SBC is celebrating the tremendous success of its recent SBC Summit North America conference and tradeshow, which achieved a new milestone by attracting over 3,000 attendees from May 9th - 11th at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in New Jersey.
Regarded as the foremost gathering for iGaming and sports betting companies in North America, this remarkable event spanned three action-packed days filled with informative conference sessions led by over 300 distinguished speakers. Attendees had the opportunity to explore a dynamic exhibition area boasting 60 booths and engage in lively networking events during the evenings.
Reflecting on the summit's success, Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said: "The atmosphere at the Summit was absolutely electric. The spirit of collaboration was embraced wholeheartedly, with people exchanging ideas left and right! This wasn't just our biggest event in North America; it was also our most engaging ever. What really excited me was seeing so many new faces this time around. It's clear that the Summit is growing, attracting fresh perspectives and voices."
The event commenced with a power-packed pre-day conference on May 9 at the Altman Building in Chelsea, focusing on critical subjects such as Player Protection, Compliance, and Leadership. The conference captivated the attention of 300 industry leaders, setting the tone for the subsequent days.
SBC Summit North America witnessed numerous remarkable moments, including standout keynotes delivered by esteemed leaders. Matt King, CEO of Fanatics Betting and Gaming, took the stage to share invaluable insights on revolutionising sports betting and iGaming with a fresh mindset. Frank Abagnale, a world-renowned cybersecurity expert and fraud prevention specialist, whose life story inspired the film "Catch Me if You Can" directed by Steven Spielberg, also delivered a prominent speech.
The event further benefited from the expertise of notable personalities, including Barry Gibson (Chairman, Entain), Bill Miller (President and CEO, American Gaming Association), Richard Schwartz (CEO of Rush Street Interactive), Jan Jones Blackhurst (Board Member, Caesars Entertainment), Justin Dellario (Managing Director of Esports, Entain & CEO, Unikrn), and Susan Jensen (Executive Director, CNIGA).
Sojmark added, "The quality of our conference sessions was off the charts. We took things up a notch by expanding to a lower floor to accommodate even more top speakers and discussion topics. The conference rooms were packed with not only insightful panels but also individuals ready to absorb this information and drive the industry forward."
Cassie Brickman, CEO at Betting Hero, expressed her enthusiasm for the conference, saying, "It's actually one of my favorite conferences. This is my third time at the event, and the growth that I have seen from the first time I attended is incredible. There are so many more people here, and I feel like we're at the brink of maybe even outgrowing the space. Everybody is here to help each other out and bring the industry forward. The event has allowed us to be accountable for our goals by setting us up for success."
During the evening networking event held at the iconic Slate NYC on May 10, SBC announced the esteemed quartet of industry titans who secured their positions in the 2023 Sports Betting Hall of Fame. The honored inductees included Michael Gaughan (Owner of South Point Casino), Nick Bogdanovich (Sportsbook Manager/Oddsmaker, Circa Sports), Trish Lewandowski (Sportsbook District Manager, Caesars Digital), and David L. Rebuck (Director of the NJ Department of Gaming Enforcement).
The SBC First Pitch North America competition showcased five startups competing for a grand prize package worth over $55,000 to fuel their development. Scrimmage, a retention tool revolutionizing the betting space by designing a gamified rewards program to boost user engagement, emerged as the winner of the SBC First Pitch North America competition.
The highlight of the event was the prestigious SBC Awards North America ceremony, which took place at the illustrious New York Hilton Midtown. The ceremony brought together 600 guests to honor the accomplishments of outstanding operators, affiliates, suppliers, and Tribal-led companies in the industry. Hosted by Mederith Marakovitz, the New York Yankees' clubhouse reporter for the YES Network, the lavish event recognized exemplary companies such as FanDuel, Sportradar, Better Collective, BetMGM, Desert Diamond Sports, and OpenBet among the winners.
In addition to the conference sessions and awards ceremony, SBC Summit North America featured a range of highly successful daytime networking events. The highly anticipated Tribal Gaming Breakfast, African Americans in Gaming, and Global Gaming Women meetups provided invaluable opportunities for industry professionals to connect and collaborate. Furthermore, the Affiliate meet-up at the OpenBet Sports Bar served as an informal environment for exchanging ideas and fostering partnerships.
Alex Dixon, CEO at DRA & Q Casino, expressed his thoughts on the connections established at the summit, saying, "The connections I've been able to establish have been simply phenomenal. What's truly amazing about this conference is how it brings together the entire industry, helping us not only stay rooted in what's happening but also identify the driving forces behind innovation. The execution of the event has been outstanding, and it begins well before the actual event itself. Starting six months prior, you're already being contacted, and in a very short period of time, you can build relationships that propel your business forward. That's why I keep coming back year after year. This is the Super Bowl of sports betting."
After the resounding success of this year's event, SBC Summit North America is set to make a triumphant return to the Meadowlands Exposition Center on May 7-9, 2024.
SBC are looking forward to building upon the achievements of this year and creating an even more engaging and impactful gathering for the iGaming and sports betting industry in North America.
