Payments have become one of the most important pressure points in modern gaming.
What was once viewed as a back-end function now plays a major role in shaping the overall player experience, influencing everything from onboarding and trust to retention and security.
But as player expectations rise, technology continues to evolve, and financial crime becomes increasingly advanced, the pressure on operators is intensifying. It is no longer enough to simply offer a reliable payment process. Today’s platforms must deliver payments that are fast, secure, fraud-resistant, and frictionless, all while navigating growing regulatory and compliance demands.
With this in mind, SBC Summit will bring payments into the spotlight with a dedicated ‘Payment Expert Summit’ stage, featuring three focused tracks across the week:
- Fintech (Tuesday, 29 September)
- AML & Compliance (Wednesday, 30 September)
- Crypto & Blockchain (Thursday, 1 October)
In this blog, we take a closer look at the stage, exploring the key themes shaping each day, the standout panels to watch, and how the track can support stakeholders from across the global payments and technology landscape.
Fintech: The Technology Powering the Next Wave of Payments
With the industry seeking faster, more secure payment journeys, fintech is becoming a central component of modern gaming. From faster transactions to biometric verification, technology is transforming how payments are processed, protected, and managed across the industry.
But with technology evolving faster than regulation, stakeholders face growing uncertainty, not only over which tools to invest in but also how future compliance restrictions may impact their long-term viability.
With this in mind, the opening day of SBC Summit’s Payment Expert Summit stage, Tuesday, 29 September, will feature a dedicated ‘Fintech’ track focused on the technologies shaping the future of payments.
Spotlight Panel: When Payments Meet Protection: Smarter Affordability Controls
Why this matters: Affordability and source of funds checks are becoming a major focus for both regulators and operators. With self-reported data becoming increasingly outdated, operators must find more reliable ways of identifying financial risk, all the while protecting player privacy and maintaining a seamless experience.
What you’ll learn: This session explores how open banking and financial data strengthen affordability checks and player protection. Experts will break down how operators can identify risk earlier, meet growing regulatory expectations, and build more effective intervention strategies without adding unnecessary friction for players.
Other Fintech panels include:
- From Click to Cashout: Building Reliable Payment Infrastructure: Exploring how operators can create smoother and faster payment experiences that improve player trust and reduce friction across deposits and withdrawals.
- Solving Payments at Scale in Regulated Markets: Breaking down how operators are improving payment performance across regulated markets.
- Beyond ID Checks: The New Role of Identity in Gaming: Analysing how identity verification is evolving beyond onboarding to become a wider tool for compliance, security, and player trust.
- Building Your Own Payment Orchestration Layer with Modular Components: Breaking down how operators can gain more control over their payment systems through flexible infrastructure built around specific business needs.
- Data-Powered Responsible Gambling: Leveraging Fintech Insights: Analysing how fintech data is helping operators spot harmful behaviours earlier and support more proactive responsible gambling strategies.
AML & Compliance: Combatting Criminal Behaviour and Safeguarding Players
As financial crime becomes increasingly sophisticated, the pressure on operators to strengthen compliance and player protection measures, without disrupting the player experience, continues to grow
Overly restrictive controls and checks risk frustrating customers and driving players towards unregulated operators, while weak safeguards can expose businesses to fraud, reputational damage, and regulatory penalties.
The second day of SBC Summit’s Payment Summit stage, Wednesday, 30 September, will help stakeholders strike this balance, with a dedicated ‘AML & Compliance’ track. Sessions will examine evolving AML regulations, the risks surrounding emerging gaming formats, and how operators can strengthen compliance frameworks across multiple jurisdictions.
Panel to Watch: Preparing for AMLA’s Full Rollout
Why this matters: The establishment of The Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) marks one of the biggest changes to European AML enforcement in years. By 2027, operators will face stricter reporting requirements, tighter financial oversight, and more standardised enforcement across EU markets, creating major implications for compliance and payments teams.
What you’ll learn: This session explores how operators can prepare for the next phase of EU AML regulation. Experts will outline the steps needed to strengthen transaction monitoring and reporting processes, as well as provide guidance on structuring compliance frameworks that are scalable, adaptable, and future-proof.
Other AML-focused panels include:
- AML in Motion: Continuous Monitoring in Modern Gaming: Breaking down how operators are moving from one-off AML checks to continuous monitoring systems that identify suspicious activity in real time.
- AML Challenges in a Cross-Border Market: Analysing how operators can navigate the growing complexity of AML compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
- AML Readiness for Emerging Game Formats: Exploring how new gaming formats such as prediction markets and sweepstakes products are creating fresh AML challenges and raising questions around regulatory oversight.
- How Much Is Too Much Data?: Addressing the growing tension between AML compliance and data privacy for operators trying to balance regulatory demands and player rights.
- Quality Over Quantity in AML Reporting: Looking at why regulators are placing greater focus on the quality of suspicious activity reports and how operators can improve reporting standards.
Crypto & Blockchain: Navigating the Future of Payments
Crypto and blockchain technologies are attracting growing interest across the global gaming industry. They offer faster transactions, greater transparency and enhanced security, while also appealing to a younger, increasingly digital-first player base seeking alternative payment options.
However, as adoption grows, so too does regulatory scrutiny. Operators must now navigate fresh challenges surrounding AML safeguards, player protection, and regulation.
On Thursday, 1 October, SBC Summit’s Payment Expert Summit stage will spotlight this new era of payments through a dedicated ‘Crypto & Blockchain’ track. Sessions will examine how operators are scaling crypto payments across multiple markets, strengthening transparency through blockchain technology, and responding to growing regulatory expectations.
Must-attend panel: Web3 in Gambling: Risks & Rewards
Why it’s important: Web3 and blockchain have the potential to dramatically shift the global payment landscape. From stablecoin payments to tokenized balances and smart contracts, these tools can improve speed, security, and trust. Yet adoption comes with serious regulatory and AML challenges, especially as requirements vary across markets.
What you’ll learn: This session outlines how operators can safely integrate blockchain, stablecoins, and fintech while staying compliant. It will cover practical ways to strengthen AML controls, protect players, improve transaction transparency, and build faster, more secure payment experiences.
Other Crypto & Blockchain panels include:
- Blockchain Banking for Gambling Operators: Exploring how operators can safely integrate crypto and stablecoin payments while meeting growing AML and compliance expectations across regulated markets.
- Speed, Security & Conversion for Crypto Gambling: Analysing how operators are using blockchain technology to deliver faster payments and smoother crypto transactions while maintaining strong compliance controls.
- Enhancing Player Confidence via Blockchain Transparency: Exploring how blockchain technology can improve transparency, reduce fraud, and help operators build greater player trust through verifiable transactions and game fairness.
- One Wallet, Many Countries: Crypto Payments at Scale: Breaking down how operators are using crypto payments to simplify cross-border transactions while navigating different AML, tax, and gambling regulations across global markets.
The Payment Expert Summit Show Floor
In addition to a specialised conference stage, the Payment Expert Summit will also feature its own payment-focused show floor.
It will host a mix of major global players and innovative startups spanning the full breadth of the global payments landscape, from payment providers and crypto specialists to fraud prevention, AML, and Fintech suppliers.
Brands already confirmed to exhibit include DragonTech, Inpay, ISX Financial, Noda, Pay4Fun, Payfuture, Paytech, Paysafe, and Trustly, amongst many others.
Additionally, the zone will feature three dedicated networking spaces, offering delegates a relaxed environment to connect, exchange ideas, and build new partnerships.
Networking facilities include the Coffee Bar & Lounge (sponsored by Neosurf), the Networking Lounge (sponsored by Pay4Fun), and the Payments Bar & Lounge (sponsored by Kushki).
View the full floor plan here.
Access to the Payment Expert Summit show floor is available to all ticket types.
Final Thoughts
As payments continue to evolve, the challenges facing operators are becoming more complex. From emerging fintech solutions and stricter AML requirements to the growing influence of crypto and blockchain technology, businesses must balance evolution with compliance to satisfy rising player expectations.
The Payment Expert Summit stage at SBC Summit will provide stakeholders with frameworks, strategies, and practical guidance needed to navigate this rapidly changing landscape.
Want full access to the insights, debates, and market discussions across the Payment Expert Summit 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.
