SBC Summit 2026 officially opened its doors today, Tuesday September 29, turning the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) and the MEO Arena into the global epicenter of the betting and gaming industry for the next three days. Organizers expect a record 40,000 professionals from more than 150 countries, with over 800 exhibitors and sponsors and more than 600 speakers, making it the largest edition in the event's history.

According to Yogonet, more than 11,000 operators are confirmed to attend, alongside regulators, lotteries, affiliates and technology companies, a reflection of how broad the ecosystem around betting and iGaming has become. The exhibition floor alone covers 135,000 square meters across the two venues, according to Gamblers Connect.

Michael Jordan headlines the Super Stage opening

The centerpiece of the opening program is the "Leadership in Sports Business" keynote on the Super Stage at the MEO Arena, where basketball icon Michael Jordan appears alongside Sportradar founder and CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings co-founder and CEO Jason Robins, moderated by broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher. The session examines the evolution of sport, media, data and fan engagement from three very different vantage points inside the modern sports business.

The Super Stage agenda continues with the Super CEO Panel, featuring Betsson Group CEO Jesper Svensson, Allwyn Digital CEO Kresimir Spajic and Flutter International's chief strategy officer Tom Bowry, among others, debating artificial intelligence, regulation and the limits on innovation. A welcome plenary on accelerating AI adoption, with speakers from OpenAI, AWS and Evoke, rounds out a first day heavily focused on applied technology.

What else is new on day one

The 2026 edition arrives with structural changes. For the first time, the Affiliate Leaders Summit operates as a standalone co-located event, with its own ticketing, conference program, exhibition space and awards ceremony, and SBC expects around 10,000 affiliate and performance marketing professionals to attend. Two specialist forums also debut: the Global Prediction Markets Forum and the African Gaming Forum, developed with regional regulators and associations.

Hands-on education expands as well, with four Tech Academies covering AI, player experience, digital marketing and CRM, and Web3, plus 20 Regulatory Gaming Meetups organized with the IAGR and the IMGL, including a LATAM and Brazil cocktail hour focused on tax pressure in Andean markets and advertising reform in Chile. Day one closes with the Opening Party at the historic Pavilhão Carlos Lopes, headlined by The Script and powered by 1xBet.

Miela is on the ground in Lisbon

As we announced in our SBC Summit 2026 preview, Miela is attending the event with Nicolás Ignacio Sánchez Negrete, Chief Marketing Officer, and Pedro Landa, Business Development Manager. Both are in Lisbon from today through Thursday and are open to business meetings with operators, affiliates, platforms and technology providers interested in influencer marketing for gaming and iGaming, especially brands planning growth in Latin America. To book a conversation during the event, write to us through our contact page.

FAQ

When and where is SBC Summit 2026? From September 29 to October 1, 2026, at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa and the MEO Arena in Lisbon.

Who headlines the opening day? Michael Jordan, together with Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins, in the "Leadership in Sports Business" keynote on the Super Stage.

Is Miela attending SBC Summit 2026? Yes. Miela's CMO Nicolás Sánchez Negrete and Business Development Manager Pedro Landa are in Lisbon and open to business meetings during the three days of the event.

Miela Insight

The scale of this edition confirms what we see in our own pipeline: gaming and iGaming brands are concentrating their partnership budgets on fewer, bigger industry moments, and SBC Summit Lisbon has become the single most important week of the European calendar for deal-making. The fact that 11,000 operators and an entire standalone summit for affiliates now share one venue means acquisition strategy conversations that used to happen separately are colliding in the same hallway.

For brands, the takeaway is practical. Creator-led acquisition is now discussed on the same stages as AI deployment and regulatory strategy, which is exactly where influencer marketing delivers the most value: measurable, compliant growth in regulated markets. If you are in Lisbon this week, our team is available to talk through how that looks for your brand in LATAM and beyond.