If you’re an operator attending SBC Summit with a VIP Pass, the world of global gaming and betting is at your fingertips.
You’ll have access to four exhibition halls packed with the biggest names in gaming, sports betting, payments and player protection, a conference agenda tackling the industry’s biggest challenges, and structured daytime networking and evening parties that put you face-to-face with the people shaping its future.
But what does a successful week at SBC Summit look like? How do you make every second count?
Whilst every attendee’s priorities will be different, a clear plan is the foundation of a successful event. That’s why we’ve put together a sample schedule showing how you can balance meetings, learning and networking while making the most of everything SBC Summit has to offer.
To make the itinerary as realistic as possible, we’ve based it around an operator with a VIP Pass arriving in Lisbon on Monday 28 September. Remember, this isn’t a schedule you have to follow. It’s designed to show what’s possible and help you plan the week that works best for you.
Monday 28th September
16:00: You’ve landed in Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport. Before heading to your hotel, you head straight to the SBC Summit Airport Badge Collection area to collect your event badge. Located by the luggage collection, it only takes a couple of minutes and means you can walk straight into the venue on Tuesday morning, skipping the day one queues!
Tuesday 29th September
8:30: Whether you’re hopping on one of SBC’s complimentary shuttle buses, taking the metro or grabbing an Uber, travelling to the Feira Internacional de Lisboa & MEO Arena is quick and easy. Before long, you’re walking through the entrance ready for day one.
9:00: With your badge in hand, you’re straight in. First stop? The Food Festival. With a VIP pass, you receive €30 of complimentary credit each day to spend across more than 50 food and drink vendors, making breakfast the perfect opportunity to ease into the week.
9:30: With coffee in hand, it’s time to check your action plan with SBC Connect. A quick look over your meetings, starred conference sessions and must-visit exhibitors means you can hit the ground running once the exhibition opens (SBC Connect is available for download on Android, IOS and desktop).
10:00: The show floor is open! You make your way directly to the iGaming and Sports Betting Zone (Hall3). As an operator, sportsbook technology is a major priority, so you spend the hour meeting with suppliers like BetConstruct and Soft2Bet, making conversations and swapping business cards.
11:00: You met someone on the show floor and want to take the conversation further. You find them on SBC Connect and book a meeting at the SBC Connect Lounge (CR1) for later in the week, giving you a dedicated space to get down to serious business (read more about SBC Connect Meets here).
11:30: Next, it’s over to the MEO Arena’s Super Stage for one of the biggest moments of the week. Basketball legend and philanthropist Michael Jordan joins Carsten Koerl (CEO & Founder, Sportradar) and Jason Robins (CEO & Co-Founder, DraftKings) for the session Leadership in Sports Business, before some of the industry’s biggest executives take to the stage for the Super CEO Panel: The Industry Speaks.
14:00: After lunch, it’s time for the AI in Gaming Show Floor Tour, which takes you on a guided look at the latest AI technologies transforming the industry. It’s one of several themed tours led by the SBC team, taking place throughout the week, covering everything from payments to marketing and casino (find out more about the Show Floor Tours here)
15:00: You continue the afternoon at the Player Protection Zone (located between Halls 3 & 4). Between product demonstrations and conversations with specialist suppliers like Mindway AI and BetComply, it’s an opportunity to discover the technology helping operators create safer gambling without compromising on player experience.
16:30: With a keen interest in the African market, you head to the Regulatory Gaming Meetup Lounge (F4-17) for the Africa Regulatory Gaming Cocktail Hour. It’s one of 21 regional networking sessions connecting operators with regulators, legal experts and market leaders from around the world. (Learn more about the Regulating Gaming Meetups here.)
18:00: Before you head back to the hotel, you stop off at Festival Square, a vibrant, open-air social space featuring a beer garden, cocktail, wine and piano bar and live music! The perfect place to continue conversations from the show floor or simply unwind before the evening begins.
Evening Networking
Time to celebrate the day one wins at the SBC Summit Opening party, located at the Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, a 25-minute drive from SBC Summit. With lively conversations, complimentary drinks and a special music performance, it’s a chance to celebrate a successful first day and make a few more connections before doing it all again tomorrow.
Wednesday 30th September
10:00: After grabbing a quick bite at the Food Festival, you start exploring the iGaming and Casino Zone (Hall 1, 2 & 4). This is where you find everything from game studios and live casino providers to AI, CRM, gamification and player retention specialists. With so much to see, you decide to focus on Hall 1 first, stopping by exhibitors including Amusnet, EGT Digital and Optimove.
11:00: One of the biggest advantages of SBC Summit is the breadth of the conference programme. This morning you choose between ‘The Impact of Tech on Operator Revenues and Player Retention in Europe’, ‘Cross-Border Compliance: Navigating AML Across African Markets’ and ‘Innovation in Tech: How Can Technology Keep Players Safe from Harm?’
12:30: Next up are your Smart Connect meetings. Unlike chance encounters on the show floor, these pre-qualified meetings are matched around your business priorities, giving you dedicated time with suppliers and partners that align with your specific business objectives. (Operators can apply for Smart Connect here.)
1.30: This afternoon, you’ve decided to invest in some hands-on learning through the Education+ programme. Whether you choose the Digital Marketing & CRM Academy or the Web 3.0 Academy, you’ll spend the afternoon learning directly from industry experts through interactive workshops, practical exercises and real-world case studies.
Your Education+ Upgrade (€249) includes access to one Tech Academy or Masterclass across the week, with additional options including the AI Academy, Player Experience Academy, Responsible Gaming Marketing Masterclass, Electronic Gaming Masterclass and Sportsbook Trading Masterclass.
Your Tech Academy session runs through to the end of the day. If you’re sticking to the main event, here’s how you might spend the afternoon instead.
14:40: After a quick lunch at the food festival, you dive back into the conference programme. Sessions include “The UK Squeeze: Can the Regulated Market Keep Winning?”, “The New Price of Player Loyalty: Retention, VIPs and Incentives” and “AML Readiness for Emerging Game Formats”, offering insights across regulation, player engagement and compliance.
15:30: After another busy morning, a short break goes a long way. The Platinum Operator Lounge (D301), exclusive to VIP Operator Executives and other invited VIP Pass holders, offers complimentary refreshments, barista-made coffee, power outlets and comfortable meeting areas, giving you a chance to recharge your body and your phone during a productive day!
16:00: Feeling refreshed, you head to the Payment Speed Networking session. Taking place in the Speed Networking Lounge (between Halls 2 and 3), these sessions introduce you to around a dozen potential partners in just one hour. Other themed sessions throughout the week focus on AI, first-time attendees and next-generation leaders, making them an efficient way to grow your network.
17:00: Before the exhibition closes, you spend the final hour exploring the rest of the iGaming & Casino zone. Halls 2 and 4 are home to dozens of leading exhibitors, including Alea, TaDa Gaming and CreedRoomz, giving you plenty of chance to discover new suppliers before the day comes to an end.
Evening Networking
Wednesday’s networking continues into the night with invite-only dinners such as the C-Level & Operator VIP Dinner and the Payment Expert Dinner, as well as the Affiliate Leaders Awards. If you’ve secured a dinner invitation or purchased an awards ticket, it’s the perfect way to round off another productive day.
Thursday 1st October
10:30: Your final day begins back at the Regulatory Gaming Lounge, for the Portugal Regulatory Gaming Breakfast to gain guidance from regulatory specialists and market leaders and build valuable regional connections.
12:00: Today you’ve utilised your Education+ Upgrade for the Responsible Gaming Marketing Masterclass. Designed for professionals looking to build specialist operational skills, the masterclass explores how to create marketing campaigns that are commercially effective while supporting responsible gambling objectives.
13:40: If a Masterclass isn’t part of your plans, it’s back to the conference programme after a quick lunch. Sessions this afternoon include ‘Bring on the New Markets: What are the Compliance Challenges?’, ‘Influencer Tech: Platforms and Tools Powering Creator Partnerships’ and ‘Speed, Security & Conversion for Crypto Gambling‘, covering everything from emerging markets to marketing and payments.
14:40: Now it’s time to explore the industry’s newest stars at the First Pitch competition, hosted on the Product Innovation Showcase stage. Running throughout all three days of SBC Summit, the stage is dedicated to companies unveiling and demoing their latest technologies, products and services, with Comm100, Top Alliance, Stellar Bets and Gambling Turkey among those presenting during the week.
15:40: Inspired by the First Pitch competition, you take a stroll to the Start Up Hub (between Halls 1 & 2). Centred around discovering the industry’s newest innovators, you meet emerging companies including Safe Comply, Trackdesk, Scrooge Frog and Playzaar Games.
16:00: Before saying goodbye to the show floor, there’s one final area left to explore: the Payment Expert Summit exhibition in Hall 4. From payment providers and open banking specialists to fraud prevention, KYC, AML and crypto experts, it’s the place to discover the technologies shaping the future of global payments. You meet representatives from Payfuture, Inpay, Nuvei, PGway, ProntoPago and many more.
Beyond the Summit: Global Prediction Markets Forum
If prediction markets are high on your agenda, you may decide to spend Thursday at the Global Prediction Markets Forum instead. Taking place alongside SBC Summit, this standalone event brings together operators, regulators, and policymakers to examine the history of prediction markets, where they’re heading next and key regulatory questions. (Please note: the Global Prediction Markets Forum requires a separate ticket. Purchase your ticket here.)
Ending the week with networking and vibes
As the exhibition closes, there’s still one final night of celebration to come. The SBC Awards is a chance to celebrate the achievements of operators, suppliers and industry leaders from across the industry before the week concludes with the INFINITY Lisbon Closing Party. Taking over the MEO Arena, the EDM-inspired celebration features performances from Tiësto, Blasterjaxx and Marc Vedo, bringing the curtain down on another unforgettable SBC Summit.
Ready to plan your own week?
No two SBC Summit experiences are the same, and that’s exactly the point. Whether you’re focused on discovering new suppliers, building partnerships, understanding regulation or developing new skills, a little planning goes a long way. Use this itinerary as inspiration, build your own schedule, and get ready to make the most of three unforgettable days in Lisbon.
