SBC Summit Barcelona returns to Fira de Barcelona Montjuïc for its third edition in September, in what promises to be the biggest ever SBC event.
The event has already established itself as a must-attend in the calendar of Sports Betting and iGaming industry professionals, offering delegates the unique opportunity to reach and network with thousands of attendees from all over the world.
While SBC events have always been a gathering place for industry leaders, this year’s SBC Summit Barcelona goes a step further by bringing together leaders from every function within the sector.
Who Is Attending?
With 15,000 industry professionals expected to attend between the 19th and 21st September, during this years event the Sports Betting, Casino & iGaming, Payments & Compliance, Affiliate, Marketing & Media and Emerging Tech, Blockchain and Metaverse will each have their own conference stage, exhibition floor and networking areas.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: “Affiliates are unquestionably essential to the industry, which is why we took significant steps this year to enhance the exhibition floor, conference agenda and speaker line-up. Our goal is to create a dynamic platform that showcases the exceptional and continuous innovation driven by affiliates.”
“Furthermore, we aim to facilitate seamless navigation for attendees, allowing them to discover established and emerging names and brands in the affiliate space. We also strive to simplify the process for affiliates to identify operator affiliate programs and establish fruitful partnerships with media entities, benefiting all stakeholders involved.”
Sojmark expressed pride in the updated ‘Sports Betting Zone,’ stating: “We are extremely proud of the level of expansion we have brought to the zone this year, bringing in even more of the most recognizable and up-and-coming brands to showcase on the exhibition floor.”
This Years Speakers
The busy conference schedule will boast an unrivalled speaker line-up of 450 industry professionals, while the exhibition floor covers a massive 38,000 m2, double the floor size from previous years, and accommodating over 350+ exhibitors where over 80 hours of content will be delivered across the eight conference rooms, covering sports betting, casino, iGaming, payments, emerging technologies, innovation, digital marketing and safer gambling.
Participants can utilize a variety of dedicated networking areas, including the ‘Affiliate Leaders Lounge’ sponsored by bet365. In this area, attendees will have the opportunity to forge connections with Heads of Affiliates, Directors of Marketing and SEO, representing established and up-and-coming affiliates and operator affiliate programs.
During the session titled ‘Affiliate Leaders Panel – Leading Emerging Market Partnerships’, panellists Johan Svensson (Co-Founder, Raketech & Bethard Group), Jesper Søgard, (CEO, Better Collective) and Jonathan Edelshaim, (CEO, Natural Intelligence ), will discuss the challenges of entering new markets and educate them about membership, as well as shed light on the successful methods that have been implemented to inspire confidence in new markets and enable continued entry.
The ‘How to Set Up SEO for Emerging Sports Betting Markets’ panel will feature panellists Caroline Broman (Head of SEO, Betsson), Milorad Matejic (Director of SEO and Publishing, GIG) and Panel Moderator Ivana Flynn (Director of SEO , ComeOn). They will discuss elements that delegates will need to consider when entering new markets, such as identification and targeting, technical complexities of site setup and building an effective SEO strategy, among others.
Speaking about the event, SBC’s Director of Conference and Relationships, Jonathan Whelan said “What’s particularly exciting is that this year, we have a greater presence of industry professionals discussing the practical application of emerging technology, rather than solely focusing on future developments.” He added “as usual, we recognise that the landscape is ever-evolving and still include discussions on upcoming trends. Overall, the agenda strikes a delicate balance between acknowledging challenges and showcasing how our industry excels in transforming them into opportunities.”
This year’s expert speaker line-up will include Anders Hauberg Nielsen (Global Head of Sportsbook, Betcris), Andreas Bardun (CEO, KTO Group), Andy Wright (SVP Trading, Fanatics), Endre Nesset (President, Coolbet), and Matt Scarrott (Director of Emerging Markets, BetVictor), who will discuss the current and future state of sports betting.
Allan Auning-Hansen (CEO, CEGO/Spilnu.dk), Bernd Henning (Chief Casino Director, Bet3000), Jack Anthony (Head of Product, Eyas Gaming), Lucas Lebleu (Casino Director, Betcris), and Tim Parker (CEO, SuperSeven) will be among the panellists who will discuss the upcoming potential challenges of various casino products and innovations.
With more than 300 brands at SBC Summit Barcelona, exhibitors include Finixio, JohnnyBet, bwise Media, Better Collective, BETANDEAL, Clever Advertising, 22Bet, BetWinner, Mate Affiliates, Kaizen Gaming, Megapari Partners, GG.Bet Affiliates, HighBet, as well as many, many others.
Networking
The event will be accompanied by an array of networking parties and events in some of the hottest venues in Barcelona, including the SBC Championship where up to 20 teams, sporting players from operators, suppliers, affiliates and media, will be competing for glory in the at RCDE Stadium, home of La Liga’s Espanyol.
The ‘Full Event Pass’ gives unrivalled networking opportunities, where attendees can connect with influential decision-makers from some of the biggest names in the industry. Highlights include: pre-event networking parties on Tuesday, official networking parties on Wednesday, closing networking parties on Thursday, and special invite-only VIP dinners at some of Barcelona’s most exclusive evening venues. There is also the SBC Awards ceremony; honouring this year’s top operators, affiliates, and suppliers from various industry verticals and the second SBC Summit Barcelona First Pitch competition for industry start-ups.
Looking Forward
SBC last month announced the latest addition to its esteemed portfolio of events – SBC Summit Rio. Set to take place on March 5-7, 2024 at the 5-star Windsor Barra Hotel, the conference and exhibition will serve as a pivotal gathering for the key industry stakeholders in Brazil.
SBC’s strategic choice to launch the event in Rio de Janeiro is backed by extensive discussions with industry stakeholders who strongly believe that SBC’s presence in Brazil will bolster their expansion endeavours within this market.
Sojmark has said: “0ur engagement with the Brazilian market is far from new. In 2022, SBC made a significant impact in São Paulo by hosting The Brazil Football Expo in partnership with the Brazilian Football Confederation. Moreover, earlier this year, we launched the SBC Notícias Brasil news platform as the magnitude of opportunities in this market cannot be overlooked.
“The Rio event has been consistently emphasised as an exceptional opportunity throughout numerous discussions we’ve had with our clients. We are excited to offer a robust platform for industry professionals to actively engage and exchange best practices, particularly as the regulatory landscape draws near.”
Tickets
Don’t sit on the side-lines in 2023. Be part of the industry’s future and book your tickets for SBC Barcelona here.
