When industry leaders gather at SBC Summit 2025, the volume of insight available across 6 stages and 550+ speakers can be as overwhelming as it is exciting.
Without a clear focus, it’s easy to miss the key discussions shaping the direction of global betting and iGaming — from regulatory turning points to transformative tech and emerging market opportunities.
To help you make the most of your time on-site, we’ve distilled the agenda into 6 defining themes. These aren’t just categories — they reflect the most urgent challenges and high-impact opportunities the industry faces right now. Whether you’re a decision-maker, innovator, or strategist, this guide will help you navigate Lisbon with clarity.
1. Emerging Markets Expansion: The Next Frontier
Growth in mature markets is sometimes stalling. Increasing regulatory pressure, saturated audiences, and shifting consumer expectations are making it harder to achieve meaningful expansion.
Meanwhile, new markets are opening up. But they’re far from one-size-fits-all. From Brazil’s evolving licensing landscape to Africa’s mobile-first economy and Central Asia’s regulatory experimentation, success depends on much more than simply entering the market. Without local insight, tailored tech, and the right partnerships, even well-resourced operators and suppliers risk missing the mark.
SBC Summit brings these fast-growing regions into sharp focus. You’ll hear directly from the people driving regulation, innovation, and player engagement on the ground.
Must-see sessions:
- Africa Leaders Panel + Africa Casino & Tech
- Georgia & Armenia Lead the Way
- Marketing to Africa: No More One-Size-Fits-All
- Making it in MENA: Will the UAE and others join the fray?
- Gambling’s Silk Road: Focus on Uzbekistan
Bonus info: This year marks the launch of the brand-new Emerging Markets Stage at SBC Summit — a three-day content track designed to offer a 360° view of high-growth regions including Africa, Eurasia & the Middle East, and Asia. The stage provides delegates with the insight needed to make informed, strategic decisions across borders.
2. Affiliation & Audience: The Big Reset
Affiliate marketing — once a stable and reliable growth engine — is now under pressure. Changing algorithms, tightening regulations, and AI-driven disruption are shaking the foundations of how affiliates generate traffic, build trust, and drive conversions.
Google is no longer the sole gateway to audiences. Influencer volatility, platform bans, and rising acquisition costs are forcing affiliates to rethink everything from SEO to partnership structures. Meanwhile, operators face growing demands for transparency, compliance, and ROI-driven deals — leaving little room for outdated models or guesswork.
At SBC Summit, the affiliate track will tackle what’s really changing — and how to adapt. Whether you’re an affiliate, media platform, or operator, these sessions offer critical insight into surviving and thriving in this reset era — with smart strategies, emerging traffic sources, and scalable models that reflect the new reality.
Must-see sessions:
- Diversifying Affiliate Strategies – Beyond Google
- Affiliate Networks: Growth Hack or Costly Gamble?
- Content Localisation & Human-Centric SEO
- AI Agents vs. Affiliates – Adapting to a Changing Landscape
- Beyond iGaming – Affiliate Trends & Tech Across Industries
- Streamers & Influencers – High-Impact Acquisition or Risky Investment?
3. Artificial Intelligence (AI): From Backend to Frontline
As competition intensifies and consumer behaviour becomes more complex, traditional tools for engagement, compliance, and growth are starting to fall short. Manual processes can’t keep up with the speed of today’s digital landscape, whether you’re managing player insights, affiliate marketing, or fraud detection.
Without AI integration, you’re likely operating at a disadvantage. Affiliates risk becoming irrelevant in a world of algorithmic search. Compliance teams face mounting pressure to meet evolving AML and KYC standards. Marketers struggle to maintain visibility as AI reshapes content discovery. And across the board, businesses are missing out on automation that could streamline operations and maximise ROI.
AI is redefining how the betting and gaming ecosystem operates. Whether you’re looking to improve user retention, streamline identity verification, or future-proof your digital strategy, these sessions offer a clear look into how AI is being applied today — and where it’s taking us next.
Must-see sessions:
- AI-Powered CRM – Unlocking Deep Player Insights & Automation.
- The Future of Search – AI, Bots & Trust in Algorithms
- AI Agents vs. Affiliates – Adapting to a Changing Landscape
- Can AI Content Rank on Google?
- Content Localisation & Human-Centric SEO in the Age of AI
4. Payments & Decentralisation: The Future is Frictionless
Outdated payment systems are slowing down progress. Whether it’s cross-border friction, delayed transactions, or increasing compliance burdens, legacy infrastructure is making it harder for operators, suppliers, and affiliates to meet user expectations and regulatory requirements.
Players demand speed, flexibility, and security — but traditional methods aren’t always keeping up. Meanwhile, new technologies like crypto, open banking, and direct bank payments are already reshaping user experience and redefining how trust and efficiency are built into every transaction. If your payments strategy isn’t evolving, you’re not just losing conversions — you’re losing markets.
At SBC Summit 2025, we’re putting payments and decentralisation in the spotlight. Experts will unpack the innovations driving seamless global transactions and explore how compliance, UX, and technology intersect in an increasingly cashless, decentralised world.
Must-see sessions:
- Payments 2030: Where Could New Tech Take the Industry in 5 Years?
- Open Banking and Decentralization: Where’s It Going and Are We Truly Ready?
- Crypto Capitals: A Watershed Year for Alternative Currencies
- The Rise of Direct Bank Payments: What Businesses Need to Know
- Payment Innovation in New & Emerging Markets
- Crypto and RG: Is It Safe to Play with Alt Currencies?
5. Player Protection & Positive Play: The New Mandate
As the industry evolves, so do expectations — and regulators are tightening their grip. From stricter affordability checks to heightened advertising scrutiny, the pressure is on to demonstrate that player protection is not just a policy, but a priority.
But let’s be honest — it’s a complex balancing act. Go too far, and you risk alienating recreational players and pushing high-value ones toward offshore alternatives. Too little, and you face reputational risk, regulatory penalties, and long-term brand damage. Meanwhile, player behaviours, expectations, and vulnerabilities are shifting faster than many systems can keep up.
SBC Summit confronts these challenges head-on. Across a wide range of sessions, you’ll hear from industry leaders, legal experts, and RG pioneers on how to build strategies that are safe, sustainable, and commercially smart. From ethics in VIP schemes to inter-operator data sharing and crypto-fueled risk, these sessions explore what real progress in player protection looks like — and how we get there.
Must-see sessions:
- The Regulatory Paradox: Are Stricter Rules Fueling the Illegal Market’s Rise?
- DACH in Black: Are Affordability Checks Driving German Players to the Illegal Market?
- Ethics of Advertising: Is It Wrong to Market Fun When You Know Some Will Lose Everything
- Stop, Collaborate and Listen – Can Operators Come Together to Protect Players?
- Does Offshore Always Mean Dangerous? – Player Protection in Black and Grey Markets
- Problem Gambling and Crypto: Is There a Correlation?
6. Technology, UX, and the Gamification Revolution
Many still treat technology as a back-end function, focused on compliance, payments, or system uptime. But as player expectations evolve, it’s not just what your platform does, but how it feels that drives retention and acquisition.
Clunky interfaces, outdated user journeys, and uninspired content are quietly costing the industry players. Bettors today expect frictionless experiences, personalised engagement, and interaction that mirrors the best of consumer tech. If your UX isn’t intuitive, your users are one tap away from leaving — especially as microbetting, community-led platforms, and gamified content become the new norm.
At SBC Summit, we’re showcasing the cutting edge of user experience, product design, and engagement tech. From dynamic UI upgrades and social-first features to the future of skill-based slots and omnichannel play, these sessions explore how to make technology a player-facing advantage, not just a background system.
Must-see sessions:
- UX & UI in Sports Betting – Is the Interface Holding Players Back?
- Slots Powered by Players
- UX & the Betting Interface: How Microbetting’s Simplicity Could Attract a New Wave of Female and Younger Players
- Land-Based to Omnichannel – Overcoming the Training Challenge
- The Social Side of Betting – Peer-to-Peer, Gamification & Community
Ready to learn, connect, and lead the future of gaming?