Over the past decade, the industry’s approach to regulation and compliance has shifted dramatically.
Advancements in technology, coupled with growing political and public pressure, have pushed regulation and compliance from formality to foundational pillars for growth, sustainability, and player protection.
But with this shift comes new challenges, prompting SBC Summit to introduce a dedicated three-day ‘Regulation and Compliance’ stage focused on helping operators and stakeholders navigate today’s fast-moving regulatory environment with confidence, while keeping player protection front of mind.
Themes covered across the stage include:
- Global Regulations (Tuesday, 29th September)
- Player Protection Symposium (Wednesday, 30th September)
- Compliance Tech (Thursday, 1st October)
In this blog, we break down what to expect from SBC Summit’s ‘Regulation and Compliance’ stage, highlighting the key themes, standout discussions, and must-watch panels shaping the conversation around gambling regulation and player protection.
Global Regulation: Where Policy Meets Market Opportunity
Regulatory frameworks may differ from market to market, but their impact on the industry is universal.
They shape almost every aspect of business strategy, from how operators market their products to which gaming formats and promotional tools are permitted. In many cases, a regulatory framework determines whether a market is commercially attractive enough for operators to enter at all.
With this in mind, the opening day of SBC Summit, Tuesday, 29 September, will put these issues under the spotlight with a dedicated ‘Global Regulation’ track, focused on the biggest regulatory developments shaping the international gaming industry.
Panel to Watch: Finland’s waiting: The start of a new European market
Finland’s regulated market is launching in July 2027, providing the industry with a wealth of new commercial opportunities. But with new markets come unforeseen growing pains, making it crucial for operators to understand every aspect of the regulatory landscape to ensure seamless and successful entry.
What you’ll learn: This panel breaks down Finland’s licensing and regulatory framework, shining a light on the issues already encountered by operators and how regulators are responding to ensure seamless and successful market entry.
Other regulatory panels include:
- A Generational Bet: Romania’s Reckoning on Gambling Regulation: Exploring how political pressure, public scrutiny, and the economic importance of operators are shaping Romania’s next phase of gambling reform.
- Can Poland’s Economic Surge Unlock Gambling Reform?: Looking at whether Poland’s strong economy and growing black market concerns could finally lead to online casino reform.
- Canada: Province by Province Progress: Breaking down how evolving regulatory reviews in Alberta and Ontario could lead to new opportunities for operators.
- Big in the Baltics: iGaming in Estonia: Examining why Estonia remains one of Europe’s most stable and attractive regulated markets, and how tax and regulatory changes may influence future growth.
Player Protection Symposium: Putting the Player First
As expectations around player protection continue to evolve, operators are placing greater emphasis on embedding safer gambling principles across every part of the business, from marketing and customer communication to product design and workplace culture.
The second day of SBC Summit, Wednesday, 30 September, will explore these issues through a dedicated Player Protection Symposium focused on the future of safer gambling and responsible gaming.
Sessions will examine the ethical challenges surrounding gambling advertising, the growing conversation around gambling harm within the industry’s own workforce, and how tighter regulations may unintentionally push players towards black market operators.
Panel in the Spotlight: Having the Edge in Player Protection
Player protection messaging carries greater responsibility in gaming than in most industries, directly influencing how players behave. With traditional safer gambling campaigns becoming less effective, operators must rethink how they communicate responsible gambling messages in ways that are clear, engaging, and genuinely understood by players
What you’ll learn: This session explores how operators can create responsible gambling messaging that is clear, effective, and genuinely understood by players. Attendees will gain guidance on crafting communication strategies that encourage healthier play behaviours while still supporting engagement and long-term retention.
Other player protection panels include:
- Innovation in Tech: How Can Technology Keep Players Safe from Harm?: Breaking down how technology is helping operators identify risky behaviours earlier, strengthening player safety, and improving the overall user experience.
- Who Should Have the Final Say in Player Protection?: Debating where responsibility for safer gambling lies between players, operators, and regulators.
- The Ethical Tension in Gaming Advertisements: Looking at how gaming brands can balance engaging marketing with ethical concerns around player vulnerability and gambling-related harm.
- Is the Industry Closing Its Eyes to Gambling Harm in Its Own Workforce?: Delving into the issue of gambling harm among industry employees and what companies can do to better support staff wellbeing.
- Regulations Are Getting Stronger: What It Means for the Black Market: Exploring how tighter regulations may unintentionally strengthen illegal gambling markets and what policymakers and operators can do to prevent it.
Compliance Tech: The Innovations Driving Modern Compliance
As digital platforms continue to dominate modern gaming, technology has quickly become the heartbeat of modern compliance.
But as technology becomes more sophisticated, so does it’s challenges. Operators must navigate rising cyber threats, data protection laws, and more robust digital identity frameworks and technologies, all whilst ensuring the player experience is seamless and costs are kept at a minimum.
The final day of SBC Summit, Thursday, 1 October, will examine how technology is reshaping compliance and how operators are navigating this new reality through a dedicated ‘Compliance Tech’ track.
Must attend panel: At the Intersection of Cybersecurity, Regulation, and Collaborative Defence
Why this matters: Gaming companies are collecting more player data than ever before, and as a result, the risk of cyber breaches is growing rapidly. Regulators are also tightening cybersecurity expectations, putting increasing pressure on operators to improve resilience and strengthen player data protection.
What you’ll learn: This session looks at how operators, suppliers, and regulators can work together to improve cyber resilience. Experts will break down the latest regulatory expectations, highlight the biggest emerging threats, and share practical steps businesses can take to strengthen their security frameworks.
Other compliance tech panels include:
- Taking the Risk Out of Financial Risk Checks: Providing guidance on how operators can implement affordability and financial risk checks with minimal friction, while maintaining player engagement.
- Bring on the New Markets: What Are the Compliance Challenges?: Assessing how operators can prepare for launches in newly regulated markets by tackling fraud risks, understanding local criminal behaviours, and deploying scalable compliance strategies.
- EUDI Wallets & Digital Identity: A New Era for KYC — or Just New Complexity? Delving into Europe’s upcoming digital identity framework, breaking down its impact on KYC and player onboarding, as well as the potential challenges for operators.
- Closing the Loopholes: How to Combat Bonus Abuse: Offering practical guidance on identifying bonus abuse patterns, spotting serial offenders, and using technology to protect promotional campaigns.
Regulatory Gaming Meet-Ups: Smarter Networking Across Global Markets
Alongside the conference agenda, SBC Summit 2026 will introduce dedicated Regulatory Gaming Meet-Ups, a new networking format designed to connect delegates with the regulators, legal specialists, and industry professionals operating within the same regions, jurisdictions, and regulatory environments.
Bringing together regulators, operators, affiliates, suppliers, legal experts, and compliance specialists, these focused networking sessions offer opportunities to exchange insights, discuss market developments, and connect with professionals who understand the realities of each region.
The initiative also reflects SBC’s growing commitment to regulatory education and collaboration following its partnerships with the International Association of Gaming Regulators (IAGR) and the International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL).
With EIGHT meet-ups taking place daily across Europe, LATAM, North America, Africa, the Nordics, Eurasia, and the UAE, attendees can join sessions tailored to their markets and interests.
Interested? Keep an eye on the website, where we’ll soon launch a dedicated page featuring the full meet-up schedule, timings, and registration details.
Access will be available to Networking, Business, and VIP pass holders only.
Final Thoughts
Creative marketing campaigns and engaging gaming experiences may help a brand stand out, but it’s regulation and compliance that ensure longevity.
With regulations shifting and technology evolving faster than ever before, SBC Summit’s Regulation and Compliance track will help the global gaming industry keep pace, offering the strategies to tackle challenges with confidence and build safer, more sustainable businesses for the future.
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Want full access to the insights, debates, and market discussions across the Regulation & Compliance 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.
