April | 11:20 – 12:00 | Marketing Unplugged
The industry’s top CMOs take to the stage to evaluate real marketing campaigns live, delivering honest feedback and practical lessons on what actually drives results in a highly regulated and fiercely competitive market.
What they’ll tackle on stage:
- What separates successful campaigns from those that fail to connect with players
- How to balance creative ambition with regulatory compliance
- The strategies driving player acquisition and long-term retention
- What brands across gaming and beyond are getting right in 2026
Leaders on stage:
- Nikola Jellacic, CMO of Casumo, one of Europe’s most recognisable online casino brands, known for its gamified player experience and distinctive marketing approach.
- Marco Trucco, CMO of Immense Group, the operator behind leading casino brands such as Videoslots and Mr Vegas.
The COO Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in 2026/27
Wednesday, 29th April | 15:00 – 15:45 | Risk, Regulation & Resilience
With regulatory pressure rising and margins tightening across major markets, operational leadership has never carried more weight. This panel brings together senior COOs to discuss the strategic decisions required to keep gaming businesses competitive in the years ahead.
What they’ll tackle on stage:
- The operational challenges operators expect to face over the next two years
- How COOs are adapting their business models to rising tax and compliance pressure
- Where automation, AI and supplier partnerships are unlocking efficiency at scale
- How operational leaders are turning industry headwinds into opportunities for growth
Leaders on stage:
- Ramon Glieneke, COO of Alea, a game aggregation platform that offers operators access to more than 3000 casino games, alongside tools and services designed to improve casino management and enhance player experience.
- Tom McGovern, Chief Operations Officer of Flutter UKI, part of Flutter Entertainment, one of the world’s largest betting and gaming operators, home to Paddy Power, Betfair and Sky Bet.
- Tim De Borle, COO of Casumo, an online casino brand that combines strong product design with a distinctive, player-focused experience.
- Chris McGowan, COO of Scatters, an operator overseeing five brands, including Scatters Casino and GoSlot Casino, that focuses on delivering engaging and contemporary player experiences.
Additional Panels to Consider
- Malta: The Global Powerhouse of Gaming: This session with Ivan Filletti, CEO of Gaming in Malta, unpacks the long-term vision, government collaboration, and deliberate policy decisions that turned a small jurisdiction into one of the world’s most important gaming hubs.
- Cybersecurity in iGaming: The Rising Cost of Breaches: With cybercrime costing the global gambling industry billions and regulators tightening expectations around incident reporting, this session with Superbet Group CISO Jay Balan and Betsson CISO Donald Tabone covers the real cost of breaches and what it takes to lead an organisation’s defence against increasingly sophisticated threats.
Workshops: Gaining the Skills to Become a Leader
If the C-level panels are about learning from industry leaders, the workshops are where you start building those skills yourself.
Unlike the panel discussions, the workshop programme is designed around participation rather than observation. Attendees will work through case studies, engage in practical exercises and ask questions directly to experts, leaving with frameworks they can apply immediately after the event.
With sessions covering career progression, decision-making under pressure and how to future-proof your professional relevance, these workshops are designed for anyone serious about growing as a leader in the industry.
Breaking Barriers, Building Futures
Thursday, 30th April | 14:00 – 15:00 | Future-Ready Leadership
What you’ll gain:
- Strategies for navigating career progression in tech and iGaming
- Approaches to building credibility and influence within organisations that move fast and change often
- A clearer understanding of how mentorship and sponsorship work in practice, and how to make both work for you
- Concrete steps to advance your own career trajectory while helping bring the next generation of talent through
Resilience in Leadership
Thursday, 30th April | 14:00 – 15:00 | Future-Ready Leadership
What you’ll gain:
- Practical techniques for making clear, confident decisions when the pressure is high, and the path forward isn’t obvious
- Strategies for staying composed and credible during times of change
- A sharper awareness of your own blind spots and how they show up under stress
- Ways to maintain your influence and keep moving forward even when the situation around you is uncertain
Future-Proofing Your Career: The Skills, Roles and Opportunities Shaping the Next Workforce
Thursday, 30th April | 15:00 – 16:00 | Future-Ready Leadership
What you’ll gain:
- A clear picture of how automation and AI are already changing job roles across the industry and where that trajectory is heading
- Guidance on the specific skills that will carry the most value for leaders in the years ahead
- A better understanding of which career pathways are opening up across tech and gaming, and which are narrowing
- Strategies for staying professionally relevant as organisations restructure and role definitions shift
- Practical steps you can take now to build a career that holds up as the industry continues to evolve
Other Leaders across the Conference
Leadership at SBC Summit Malta extends well beyond the dedicated panels and workshops.
C-level executives and founders are taking the stage across the full conference agenda, from affiliate strategy and AI adoption to regulation, payments and product innovation. Here’s a snapshot of who else will be speaking and what they’ll be tackling:
- Alex Tomic (Founder, Alea): “Casino vs Sports: Can Gamification Truly Cross Over?”
- Alan Cladx (Co Founder & CEO, AquaPony): “SEO TRILOGY, Session 3: Ask Me Anything: SEO, Search Survival and Growth” & “AI Manipulation: How Machines Are Rewriting the SERPs”
- Brian Christopher (CEO & Creator, BC Ventures): “OpenAI in Action: Unlocking AI for Real World Impact”
- Christoffer Andersson (CCO & COO, LIQD): “Crypto Casinos: The Hype, the Headaches, and the Next 12 Months”
- Christopher Grech Bonett (Founder, R77 Elitetalent): “AI in HR: Empowering Teams, Not Replacing Them”
- Clinton Cutajar (CTO, MediaTroopers): “The Affiliate Fallout: Survival in a Shifting Landscape”
- Greg Papanastasiou (CCO, Play North): “Regulation: Tax Hikes, Player Migration and the Black Market Effect”
- Hebert Luiz T Crespin Gaban (CMO, KBET and DEBET): “Branding & Psychology. Winning Hearts, Minds and Market Share”
- Ionut Constantinescu (CEO, Marlin Media): “The future of casino search is vertical: How marvn.ai gives you control over your brand’s discovery in the AI search era”
- Johan Styren (Co-Founder of Dilanti Media Ltd.): “Affiliates on the Stock Market: Smart Strategy or Serious Misstep?”
- Jonathan Smith (Founder, Sportsbook Training Services): “Building a World Cup Tournament Model: From Ratings to Outrights”
- Karolina Moscicka (COO, BugsyEmpire): “Player Retention & Loyalty: From First Deposit to Lifelong Value”
- Kristina Murgovska (CPO, Rhino Entertainment): “Customer Experience: Seamless Journeys?”
- Nataly Shpak (CFO, 13Aff): “Payments & Transaction Flow: Fast, Frictionless and Future Ready”
- Sean Bianco (Co-Founder, Gain Changer): “SEO TRILOGY, Session 1: Negative SEO on the Rise in 2026: What Attacks Are We Seeing and How Do You Fight Back?”
- Steve Cutler (CEO and Co-Founder, Kalamba Games): “Casino Product Innovation & Content: The Future of Slots”
- Txema Hermoso (COO, Doctor SEO): “World Cup 2026: Betting Predictions and Market Movers”
- Vadim Aidlin (CEO, Mamuta Media): “The Affiliate Fallout: Survival in a Shifting Landscape”
Final Thoughts
SBC Summit Malta’s conference programme is built with leadership in mind.
Whether you’re looking to sharpen your own leadership skills, benchmark your strategy against the industry’s best, or simply get in the room with the people driving the future of gaming, SBC Summit Malta 2026 is where those conversations happen.
Explore the full agenda here.
Get Your Tickets to SBC Summit Malta
Secure your spot at SBC Summit Malta with our exclusive VIP Event Pass. Priced at €600, you’ll gain access to everything SBC Summit Malta has to offer, including three days of networking, conference, and exhibition.
Want an Expo+ Pass? It’s yours for €150.
If you are an operator or affiliate, you can apply for a free pass! Operators can apply for a complimentary pass here. Affiliates can apply for complimentary passes here.
