Results of the SBC Summit Lisbon 2025, Autumn’s Premier Gambling Event

Details of the Summit: Key Highlights

On September 18th, the 3rd day of the gathering, the following topics were discussed during conference panels:

M&A: Optimism Vs Caution

The event featured prominent representatives from the gambling sphere and global funding sectors:

• Flutter International’s Tom Field;
• Blackstone’s Adam Rosenberg;
• Yolo Investments’ Klen Kaljulaid.

The first large corporation mentioned in the list is regarded as the most proactive in acquiring studios within the betting segment. Based on the company’s history and a sequence of recent successful mergers, the industry, in its present form, is well-equipped to surmount any macroeconomic challenges.

Blackstone’s representative called 2025 the best year for funding, citing the recent interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve. This step has established highly favourable conditions for all kinds of commercial deals nationwide.

Conversely, Yolo’s spokesperson expressed less optimism, stating that the sphere is experiencing an unprecedented level of chaos.

He outlined the following issues:

• the expansion of the global grey sector;
• unforeseen and swift shifts in customer behaviour;
• prediction markets, which blur the boundaries between wagers and financial speculation.

Asia’s Political and Oversight Difficulties

Lau Kok Keng from Rajah & Tan Singapore led the panel discussion. He suggested analysing regional challenges by referencing a real-world example: the withdrawal of a long-anticipated casino legislation bill in Thailand. The endeavour was unexpectedly postponed just a few weeks prior to the commencement of the Senate session.

The reasons behind that decision included:

• the latest political events;
• border clashes with Cambodia in July 2025;
• a series of historical and constitutional shifts dating back to 1932.

According to the speaker, this sudden change best illustrates the unpredictability of the Asian landscape.

India’s Regulatory Rush

The invited panellists discussed the government’s recent total prohibition on all formats of real-money gaming. Ranjana Adhikari, a leading lawyer, was especially critical, citing the lack of political consensus in the state as the main reason for the emergence of this initiative. She pointed out that local legislators tend to prioritise their interests over customer rights.

Japneet Sethi from iGaming NDA was less categorical, stating that the prohibition has completely clarified the situation and ended years of cultural and societal debates over commercial entertainment. While there may be challenges in enforcing the law at the state level, local authorities still possess tools at their disposal to maintain stability.

Brazil’s Scamming Issues

No other international market attracted as much commentary. Participants universally acknowledged the immense challenge of adopting KYC policies and anti-fraud measures in the state.

BetBoom’s Laura Beatriz de Souza Morganti noted the population’s notable creativity in engaging with responsible gambling instruments. She highlighted that dishonest players and scammers are identifying gaps and security weaknesses faster than these protocols can be updated.

Stake’s Barbara Teles completely shared this view, recognising that the country encounters new difficulties daily. Operators and suppliers must stay ahead in innovation to rapidly adopt the most effective global practices and apply them locally.

SBC Summit’s 2025 Edition: Records and Achievements

Dennis Algreen, the event-organising firm’s Senior Marketing Director, noted that the Lisbon conference drew more than 30,000 guests, reflecting a 20% rise from the previous year. The spokesman stated that among visitors from 150+ countries, Africa’s representation has grown immensely (78% compared to 2024). The exhibition zone broadened to 135,000 sq m, welcoming 235 new sponsors and around 6,000 senior executives.

SBC’s Managing Director described the complexities of organising the large-scale Legends Game, a charity football match with top athletes aimed at raising €1 million. Andrew McCarron considers all the efforts to be completely justified.

This sporting event was broadcast across 19 countries, with Spain alone attracting 500,000 viewers. The largest donation was €150,000, contributed by Kaizen Gaming.

The specialist pointed out that assessing the show’s impact is challenging right now, as feedback is still coming in. The corporation’s team has progressed from organising small niche gatherings to hosting the biggest gambling event ever. There is much to consider carefully before getting ready for upcoming editions.

SBC Awards 2025: Outcomes and Winners

The day ended with the presentation of 37 distinguished accolades. Held at the MEO Arena, the event gathered 1,200 attendees. A former Dutch goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, hosted the ceremony.

The main categories were as follows:

Operator Accomplishments

Kaizen maintained its position as the largest brand in the nomination, earning recognition in both the gaming and betting sectors.

Other winners and the areas of their achievement included:

• Betsson Group — top player in the casino service segment;
• 8888.bg — leading operator among small-scope firms;
• Vegas Legends — major contender in a similar sector, but on a medium scale;
• 1xBet — creator of the best-performing marketing campaign;
• Novibet — innovator in the amusement category;
• BetMGM Europe — emerging star in the casino sphere;
• Boomerang — same title but in the wagering vertical.

Payments and Compliance

Despite being niche, these categories drew the most attention:

• Nuvei received the award for the best financial solution, overtaking last year’s winner, Pay4Fun;
• GeoComply was honoured for its top anti-fraud and compliance instruments;
• Payhound was acknowledged for its payment innovations.

Workplace Leaders and Providers

Softswiss was awarded the title of “Employer of the Year”. Meanwhile, the honour of the most inspiring and influential figure was shared between Natalia Nogues, Control F5’s Chief Executive, and Vigen Badalyan, BetConstruct’s Co-Founder and CEO. The latter brand also received an additional accolade for its advanced White Label solutions.

EveryMatrix maintained its standing as a leader in the omni-channel segment (a status it achieved last year). Furthermore, the supplier was acknowledged for its socially responsible projects.

Sportradar gained 2 awards for its excellence in the sports data and land-based gambling verticals. Optimove also won 2 accolades for its marketing services, including acquisition and retention strategies that garnered significant attention.

Gaming and Casino Solutions

The “Slots Developer of the Year” title was presented in 3 categories for different project scopes. Pragmatic Play is the absolute leader among Large businesses, BGaming topped the Medium section, and Kendoo won in the Small segment.

Other brands recognised for their exceptional achievements:

• Blask;
• Spribe;
• Evoplay;
• Playtech;
• Data.Bet;
• GR8 Tech;
• Wazdan, etc.

The entire event concluded with the VIP festival INFINITY Lisbon. The performance by the Alok & Timmy Trumpet band was the main highlight of the evening.