SBC Summit 2026 will give delegates the opportunity to develop practical skills across four dedicated Tech Academies, covering AI, player experience, digital marketing & CRM, and Web3 and crypto.
Taking place on Tuesday, 29 September and Wednesday, 30 September, at Sala Tejo, MEO Arena, the Academies will combine expert-led sessions, live demonstrations, case studies, AMAs and workshops, moving beyond traditional conference education to focus on active participation and skills attendees can apply within their own roles.
Delegates can access their chosen Tech Academy by purchasing the relevant Academy add-on on SBC Connect, the official event app. Each Academy focuses on a different area shaping the global betting and gaming industry.
As part of SBC Summit’s CPD-accredited educational programme, Academy attendance will also contribute towards delegates’ Continuing Professional Development.
“SBC Summit’s conference agenda is a fantastic place to educate yourself on current and future industry developments, but the Tech Academies give delegates the opportunity to take that learning a step further,” said Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC.
“The Academy format allows us to get more specific, dig into the details and create the kind of collaboration, knowledge exchange and active participation that is rarely found at industry events. Attendees won’t just leave with a better understanding of their chosen subject; they’ll leave with skills and strategies they can actually put into practice.”
AI Academy
The AI Academy, sponsored by CreateFuture and BetConstruct AI, will explore where artificial intelligence is creating genuine value across betting and gaming, as well as its current limitations and the areas where human oversight remains essential. Topics will range from sports data and autonomous AI agents to AI-enabled fraud, with attendees also learning how to build and refine tools that can support their day-to-day roles
Sessions include:
- Build Your Own AI Decision Assistant
- Accelerating AI Adoption
- Trust Test: Deepfakes, AI Fraud and the New Era of Impersonation
Player Experience Academy
The Player Experience Academy, powered by Soft2Bet, will examine how operators can create more engaging and personalised player journeys while balancing retention, player protection and commercial sustainability. Topics will include behavioural design, gamification and rewards, player segmentation and how responsible engagement strategies can be adapted across different markets and regulatory environments.
Sessions include:
- Know Your Player: Building Player Experience for Different Customer Segments
- Player Experience Academy 2026 Update: As It Is Now and What’s Next?
- Driving Innovation in Responsible Player Experience
Digital Marketing & CRM Academy
The Digital Marketing & CRM Academy will focus on the decisions behind effective modern marketing, from campaign planning and platform selection to creator partnerships and budget allocation. Attendees will explore changing audience behaviours, how brands can balance global strategy with local relevance and where marketing investment can deliver the greatest commercial return.
Sessions include:
- Case study: Practical principles for modernising a brand across markets
- Platform Discovery: TikTok, Meta, YouTube and Spotify
- Where Would You Spend $1M Today?
Web3 and Crypto Academy
Moving from potential to practical application, the Web3 and Crypto Academy will look at where blockchain, crypto and digital assets are already delivering value for betting and gaming businesses. Alongside the opportunities surrounding payments and transparency, the Academy will address the regulatory realities of adoption and how Web3 technology can be introduced alongside existing platforms.
Sessions include:
- Trust on the Chain: Does Blockchain Really Make Gaming Fair?
- Provably Fair Live Demo: Can Players Really Verify Every Outcome?
- Building Hybrid Gambling Platforms: Where Web2 Meets Web3
Across the four Academies, attendees will hear from leading figures including Behshad Behzadi (CPO, CTO & Chief AI Officer, Sportradar), Lluis Mora (Chief Security Officer, Entain), Francesco Postiglione (CEO, Casumo), Andrew Cochrane (CCO, Soft2Bet), James Fox (Senior Industry Manager, Google), Stephen Denver (GTM, OpenAI), Alex Savage (Gaming Client Solutions Manager, Meta), Dinis Guarda (CEO & Founder, Ztudium), amongst many others.
Each Tech Academy add-on is priced at €249 and gives attendees access to three hands-on masterclasses covering trading, casino and responsible marketing. Attendance at the Tech Academies also requires an SBC Summit ticket, with Expo, Conference, Networking, Business and VIP Passes available depending on attendees’ needs. Operators, affiliates and regulators may be eligible for complimentary passes and can apply here.
Taking place from 29 September to 1 October 2026 at Feira Internacional de Lisboa and the MEO Arena, SBC Summit will bring together more than 40,000 industry professionals for three days of conference content, exhibition and networking.
