SBC Summit Malta 2026. wrapped up last week after delivering its biggest edition to date, welcoming thousands of iGaming professionals and a highly commercial audience, with operators and affiliates making up 65% of attendees.
The event, which took place from 28–30 April at the InterContinental Hotel in Malta, welcomed a record-breaking attendance of 6,000 industry professionals, confirming strong delivery across attendance, audience quality, and engagement.
A balanced mix of operators, affiliates, suppliers, and service providers created a targeted environment for business development, while attendees from 65 countries highlighted the summit’s international reach beyond Malta. The event’s importance as a key industry hub was further reinforced by the presence of senior policymakers, with Minister Silvio Schembri and Dr Alex Agius Saliba attending the show.
“We’re incredibly proud of how this edition came together,” said Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC. “Delivering record attendance while maintaining such strong audience quality is a huge achievement, and we’re grateful to everyone who contributed to making it such a positive and collaborative experience for the industry.”
Leading operators, including Betfred, bet365, Betsson Group, Betway, Casumo, Entain Group, Flutter Entertainment, Kaizen Gaming (Betano), Kindred Group, LeoVegas Group, and Videoslots were represented on-site, alongside major affiliates including Better Collective, Catena Media, Gambling.com Group, Gentoo Media, Oddschecker, Raketech, and XLMedia, reinforcing the event’s position as a meeting point for some of the industry’s most influential and commercially significant companies.
This strong audience mix translated into clear commercial value, with attendees highlighting “good conversations and a clearer view of what’s ahead” and describing it as “absolutely worth it… and something we’d do again in a heartbeat.”
Focus on connections and business opportunities
At the core of SBC Summit Malta 2026 was a buyer-focused exhibition floor, designed to facilitate direct, commercially relevant conversations. With operators and affiliates forming the majority of attendees, and strong representation from senior decision-makers across key verticals, the event created a high-intent, buyer-driven environment, giving exhibitors and sponsors direct access to the people responsible for purchasing decisions.
The expo brought together leading suppliers and technology providers such as Alea, BetConstruct, Aurum Solutions, VallettaPay and Qore, alongside major operators including 1xBet and Betwinner, creating a high-density environment where solutions, platforms, and services could be explored in real time.
Rather than relying on passive footfall, the exhibition floor operated as a meeting-driven environment, supported by pre-arranged meetings and targeted outreach via the official app, SBC Connect, enabling direct engagement with budget holders and senior decision-makers.
Attendees highlighted the atmosphere on the floor, describing “great people, even better conversations, and exactly the kind of energy you hope for at events like this,” while others pointed to “the energy on the exhibition floor” as “unmatched,” with “meetings back-to-back” throughout the event.
Comprehensive conference agenda reflects industry priorities
The conference programme covered a wide range of topics shaping today’s iGaming landscape, including regulation, market growth, player engagement, product innovation, and the growing role of AI and data-driven decision-making.
Structured across dedicated tracks covering marketing, product, and compliance, the agenda brought together leading voices from across the industry, including Francesco Postiglione, CEO of Casumo; Ivan Filletti, CEO of GamingMalta; Alexandre Tomic, Founder and CEO of Alea; and Sam Brown, CEO of Rootz, alongside senior figures such as Tom McGovern, Chief Operating Officer at Flutter UKI; Kinga Warda, Chief Officer of Policy and International Affairs at the Malta Gaming Authority; Johan Styren, CEO and Founder of Dilanti Media; and Marco Trucco, Chief Marketing Officer at Immense Group.
A key differentiating feature of the programme was its emphasis on practical application. While day one explored industry developments, day two focused on workshops and hands-on sessions, allowing delegates to translate insights into actionable strategies.
This approach resonated strongly with attendees, who noted that “conference sessions were really driving the energy” and enabling “the conversations and thought exchange that this industry needs.”
International reach and diverse audience
SBC Summit Malta 2026 welcomed attendees from 68 countries, reinforcing its role as a global meeting point for the industry.
This international presence was reflected across the conference agenda, which featured market-specific discussions focused on key jurisdictions including Malta, Germany, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland, alongside broader coverage of emerging opportunities and regulatory developments.
By aligning audience diversity with region-focused content, the event created a dynamic environment for knowledge exchange, enabling attendees to gain both global perspective and market-specific insight.
One attendee described the event as “a great opportunity to explore industry trends, market needs and observe competitors,” while others pointed to “a culture of openness, generosity, and genuine warmth.”
An experience-driven event environment
In addition to its business focus, the event placed strong emphasis on delivering an engaging off-site experience, extending networking beyond the exhibition floor and creating more informal touchpoints.
- Golf Tournament (Royal Malta Golf Club)
- Boat Party
- Padel Tournament (IK Padel Village)
- Opening Party (LUMI, VOCO Hotel)
- Women Empowerment Breakfast Meet-up (InterContinental)
- Official Networking Party (Infinity by Hugo’s)
- Poker Tournament (Casino Malta)
- SBC Awards Europe (Xara Lodge)
- Closing Party (Open Waters)
Reflecting on the overall experience, attendees described the event as “an amazing, inspiring experience,” while others noted leaving “energised, inspired and full of new connections.”
On the outcome, Sojmark added, “Malta has a special place in our heart, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see all the hard work from the team come together. The result is an event that truly delivered for the industry, both in terms of connections and business opportunities.”
Upcoming 2026 SBC events include:
- SBC Summit Canada – Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto (19–21 May 2026)
- SBC Summit Americas – Broward County Convention Center, Fort Lauderdale (9–11 June 2026)
- SBC Summit Tbilisi – Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, Tbilisi (15–16 July 2026)
- SBC Summit – Feira Internacional de Lisboa, Lisbon (29 September – 1 October 2026)
- Affiliate Leaders Summit – Feira Internacional de Lisboa, Lisbon (29 September – 1 October 2026)