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SBC Summit Powers Onto Lisbon After Record 2023 Performance
SBC Events has hailed the support of the global iGaming industry as the reason for a record-breaking 2023 edition of the SBC Summit Barcelona.
This year’s exhibition and conference drew an impressive crowd of around 15,000 attendees, a threefold increase from last year’s figures, solidifying its status as the industry’s fastest-growing event.
The post-event survey data revealed a Net Promoter Score of 49 for the event, highlighting SBC’s dedication to upholding high-quality standards, even in the face of substantial growth in attendance compared to the previous year.
The event kicked off with grandeur at the SBC Leaders Summit—an inaugural edition of the exclusive pre-event invite-only gathering that attracted 500 top-tier industry executives.
This full-day affair featured a wealth of conference content, including a keynote from Frank Abagnale, the man who inspired Steven Spielberg’s ‘Catch Me if You Can,’ networking opportunities, and a poker tournament.
A significant highlight of the event was the induction of Gustaf Hagman (CEO and Co-Founder, LeoVegas), Jordan Levin (CEO, OpenBet), Per Widerström (Incoming CEO, 888 Holdings – effective October 16, 2023), and Brigid Simmonds OBE (Chair, Betting and Gaming Council) into SBC’s Hall of Fame.
Taking place at Fira Barcelona Montjuic on 19-21 September, SBC Summit Barcelona boasted a massive 38,000 square metres show floor accommodating 350 exhibitors, marking a 175% increase as compared to the previous year.
Roger Redfearn-Tyrzyk, VP of Global Gaming at IDnow, provider of identity verification solutions and one of the exhibitors, said: “We are being treated as a partner, not just as a company that pays money to get services. We’re being taken to events and get introduced to people. SBC is a solution-finding partner for us.”
The 2023 show floor was effectively split into five zones denoting key areas of the industry: Sports Betting; Casino & iGaming; Affiliate, Media and Marketing; Payments & Compliance; and Emerging Tech. In addition, there was a designated ‘Festival area,’ which not only showcased exhibitors but also provided the perfect casual networking setting, featuring a sangria & tapas bar, an ice cream bar, a smoothie and juice bar and various other amenities.
The exhibition area was enriched by multiple networking zones, with the SBC Connect+ Lounge serving as a central meeting hub for delegates who had organised their meetings through the official event app. Noteworthy is the fact that the app included a lead assessment feature that saw active use, totalling 2,560 interactions.
When asked what sets SBC Summit Barcelona apart as an industry event, Sab Jhooti, Founder & CEO of investment firm Bonmoja, said: “It’s the community element. Whenever I come, I have the opportunity to meet the who’s who in this industry. Everybody you want to meet comes to this event, so I don’t really have to go anywhere else.”
Spanning seven stages, the comprehensive conference agenda delivered over 80 hours of content and offered insights from over 450 industry leaders. 89.4% of the speakers held C-level positions, while 63.7% represented operators, and 8.9% came from affiliates. The remaining 27.4% of speakers represented suppliers, associations, regulators, media, sports teams, and investors. With a total of 302 questions directed at the speakers on stage, the event adopted a more interactive approach.
Based on insights from SBC Connect+, it’s evident that the following five panels were the most sought-after by app users.
- “Sports Betting’s Makeover: The Influence of Gamification, Streaming, and Stats”
- “Affiliate Leaders Panel: Leading Partnerships in Emerging Markets”
- “Sports & Sponsorship Landscape: Growth Markets and Partnerships”
- “SBC Leaders: Exploring Global Growth Markets”
- “Everything, Everywhere, All-of-the-Time: Managing Marketing, Tech & Compliance”
Highlighting the 2023 program were keynotes by Matthew Ball, a renowned metaverse expert and bestselling author, and Daniel Taylor, CEO of Flutter International. In the spirit of increased engagement, each day’s agenda in 2023 concluded with enlightening roundtable sessions — 30 in total — each dedicated to specific markets, verticals, or topics.
A distinctive highlight of SBC’s events, the First Pitch competition, designed to assist startups in bringing their innovative visions to life, announced its latest champion. SnapOdds, the victor of this competition, secured a coveted prize package worth over €60,000, which includes a two-day workshop experience in Tallinn, provided by competition sponsor Yolo Investments, among the list of prizes.
Marking its 10th-anniversary edition, the SBC Awards Ceremony unfolded in style at the iconic Caves Codorníu and recognised industry leaders across 39 featured categories. Hosting the event were the familiar face of SBC Awards, TV personality Kirsty Gallacher, and former professional football player turned manager, Clarence Seedorf, widely acknowledged as one of the greatest midfielders of this generation. The ceremony also featured a special guest appearance by Luis Figo, former World and European Footballer of the Year, who played for both FC Barcelona and Real Madrid and is the current brand ambassador of Digitain.
Thomas Carvalhaes, Managing Director of Brazilian operator VaiDeBob, said: “The quality and calibre of people attending is very impressive. I was on a podcast recently and they asked what my favourite event was. I said it’s SBC Summit Barcelona – for its relevance, for the people who are here and for giving us a sense of what’s about to come.”
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC said: “The Barcelona chapter for SBC came to a spectacular close. This event exceeded our wildest dreams as we worked tirelessly to make it the industry’s fastest-growing gathering. With 15,000 attendees filling the exhibition floor, this show will forever be a cherished part of SBC’s history. However, as you all probably know, we’re far from done. The success of this edition paves the way for an even more prosperous next edition. We can’t wait to welcome you all in Lisbon for SBC Summit 2024!”
In a significant development, SBC has announced the next edition of its renowned global flagship event, now rebranded as SBC Summit to underscore its worldwide prominence. The event is set to make its home at Lisbon’s Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL) on 24-26 September and is anticipated to occupy a vast area exceeding 100,000 square metres. Expecting a gathering of 25,000 attendees, the event will welcome a substantial 600 exhibitors and feature insights from 500 expert speakers.
Latest News
Nagoshi Studio Unveils GANG OF DRAGON, a New Action-Adventure Game from Director Toshihiro Nagoshi
Steam page: store.steampowered.com/app/4146000/
GANG OF DRAGON
is a new action-adventure game set in Kabukicho, Shinjuku, Tokyo’s iconic nightlife district. Protagonist Shin Ji-seong is a high-ranking member of a Korean crime syndicate, and is portrayed by celebrated Korean actor Ma Dong-seok (Don Lee).This new story will engage players in an exciting way and showcase increadible graphics for an action packed adventure. Viewers of The Game Awards were the first to get a look at the new footage!
About Toshihiro Nagoshi
The post Nagoshi Studio Unveils GANG OF DRAGON, a New Action-Adventure Game from Director Toshihiro Nagoshi appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Latest News
Blask & Gamblers Connect Enter A New Media Partnership
Gamblers Connect, the award-winning iGaming affiliate and media platform, is proud to announce a new media partnership with Blask, a leading AI-powered analytics ecosystem dedicated to the iGaming industry.
This collaboration marks a pivotal step in the company’s mission to provide the most accurate, transparent, and data-backed content. Under the terms of this agreement, Blask will provide Gamblers Connect with complete access to its cutting-edge market intelligence platform.
This suite includes the Blask Index and real-time data tracking across more than 100 jurisdictions, allowing for granular analysis of market dynamics, brand performance, and player behaviour. By integrating these professional-grade tools into the editorial process, Gamblers Connect will elevate the depth and precision of its industry reporting.
The cornerstone of this partnership is a commitment to sharing knowledge with the wider iGaming community. Gamblers Connect will produce four exclusive case studies throughout 2026. Released once per quarter, these comprehensive reports will utilise Blask’s advanced analytics to uncover emerging trends, benchmark operator performance, and provide actionable insights for industry stakeholders.
This alliance represents a shared vision for a more transparent iGaming sector. By combining Blask’s technological prowess with Gamblers Connect’s editorial expertise, the aim is to set a new standard for data-driven journalism.
Max Tesla, Blask CEO, commented: “Partnering with Gamblers Connect is a natural step for Blask. We are building an ecosystem of transparent analytics that empowers the industry, and GC is one of the few media partners that truly values data and knows how to work with it. I’m confident this collaboration will strengthen both sides and deliver more accurate, trustworthy, and insight-driven content to the iGaming community.”
Gjorgje Ristikj, Founder & CEO at Gamblers Connect, added: “Partnering with Blask allows us to combine their strong analytical framework with our media expertise. It’s a collaboration grounded in trust and mutual respect, with the shared goal of delivering meaningful and measurable results to the industry.”
The post Blask & Gamblers Connect Enter A New Media Partnership appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Alyona Suvorova
Law enforcement officers from Kazakhstan eliminated the organized financial criminal group organized by Vadim Gordievsky, Larisa Ivchenko, and Alyona Suvorova from Ukraine
The law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan have effectively eliminated the organized criminal group created by Vadim Gordievsky from Ukraine and his accomplices, Larisa Ivchenko and Alyona Suvorova. Even though the law enforcement agencies managed to block accounts and payments of the Marginplus Company, key employees and management are still hiding.
According to the media, just a few days ago, the Financial Monitoring Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan revealed a large-scale shady scheme of cross-border transfers that involved numerous payment organizations and providers. The funds were disguised as legal transactions and withdrawn to the accounts of online casinos. The total volume of illegal transactions exceeded more than $1 billion.
According to law enforcement authorities in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the key organizer of the miscoding scheme, which involved bookmakers, online casinos, payment organizations, and bank employees, is Vadim Ivanovich Gordievsky from Ukraine, who was born in 1974. He was the leader of the organized criminal group and used the local Marginplus Company for these purposes (official website: marginplus.kz). In addition to companies from Kazakhstan, Gordievsky also worked with illegal Russian online casinos while helping them to facilitate illegal payments.
According to new information from law enforcement agencies in the Republic of Kazakhstan, banks and bookmakers, including the local PIN-UP bookmaker, have already terminated all cooperation with Gordievsky’s Marginplus company.
According to informburo.kz, the local licensed Pin-Up.Kz bookmaker (legal entity: Bonami LLP) declares that it has nothing to do with transactions carried out by individual payment organizations. Judicial and criminal proceedings have already been initiated against these structures, and the company itself is fully cooperating with law enforcement agencies to establish all the circumstances and identify fraudulent, shady schemes.
According to unofficial information, the Pin-Up management provided the law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Kazakhstan with all the data related to the Marginplus company belonging to Vadim Gordievsky.
As of today, all financial activities of Marginplus have been paralyzed. In addition, large amounts of money have been blocked in its bank accounts. This money should have been paid to partners, contractors, and providers, including the local Parimatch betting company. Ordinary employees of Vadim Gordievsky’s company are already looking for new work while its management, including Larisa Vladimirovna Ivchenko (listed as the head of Gordievsky’s FC Alta Capital from Ukraine), is still hiding. Alyona (Elena) Suvorova has already closed and renamed her social media profiles a few days ago. In addition, she does not respond to messages and is trying to evade responsibility.
We would like to remind the audience that Alyona Suvorova positions herself “as an entrepreneur, investor, and a crypto trader with 5+ years of experience.” According to Suvorova herself, she has been developing payment technologies in the field of FinTech for 10 years. In 2021, she opened her own business for international crypto transfers. In addition, she is the founder of the Lemoncoin Crypto Academy.
According to investigators, Gordievsky’s partner, Mikhail Kovalev (Mykhaylo Kovalov), who is a citizen of both Ukraine and Israel, as well as an owner of a number of companies in the EU, in particular, in Poland, and who has a residence permit in Spain, was closely working with Gordievsky. By using the STABLEX SOLUTION Sp. z o. o fictitious company (official website: solvexs.pl) in Poland, he was engaged in illegal payments and withdrawal of cryptocurrencies into fiat money.
At the same time, as the source notes, the mentioned management and the people involved in the money laundering of Marginplus Company will be added to the wanted list of Interpol in the nearest future. The National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan has also announced that it’s going to closely monitor this case. According to local laws, participants of this shady scheme face up to nine years in prison. Information on Vadim Gordievsky’s companies and connections in other countries is also being checked.
After the initiation of criminal cases for financial crimes, fraud, and the announcement of his wanted list by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vadim Gordievsky left Ukraine on forged documents. Before diving into the world of financial fraud, he was involved in land and property issues in the Kyiv region. As of today, numerous criminal cases have been initiated.
The post Law enforcement officers from Kazakhstan eliminated the organized financial criminal group organized by Vadim Gordievsky, Larisa Ivchenko, and Alyona Suvorova from Ukraine appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
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