SBC Events has shared insights on the record 2023 edition of SBC Summit Barcelona, held September 19-21 at Fira Barcelona Montjuïc. This year, the exhibition and conference attracted around 15,000 attendees, a threefold increase from the previous year. According to the event’s organizer, the support of the global iGaming sector was a major driver of this success.
In a post-event survey, data revealed a Net Promoter Score of 49, which represents a high standard of quality, even in the face of the growth in attendance compared to the previous year.
The program this year included the SBC Leaders Summit, an invitation-only meeting preceding the main event that attracted 500 high-level executives from the sector. The program included networking opportunities, conferences on various topics, such as a talk by Frank Abagnale, the inspiration behind Steven Spielberg’s film “Catch Me if You Can”, and a poker tournament.
One of the big attractions was the introduction of industry personalities to the SBC Hall of Fame, such as Gustaf Hagman (CEO and co-founder of LeoVegas), Jordan Levin (CEO of OpenBet), Per Widerström (next CEO of 888 Holdings – effective October 16, 2023) and Brigid Simmonds OBE (president of the Betting and Gaming Council).
The event occupied an exhibition area of 38,000 square meters at the Fira Barcelona Montjuic, accommodating 350 exhibitors, which represented an increase of 175% from the previous year. The space was divided into five zones covering key areas of the industry – sports betting; casino and iGaming; affiliates, media and marketing; payments and compliance; and emerging technology – as well as a “Festival Area”, which offered a relaxed environment for networking.
The event also provided networking opportunities through the event app, with advanced lead assessment features that recorded a total of 2,560 interactions.
Spanning seven stages, the conference agenda included more than 80 hours of content and insights from more than 450 industry leaders. Among the most hotly contested discussions were talks by metaverse expert Matthew Ball and Flutter International CEO Daniel Taylor.
Flutter International CEO Daniel Taylor
The First Pitch competition, created to give visibility to innovative startups, awarded SnapOdds more than 60,000 euros, including a two-day workshop experience in Tallinn, sponsored by Yolo Investments.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the SBC awards ceremony, which took place at the traditional Caves Codorníu, recognized industry leaders in 39 categories and featured celebrity hosts such as Kirsty Gallacher and Clarence Seedorf, as well as a special appearance by Portuguese footballer Luis Figo.
Thomas Carvalhaes, managing director of VaiDeBob, said: “The quality and caliber of the people present is impressive. I recently took part in a podcast and was asked what my favorite event was. I said it was SBC Summit Barcelona – for its relevance, the people who are here and for giving us a taste of what’s to come.”
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO of SBC
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO of SBC, stated: “The Barcelona chapter of SBC had a spectacular closing. This event surpassed our wildest dreams as we worked tirelessly to make it the fastest growing meeting in the industry. With 15,000 attendees filling the exhibition hall, this fair will forever be a treasured part of SBC’s history.”
“However, as you all probably know, we are far from finished. The success of this edition paves the way for an even more prosperous next edition. We can’t wait to welcome you to Lisbon for the SBC Summit 2024!“
