This year proved an eventful one for global gaming events organizer SBC. In 2024, the company debuted shows, added new features to existing ones, and moved forward with the relocation of its flagship exhibition to Lisbon, among other key achievements.
To discuss these highlights in detail, Yogonet interviewed Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder SBC, who also shed light on which topics are set to take the spotlight next year, the reasons behind merging SBC Summit North America and SBC Summit Latinoamerica into a single event, and more.
How did SBC Summit Rio, SBC’s first experience in Brazil, turn out? What are the expectations for the second edition in 2025, which will be hosted at a different location?
It’s one thing to set a goal for attendee numbers and hit it, but it’s a completely different feeling when you blow those goals out of the water—especially in the first year of an event. That’s exactly what happened with SBC Summit Rio. We didn’t just reach our target; we surpassed it by 35%.
The feedback from everyone who attended was amazing. The excitement for this market is there, as you probably already know. By the time we wrapped up the first edition, we were already seeing so much interest for year two that we knew we had to take it to the next level. That’s why we decided to move to Riocentro, the largest expo center in Latin America. For an event in only its second year, it’s a pretty big deal!
And honestly, the timing for the second edition couldn’t be better. Brazil’s regulated market is rolling out at the start of the year, and two months later, we’re creating the perfect space for everyone to come together. Be it gaining insights from the educational agenda or meeting the movers and shakers of the Brazilian market, there’s plenty to dive into.
What should we expect from this second edition?
We’re bringing some really exciting event additions this year with the Affiliate Leaders Summit for marketers and influencers, and the Payment Expert Summit for the payment and fintech community. And then there’s the INFINITY party—think music-festival vibes, with GRAMMY-winning DJ Afrojack and popular Brazilian duo Dubdogz headlining.
And the timing for the SBC Summit Rio couldn’t be better since the event wraps up just as Rio Carnival kicks off—it’s the perfect way to end on a high note. This is also a great reminder for everyone to book their hotel rooms, as it will be a busy time in Rio.
There’s so much to look forward to this year, and I can’t wait to see it all come to life!
By the way, I really recommend reading our “8 Reasons Why You Need to Attend SBC Summit Rio 2025” blog post—it summarises everything quite nicely.
SBC Summit Rio's conference program
What is your evaluation of the events held in the USA in 2024? Can you provide any details about the upcoming SBC Summit Americas event that combines SBC Summit North America and SBC Summit Latinoamerica?
We are very excited about the upcoming launch of SBC Summit Americas, taking place on May 13-15, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale. This event is all about bringing North, Central, and South America together in one place. The tagline, ‘Connecting Worlds Through Gaming,’ says it all—it perfectly captures the spirit of uniting these dynamic regions. If you’re familiar with SBC Summit North America and SBC Summit Latinoamérica, think of this as the natural evolution of those two amazing events.
When we decided to combine these events, it was all about making things easier for you—our attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and sponsors. Sure, there’s the practical side—both events were bursting at the seams with demand and had outgrown their venues—but the real driver was understanding how hectic the industry calendar can get. By bringing the two together, we’ve created one must-attend event instead of two separate ones, saving everyone time, travel, and resources.
It just makes sense. So many businesses in our industry have multi-brand strategies that span the Americas, and this new format provides a single platform where you can connect, learn, and grow your business. Plus, these regions have so much to teach each other. By uniting them, we’re creating an environment where collaboration and knowledge-sharing will thrive.
SBC Summit North America and SBC Summit Latinoamérica were hugely successful in their own right, with 9,000 attendees across both events in 2024. But that very success inspired us to think bigger. Combining them means creating something even more impactful—and more convenient. Exhibitors and sponsors no longer need to double up, and attendees with interests across the Americas won’t have to travel twice.
Before making this move, we ran the idea by many of our industry friends and partners to ensure we were on the right track—and the excitement was there. Fort Lauderdale in Florida feels like the perfect fit: a fresh destination that’s also familiar, given its proximity to the former SBC Summit Latinoamérica event. This event truly brings together the best of both worlds. Alongside SBC Summit and SBC Summit Rio, it’s shaping up to be one of our biggest events yet.
We can’t wait to welcome you there!
Lisbon has also been a new venture for your team. What has been the overall evaluation of that experience?
While Lisbon as a location was a new venture, it was essentially an evolution of our flagship event SBC Summit Barcelona. We made the move to Lisbon for strictly practical reasons: we needed a venue that could accommodate a minimum of 25,000 attendees, which is 10,000 more than the 2023 Barcelona edition.
Lisbon itself proved to be an excellent choice. First of all, Feira Internacional de Lisboa has a fantastic venue layout—straightforward, modern, and perfectly suited to what we aimed to achieve. Secondly, the city already has experience hosting the world’s leading tech event, Web Summit, so we were confident in the venue’s ability to deliver a seamless experience.
Lisbon is also very well connected, with numerous hotel options near the venue and an efficient underground system for those who prefer to stay closer to the city center. September in Lisbon typically means great weather—though we weren’t quite lucky this time—but we’re planning to return for years to come, so I’m confident we’ll have better weather on future visits.
SBC Summit Lisbon
What are the main takeaways of the first Lisbon show?
What excited the industry the most was bringing everyone together in a fresh new city—many attendees visited Lisbon for the first time, with representatives from 134 countries joining the event this year. This truly enhanced the global nature of the gathering.
Additionally, we received an incredibly warm welcome from the Mayor of Lisbon, the Portuguese Ministers of Economy and Tourism, and other city officials. The economic impact of events of this scale on host cities is undeniable, and we were proud to put Lisbon on the map of the iGaming industry.
The event itself was a success. Did we hit our attendee goals? Absolutely. We also welcomed more than 600 exhibitors and sponsors on the show floor, which was also a big win. Even though this event is an evolution of SBC Summit Barcelona, we made sure to introduce exciting new experiences to make it truly unique and complete:
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Two new events that have become a key part of the SBC Summit:
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Affiliate Leaders Summit: An event designed to strengthen connections between operators and affiliates, as well as foster networking opportunities among affiliates themselves.
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Payment Expert Summit: The payments industry is often overlooked, but we recognize its vital role in the ecosystem and give it its own spotlight.
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INFINITY Lisbon: This was the first-ever EDM festival organized by an industry event, and many attendees described it as the best party they’ve ever been to. Featuring world-class DJs like Darude, Don Diablo, and Miss Monique, it truly felt like a mini Tomorrowland experience at an industry event.
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Super Stage at MEO Arena: The sheer scale and impact of this stage were breathtaking. Seeing it for the first time, I was genuinely amazed at how much it inspired attendees. To leave a lasting impression, you have to go big—and we did just that with all our keynotes.
We featured legendary speakers and unforgettable moments:
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Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk? ✔️
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The inventor of the World Wide Web Sir Tim Berners-Lee? ✔️
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UK sports presenter Laura Woods? ✔️
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Football legends like Figo and Schmeichel? ✔️
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UFC Champion Merab Dvalishvili? ✔️
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Sportradar CEO & Founder Carsten Koerl? ✔️
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… And many more
Seems like it was a major success!
This was what I would call the Greatest Show in Gaming—an event experience that blended business with innovation, entertainment, and inspiration. And we’re coming back even stronger next September, delivering an event with 30,000 attendees and 750 exhibitors and sponsors, and with new cool experiences and surprises.
Lisbon was a phenomenal experience that solidified the next chapter for SBC, and I can confidently say we’ve built something truly special for this industry.
You can read more about how it went here.
Which trends, verticals, and technologies do you expect to dominate the conversation next year, and how will SBC reflect them in its events proposition?
There are plenty of trends and verticals coming to mind:
AI and Personalisation: Artificial intelligence is going to continue reshaping the industry by improving user experiences through personalized recommendations, tailored promotions, and better risk management strategies. Predictive analytics and advanced machine learning models are already having a huge impact.
Last year, every single one of our event agendas had an AI angle woven into the discussions—whether it was about customer engagement, fraud detection, or operational insights. It’s unavoidable, it’s here to stay, and it’s incredibly exciting. Sure, some people fear it, but the key is learning how to harness it to our advantage.
Digital Marketing: There’s a growth in digital marketing budgets, which is driven by the increasing reliance on online platforms. However, regulatory changes, such as new advertising restrictions, data privacy laws, and targeting limitations, often force brands to adapt their strategies.
To navigate these challenges, companies increasingly leverage CRM and database marketing to deliver personalised, compliant customer interactions. Additionally, SEO strategies must evolve alongside Google’s algorithm updates and advertising policies, especially in regulated sectors like gambling.
Regulatory Developments: Regulation will, as always, remain a big focus. We say it every year because it’s true—new markets are continually opening as countries refine their legal frameworks. That means operators, affiliates, and tech providers will need to stay on top of compliance, licensing, and the intricacies of new regulatory pathways. At SBC, we ensure this is always part of the conversation by incorporating regulatory roundtables and dedicated panels focused on key markets into our agendas.
Emerging Payments Solutions: Payment technologies are evolving rapidly, and providers are focusing on faster, safer, and more efficient ways to meet player demand. The Payment Expert Summit is becoming the go-to space to explore these innovations.
Payments are no longer just about transactions—they overlap with KYC, AML, compliance, and other essential disciplines, so this area is heating up as an important discussion point for the year ahead.
For payment providers, success hinges on mastering the unique dynamics of each market. Local banking systems, customer preferences, and regional challenges vary greatly, making it a complex task to design a product that meets the needs of every market. Understanding these nuances is essential for creating a payment solution that works seamlessly across borders.
Affiliate Marketing Evolution: Affiliates are going to remain at the forefront of the conversation in 2025, especially with the shift in data privacy regulations and changes in technology affecting traditional tracking methods. We’ll likely see more emphasis on transparency, innovative strategies, and performance-based partnerships to maintain engagement and ROI.
At SBC, we’re addressing this evolution in several ways—from the Affiliate Leaders Summit at SBC Summit Rio, SBC Summit Americas and SBC Summit to our dedicated affiliate tracks at other events like CasinoBeats Summit, Canadian Gaming Summit, and SBC Summit Tbilisi (plus meet-ups, and webinars).
We’re also working on a refreshed version of the Affiliate Leaders site with a new community forum designed to foster better communication and knowledge exchange between affiliates. And here’s insider info: we’re working on a special awards ceremony in Lisbon to celebrate affiliates and operators, but you didn’t hear it from me 😉
Sustainability & Responsible Gaming: Sustainability and responsible gaming are becoming increasingly vital as regulators and public opinion shine a spotlight on them. Responsible gambling practices have always been part of the conversation, but lately, they’re finally becoming a “cool” thing again, if you can say that.
We’re always highlighting safer gambling practices—through awards for companies leading the way, our player protection symposium, dedicated tracks, and even a special area on the show floor at Lisbon. We’ve also launched Player Protection Hub, which is a membership-based initiative (but free to join) aimed at creating safer gambling environments. Sustainability itself is another key focus, and we’re incorporating it across our events, discussions, and initiatives in multiple ways.
Looking forward to 2025, are there any new developments or announcements you can disclose?
We like to keep things transparent with our attendees because we believe everyone should be well-informed about what we have to offer. There are a few things I can’t share just yet (due to contractual agreements) about some of the keynotes we’re finalizing for Lisbon, but trust me when I say this—we’ve gone all in, and our attendees are going to be VERY excited about the out-of-the-industry experts we’re bringing on board for 2025.
You may have already heard this, but we’re bringing the INFINITY parties to SBC Summit Rio and SBC Summit Americas in 2025 with some huge DJs. Yes, they’re expensive to produce, but the vibe is absolutely worth it. The energy, the unique experience—there’s nothing else like it, and we’re putting in a lot of effort to ensure our attendees have unforgettable moments.
And, as mentioned earlier (though I did ask you to keep this under wraps since we haven’t made an official announcement yet), we’re launching the Affiliate Leaders Awards in Lisbon in 2025. This is something we’re incredibly excited about because we truly value the affiliate community and want to give them the recognition they deserve. We’ve outgrown the idea of sticking to just three categories during our regular awards, so we’re going big here—creating a special moment for affiliates to come together, connect with operators and suppliers, and feel celebrated for all their hard work.
What are your main long-term goals for SBC?
If you know me, you know I’m constantly full of ideas and get inspired by new experiences and opportunities almost daily. For now, the focus remains on improving the exhibitor and delegate experiences around our events. My team can turn things around in record time which makes it easy to accommodate and realize the many cool ideas and inspiration that flow through the company. All of this gives me the confidence to dream big about how SBC continues to build an increasingly stronger business around amazing experiences across events, media, and entertainment.
SBC was born in a pub in London with one simple mission: to unite the industry as one big community. We’ve come a long way since those early days. Today, we organize the biggest and fastest-growing events in the industry. None of our events are standing still; they’re all breaking records year after year, and I couldn’t be happier about that.
Even the taglines we created last year—The Greatest Show in Gaming for Lisbon and Connecting Worlds Through Gaming for SBC Summit Americas—capture both our short- and long-term goals. We’re all about creating special, unforgettable experiences that truly connect our industry. And that’s a priceless feeling.
My long-term goal for SBC is simple: strong efforts and rock on!! This is something I shared with my team at the Christmas party. I’m so proud of everyone and so grateful to have a team that takes my vision and turns it into reality with the highest standards. It’s a gift to work alongside people who share that same drive and passion.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2024/12/23/89152–34none-of-sbc-39s-events-are-standing-still-theyre-all-breaking-records-year-after-year-34
