Save the date: The show will return to the island next year, from 28–30 April.

Last week, SBC Summit Malta transformed the InterContinental Hotel into a powerhouse of industry networking, bringing together 6,000 professionals from Malta and across Europe.

This year marked the debut of the event under its new identity, following the rebrand from CasinoBeats Summit. With its expanded focus covering casino, sports betting, regulation, affiliation, payments, and emerging tech, the summit officially opened on Wednesday, 11 June, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Malta’s Minister for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects, Silvio Schembri.

Clinton Cutajar, CTO of digital marketing agency MediaTroopers, praised the rebrand: “The rebranding was a successful one. Everyone I meet mentions it is a great show, with great panels and a great conference.”

In addition to content and attendance, the organisation of the event itself earned high marks. Cristina Turbatu, CTO at Malta-based operator Casumo, noted, “It’s very well organised, it’s very well structured, and for me, it just feels high-end in terms of quality, so I really enjoy it.”

Cutajar added praise for the technology behind the experience: “The SBC Connect app helped a lot to schedule appointments in advance. There was no need to search around or try to coordinate elsewhere. Everything and everyone could be found in one central place.”

Dr. Eyal Loz, CPO of game studio RubyPlay, also commented on the balance between scale and accessibility: “It’s big enough to meet a lot of interesting people and have some really good meetings, and small enough to navigate easily. The organisation, the location, the panels; I’m very happy with it. It has been brilliant.”

This year’s summit also demonstrated depth in commercial firepower with an impressive 37% of attendees holding key decision-making roles. Moreover, there was strong representation from both the operator and affiliate sides, with operators bringing over 2,100 representatives, accounting for 35% of the overall audience, and 750 affiliates focused on player acquisition in the room. Both segments recorded considerable audience growth compared to last year.

Nils Andén, CEO of operator Kindred Group, commented: “I have definitely met the people that I expected to meet here, and also some people that I was surprised to see. SBC delivered on the promise to get the right people.” Rosi Bremec, COO at Game Lounge, added: “I’ve only been in the industry for three years, and I’m always looking for good people and new ideas. Events like this help me meet those people and also expand my knowledge of the industry.”

Reflecting on the milestone edition, SBC CEO & Founder Rasmus Sojmark shared: “While the numbers for this event were strong and we delivered on our promises, the most important takeaway was the undeniable excitement I witnessed while walking the show floor, entering the conference rooms, and attending the dinners and parties. 

“The audience this year was electric, and the warm feedback we have received is the greatest compliment we could ask for as organisers. A massive thank you to each and every individual who made this event, in its new shape and form, a success this year.”

Malta-based leaders were especially vocal about the event’s value for the local ecosystem. Charles Mizzi, CEO of the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), underlined the event’s broader significance: “These events help to confirm the importance of the gaming industry to the local economy.”

“I was quite impressed with the setup and the number of participants. If we remain behind our desks and do not participate in events such as this, we wouldn’t have the feel of the industry,” the MGA CEO added.

Andén remarked, “I’m based here in Malta, so this is a good opportunity for me to catch up with people from all across the industry; not only the ones that are based here, but those who travel here too. It’s also good that SBC makes a concerted effort to actually get people who represent the companies that work here in Malta. That is an important kind of differentiation point.”

Jovana Popovic Canaki, CEO of iGP, a Platinum Headline sponsor of the event, said: “One of our offices is here in Malta, and for us it’s home. We walk to the venue. We want to support local events, so the sponsorship was a no-brainer and a great honour.”

Bremec further highlighted the benefit of local hosting: “Everybody is here. The product people are here, the HR people are here. Everybody loves attending these events, so we encourage that.”

Notably, while the event featured strong local representation, with 47% of the audience based in Malta, it also demonstrated its international appeal, with 53% of attendees flying in from abroad. “This shows that the event is not just for locals, but a key opportunity to connect with European, and to some extent, international stakeholders who travel to Malta specifically to attend the event,” Sojmark said.

Beyond the vibrant expo floor, the conference segment was a highlight in its own right. Hosted across three main conference rooms and two dedicated workshop spaces, the agenda featured 17 hands-on workshops and a speaker lineup of 250 experts.

Andén commented, “I really liked the particularly dedicated track on some of the regulation challenges that affect not only me as an operator, but also affect suppliers and everyone else in the industry.” Popovic Canaki added, “Sometimes we speak too loudly and don’t let our ears work. This was a fantastic opportunity to sit down and listen to what the rest of the industry has to say.”

Andre Machado, CCO of Clever Advertising, praised the programming: “The way you are building the conference and the topics are also a mixture of what the audience is looking for. There’s real sensibility in how the programme aligns with broader industry trends.”

Turbatu reinforced the value of the educational content: “Those who didn’t attend would be missing out on high-quality workshops, which I don’t think many other conferences focus on.”

Adding a cultural edge to the event, SBC hosted the Malta debut of its signature EDM experience: the INFINITY party. Held at the island’s iconic Aria Complex and headlined by international star Galantis, the evening delivered a high-energy celebration that brought the entire industry together in style. The Malta edition joins past INFINITY showcases at SBC Summit, SBC Summit Rio, and SBC Summit Americas, which featured major acts such as Afrojack and Steve Aoki.

Apart from INFINITY Malta, SBC treated attendees to multiple evening networking events. The week began with an opening party at Infinity by Hugo’s, a beloved spot for those who had previously attended SBC’s Malta events. The organiser also hosted two invite-only dinners on Wednesday, one for C-level operators at Caviar & Bull and another for affiliates at Sole by Tarragon. On Thursday, the spotlight shifted to SBC Awards Europe, a ceremony that celebrated the achievements of the industry’s brightest companies and individuals. The week concluded with a relaxed closing party at Open Waters.

The overwhelmingly positive response from attendees highlighted not only the strength of the new format but also the growing trust in SBC’s ability to deliver high-quality, high-impact industry events. As Dr. Eyal Loz of RubyPlay summed it up: “I’ve attended almost all the SBC events over the last year, and I’m going to keep on coming back for sure. It’s nice to see the evolution of SBC. The pace at which SBC is improving, becoming more relevant, more engaging, and more dynamic truly blows my mind.”

Save the date: The show returns to the island next year, 28–30 April. For exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected]

Air Dice Group, the global B2B iGaming content developer and provider, announces the appointment of Christine Jinks as Managing Director. Christine will be responsible for the strategic direction & operation of Air Dice Services Malta and Air Dice Services UK. Christine will be taking over from Victor Borg-Barthet who will be leaving the business to pursue his own personal business venture within the iGaming industry.

Christine brings over 20 years of industry experience having held senior management positions across iGaming and Retail Gaming with well-known operators and gaming providers, most recently Christine has held senior management consultancy positions working across leisure and technology services.

Sami Mäkinen, Air Dice Group CEO commented “We are thrilled to welcome Christine as our Managing Director for both Malta and the UK. Christine has been working with us as a consultant since early 2024 and brings a wealth of experience and expertise that will be invaluable as we continue our international growth and innovation, working closely with our customers and partners within the gaming industry. Her dedication and vision are perfectly aligned with our mission of delivering novel and engaging gaming experiences to the global gaming community”.

“Victor will be staying in the business during a period of transition over the coming months. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Victor for his years of service and his invaluable contributions to Air Dice, Victor’s dedication and leadership has been instrumental to our success, we wish him all the best in his next venture”.

Christine also continues in an advisory role to sister company Boomerang Digital, a key supplier to the UK retail bingo, arcade, and pub sectors.

Andrew Ludlow, Boomerang Digital CEO commented “Chris and I first worked together bringing digital AWP’s to the pub retail sector nearly 20 years ago, she is a valued addition to our group. Her appointment continues to strengthen the expertise, experience and strategic alignment of Air Dice Group & Boomerang Digital and our commitment to offering multichannel content to operators where available.”

ELA Games, an innovative game development studio, announces that its representatives will participate in panel discussions to share industry insights at the upcoming SBC Summit Malta on June 11, 2025, at the Casino Innovation stage.

2:00 – 2:45 pm: The Art of the Sequel: Balancing Innovation, Success, and Influencer Impact on Gaming Audiences

This panel discusses how sequels are a key tool for studios to refresh content and develop existing player relationships. Yaroslav Soloshenko, Business Development Team Lead, will highlight ELA Games’ approach to creating recognisable and memorable series while capitalising on success and positive momentum. Additionally, he’ll discuss the studio’s philosophy regarding creativity and game development.

3:45 – 4:30 pm: Platforms and Aggregators: Catalysts or Constraints in the Gaming Industry’s Future?

Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director, will take part in a panel discussion on the financial and business side of iGaming. Specifically, she will cover the relationship between game studios, content aggregators and platforms. She will provide key insights on the finances of these partnerships and how studios can utilise the increased reach these platforms provide to focus on innovation.