SBC Summit New Lisbon Venue 2024 | Sports Betting Operator

SBC Events Marketing Director Dennis Algren addresses the SBC Summit’s move to Lisbon. By Mark McGuinness

New is the word for this year’s SBC Summit Lisbon, at Feira Internacional de Lisboa & Meo Arena. How happy are you with your choice?

We are delighted with our choice of location in the beautiful city of Lisbon. The greatest show in gaming shall start its next chapter and will commence at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa & Meo Arena over three days. It is a fitting evolution and a legacy of last year’s SBC Summit in Barcelona, which started in 2021.

SBC Events has listened to all our stakeholders to create a delegate-and-exhibitor experience that redefines, exalts, and facilitates a fully inclusive environment for exhibiting, connecting, networking, and forging relationships built on trust and authenticity. We are setting the standards for the next generation to connect everyone in the world through gaming.

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SBC Summit Lisbon covers over 100,000 square meters of exhibition space – immense in scale. We realize this may be daunting but we have focused a lot of energy and detailed orientation on the delegate and exhibitor experience. With simplified navigation, we have created themed-content-relevant areas, allowing attendees to focus on subject matters that appeal most to their needs and industry-vertical specialisms. These areas include Casino & iGaming Zone, Sports Betting Zone, Player Protection Zone, ESI Lisbon Esports, Gaming & Creators Zone, and other elements such as the Start-Up Sphere and Pods to explore the latest cutting-edge products and technology.

In addition to the Zones, we have two summits, the Payment Expert Summit and the Affiliate Leaders Summit, and our Media Headquarters Zone, Catering & Hospitality, which all provide special facilities for making connections and memories.

At the epicenter of this, we have created a super stage — MEO Arena. This focal point is visually amazing, and we are delighted to have a keynote session from Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the Web, and other fantastic guests, such as Luis Figo, one of Portugal’s and across the world’s globally recognized football stars.

What are the options for hotels near the venue, and what are their recommendations for restaurants and bars in Lisbon?

Lisbon is a very cool city. It is easy to get around and packed with a vibrant scene for food aficionados and nightlife.

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Image: SBC Events Marketing Director Dennis Algren

We expect up to 25,000 industry professionals across some 95-plus countries, so infrastructure and accommodation were among the factors that were high when selecting Lisbon. The city has over 270 hotels and 25,000-plus rooms — it has something for everyone. SBC Events also has exclusive rates for up to 50 percent off with our key hotel partners — but please check, as availability is running out, so don’t leave it to the last minute.

In terms of recommendations for bars and restaurants, you are spoiled for choice. Our marketing team has gone to extraordinary efforts and created several ‘guides’ to highlight, example, Time Out Market. With over 26 restaurants offering awesome sushi, hamburgers and steaks, eight bars, music, and performances, it has something for everyone.

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If you need more inspiration, download the SBC Events app or read our guides. Our guides are always updated with the latest event information to ensure you have the best experience possible.

Networking is an essential part of attending exhibitions. What is planned for SBC Summit 2024?

At SBC Events, we are known within the industry for facilitating networking events that provide strong foundations for meeting, discussing, flourishing, and creating lifelong friendships inside and outside of the gaming environment.

There are two elements to our networking experience. Daytime, during the on-site event, we have daily networking sessions, some of which are free with the delegate pass, some of which are more exclusive, and all networking events and sessions can be found in our app and website.

We are extremely proud of our Women in Power networking event. Currently, only 20 percent of women in iGaming work in the industry, and that needs to change to ensure a diverse and inclusive balance, so that the industry can continue to progress and attract talent, and different perspectives on shaping it today and tomorrow.

In the evening, we have the following events: the Official Opening Party on Tuesday. On Wednesday we have the C-Level & Operator VIP Dinner & Networking Party; the Affiliate Leaders VIP Dinner & Networking Party; the Payments VIP Dinner & Networking Party; and the Official SBC Summit Party. On Thursday we have, which is always popular, the SBC Poker Championship, the SBC Awards and the jewel in the crown, our Infinity Closing Party, taking place at the Super Stage MEO Arena.

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The Infinity Closing Party has a capacity of 5,000, and guest sets from three superstar DJs. It is going to be a visual and creative extravaganza.

Other networking events include the ultimate five-a-side tournament, which kicks off at the Estadio do Sport, Benfica’s home stadium. On Monday before the show’s opening, it is bound to be a hotly contested tournament.

Awards evenings are also popular, fun, and enjoyable for delegates, as well as for sponsors and the finalists. There are a lot of award events now at shows but why are the SBC Awards so highly regarded?

Our awards have been running for 11 years now. During that time we have refined the concept by listening to industry stakeholders to provide the optimal representation of industry categories that serve and recognize the unfaltering talent in the industry.

Integrity is a huge factor in awards events. The SBC Awards are judged by an industry panel of experts with deep knowledge, and this peer recognition and integrity have allowed our awards to be the finest representation of the industry inside and outside of it.

The awards night itself is a huge spectacle and is a significant factor in why the awards have grown in stature over the years. The prestige of entering the awards, the shortlist, and the attendance on the evening, and — if winning — the long or short walk, to take the moment of adulation and recognition — all combine to make it the biggest awards event in the industry.

We have had some fantastic locations for the awards over the years, with the beautiful Caves Codorniu in Barcelona last year. This year, and we don’t spare any expense, we shall have over 1,500 seated guests at the super stage, providing a complete experience. We will have entertainment, fine dining, and excellent hosting as the winners are announced.

What strategies are you implementing to strengthen your global exhibition organization’s presence in international markets like North America and Brazil?

Our strategic direction is to create three flagship events that serve the needs of a dynamic and global industry, as currently there are too many events.

We launched the first SBC Summit North America back in 2019. It has grown every year and outgrown the New Jersey location. With that and SBC Summit Latinoamerica, another popular event in our portfolio, we decided to consolidate these two shows into one, SBC Summit Americas connecting three worlds, North, South and Central America through gaming. This 2025 flagship event shall occur in Broward County Convention Center Fort Lauderdale, May 13 through 15. We have already received tremendous response to this, and it will host 10,000-plus industry professionals, and 300-plus exhibitors and sponsors.

The SBC Summit in Rio, at the fantastic Riocentro, is Brazil’s premier sports betting and iGaming event. It highlights the growth in Brazil and the broader LatAm market. With over 50,000 square meters of exhibition space, it will be a strategic event in that region as the market expands.

As we consolidate into three flagship Summit events, which focus on providing the best user experience and setting the bar within the industry, we shall continue to offer standout regional events such as the CasinoBeats Summit in Malta and the Canadian Gaming Summit.

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Could you share some of the recent milestones achieved by the company in markets such as North America, Brazil and Europe?

There have been many milestones. We are particularly proud of SBC Summit North America, which grew from 6,000 to 14,700 to 25,000 attendees, which led to the creation of SBC Summit Americas.

In Europe, SBC Summit Lisbon, the first in Portugal, will set the gold standard, given its size and focus on industry zones, onsite facilities, onsite networking, and engagement experiences.

What is your secret to how you maintain such strong and enduring partnerships encompassing so many international gaming organisztions and associated sectors?

SBC Global and SBC Events are in the people business, first and foremost. We are passionate about what we do, and we create long-lasting relationships built on trust, authenticity, and always engaging with our delegates, exhibitors, and sponsors.

Trust must be earned and maintained by ensuring that you provide the best experience possible. We always strive to improve and you can see the evidence of how the business has evolved over the years.

For those yet to visit SBC Summit what are amongst the key reasons?

Our team is very detail-oriented, and we believe that every touchpoint in your journey to Lisbon has been factored into providing the best and most positive experience we can deliver.

When you land at the arrival hall, you can collect your registration badge and details on the forthcoming show days. This means our delegates, exhibitors, and sponsors can focus on their respective industry zones, prepare to welcome existing customers to the stand or networking event, engage new customers and start building that relationship.

SBC Summit is more than a one-stop shop for the gaming ecosystem; it is where stories start, great ideas come to fruition and memories are made, and friendships born. Don’t miss out, as this is truly the greatest show in gaming.