In a market as competitive as iGaming, technology is becoming a true differentiator between businesses that succeed and those that struggle.
It now shapes almost every part of the player experience, from how quickly customers can sign up and withdraw funds to how sportsbooks price live markets, detect fraud, and personalise offers. A strong brand may get a player through the door, but if the product feels slow, clunky, or disconnected, they are unlikely to stay for long.
That is why SBC Summit, taking place in Lisbon from 29 September – 1 October 2026, has made technology one of the main focuses of its conference agenda.
The Technology & Innovation Stage will examine the tools and strategies powering modern betting and gaming businesses, with three dedicated conference days covering Sports Betting Innovation, iGaming Product & Design, and Marketing & CX.
In this blog, we’ll break down what’s in store across the stage, the key sessions to watch, and the insights delegates can expect to take away.
Sports Betting Innovation: The Rise of the Real-Time Sportsbook
Sports betting has become one of the clearest examples of how technology is reshaping the gaming industry. Traditional markets like goalscorers and over/under bets still matter, but players now expect faster in-play markets, real-time offers and experiences that keep pace with the action.
For operators, that puts pressure on the technology behind the sportsbook. Live data, AI-driven analytics and faster modelling are becoming essential for sharper pricing, more personalised player journeys and stronger retention.
Day One of the Tech & Innovation Stage, dedicated to Sports Betting Innovation, will give delegates a clearer view of the technology already making an impact, and how operators can use it to build faster, smarter and more resilient sportsbook products.
Panel to Watch: Sportstech Intelligence: How Live Data Shapes Smarter Odds
Live betting is only as strong as the data behind it. As players expect faster markets and more personalised sportsbook experiences, operators need technology that can process action in real time and turn it into meaningful product improvements.
What you’ll learn: Delegates will learn which infrastructure investments can help power faster odds and sharper in-play products. The session will also explore how operators can get more value from live data and turn it into stronger engagement and more revenue opportunities.
Other Sports Betting Innovation Panels:
- Connecting the Game Through Next-Generation Tech Partnerships: Exploring how operators can implement AI and real-time data analytics to build the perfect sportsbook tech stack.
- Fantasy Sports: From Make-Believe to Market Pressure: Assessing the rise of emerging betting formats, exploring both the regulatory challenges they present and what traditional operators can learn from them when building more engaging player experiences.
- Modern Manipulation: Are Today’s Integrity Tools Built for Yesterday’s Threats?: Assessing whether current integrity systems can keep pace with the rise of micro-event manipulation, as bad actors target in-game moments such as cards, corners, throw-ins, and points.
- Closing the Audience Gap in Global Horse Racing: Unpacking why racing is struggling to engage new and emerging fans, and what stakeholders can do to bring the sport to modern audiences.
- From Rights to Revenue: How Racing’s Ecosystem Scales Betting Growth for Operators, Rightsholders & Tech: Exploring how data, technology and a more engaging experience can help racing become a stronger commercial opportunity.
iGaming Product & Design: Using Tech to Attract Players While Remaining Compliant
Players now expect iGaming products to feel fast, seamless and intuitive from the moment they sign up. At the same time, regulators are demanding stronger checks, clearer safeguards and more responsible product design.
That leaves product teams with a difficult balancing act: creating smooth player experiences without compromising on compliance.
With this in mind, day two of the Tech & Innovation Stage will examine how operators can satisfy both demands, from smarter verification and stronger safeguards to better UX and more consistent player journeys across mobile, web and app.
Panel to Watch: RegTech: Is “Invisible KYC” Actually Achievable or Just Another Industry Fantasy?
Research shows that around 24% of players abandon signing up to an operator when they find the sign-up ‘cumbersome’, but KYC checks are stringent for a reason. This panel examines how RegTech powered by AI could speed up the sign-up process.
Why it matters: Operators are under pressure from both sides: players expect quick onboarding, while regulators want more accuracy and stronger risk controls during the KYC process. Getting that balance wrong can mean losing customers before they even place a bet.
What you’ll learn: Delegates will gain a clearer view of whether “invisible KYC” is genuinely achievable, which technologies are helping reduce onboarding friction, and how operators can design verification journeys that work for both players and regulators.
Other iGaming Product & Design Panels:
- The Art & Science of Game Design: UX, Data & Player Psychology: Exploring how behavioural data, psychology and AI are shaping the next generation of game design.
- Cross-Platform Consistency: Designing Seamless Mobile, Web & App Experiences: Breaking down how operators can deliver smoother, more consistent player journeys across mobile, desktop and app to deliver a seamless experience.
- One Player, Every Touchpoint: Omnichannel’s Next Technological Shift: Looking at how operators can make the player experience feel consistent across retail, online, mobile and live products.
- AI Agents in Action: Autonomous Systems Transforming Modern Workflows: Exploring how AI agents are being used across customer support, operations and product teams, and what that means for how gaming businesses work.
- Gamification, Gen Z and the Rise of Social Play: Examining how operators can build products that feel more social, interactive and relevant to younger players, from rewards and community features to live and shared gaming experiences.
Marketing & CX: Personalisation Beyond Third-Party Data
The final day of the Tech & Innovation Stage will examine how marketing teams can use technology to attract, understand and retain players more effectively. Panels will explore how operators can build customer journeys around first-party data, as regulators and major platforms continue to restrict the use of third-party tracking.
Sessions will also look at how AI, AdTech and creator platforms are changing the way campaigns are planned, measured and improved, helping operators move from broad targeting towards more relevant and focused campaigns.
Panel to Watch: What Do We Spy On Now? Life After Cookies and Third-Party Data
Why it matters: Operators need to build player journeys that are relevant and personalised, but this is becoming harder to do as platforms continue to restrict the use of third-party data in gaming marketing.
What you’ll learn: Delegates will hear how operators can make better use of first-party data, rebuild personalisation around consent, and create marketing strategies that feel useful rather than invasive.
Other Marketing & CX Panels:
- AdTech Intelligence: Helping Operators Do More With Less: Exploring how operators can use AI, automation, and sharper performance data to make better marketing decisions, while reducing spend.
- Influencer Tech: Platforms and Tools Powering Creator Partnerships: Looking at how operators can use technology to find the right creators, manage partnerships effectively, and measure whether influencer campaigns are delivering value.
- Designing Campaigns the Data Can Read: Examining how marketing teams can bring creative and performance together to build creative campaigns with real, data-backed outcomes.
Final Thoughts
How brands implement technology is crucial to remaining competitive. The operators that can create smoother player experiences, make smarter use of data and adapt faster to changing expectations will be the ones best positioned to continue to attract and retain customers.
Across the three days of the Tech & Innovation Stage, delegates will gain a clearer understanding of the technology already shaping betting and gaming, and how these tools can be applied in practical ways across sportsbook, product, marketing and customer experience.
Want full access to the insights, debates, and market discussions across the Technology & Innovation stage?
To avoid missing out, choose between a Conference Pass, a Business Pass (which also includes selected networking opportunities), or a VIP Pass.
All three passes also include post-event on-demand access via SBC Connect, allowing you to catch up on any sessions you missed or rewatch the ones that made the biggest impression.
For a full breakdown of ticket options and inclusions, visit the tickets page.
