Global Markets Stage at SBC Summit to Explore What’s Next for North America

SBC Summit 2025’s Global Markets Stage will conclude with a focused look at the North American sports betting and iGaming market, one of the industry’s most commercially significant and complex regions.

Taking place on Thursday, 18 September at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa (FIL), the Global Markets: North America track will round off three days of market-focused content covering Latin America & Brazil, Western Europe and North America.

With a combined value of $23.44 billion, the US and Canadian markets are shaped by fierce competition, patchwork regulation, and steep entry costs. Yet, for those able to stand out and innovate, the long-term upside is significant.

Industry leaders representing operators, regulators, affiliates, and suppliers will take to the stage to discuss the rise of alternative betting formats in the region, including sweepstakes casinos, Daily Fantasy Sports, and peer-to-peer betting.

While these formats have allowed new entrants to gain market share, they’ve also attracted regulatory scrutiny. Panellists will explore whether these models offer genuine long-term potential or are likely to be curtailed by new regulations.

Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “North America may be a maturing market, but it remains one of the most commercially important regions for sports betting and iGaming. With regulatory progress slowing in key states, new market entrants are turning to alternative betting models to maintain momentum and explore fresh opportunities.

“Attendees at our North America track will leave with a clear view of which of these formats are working, what’s driving their growth, and the regulatory challenges alternative models must navigate if they are to have a lasting impact in this region.”

The track will open with a heavyweight panel featuring leading voices from across the North American market. US Leaders Panel: Sweeping the States – The Rise of Alternative Betting will see Jared Beber (CEO, Bet99), Paul Burns (CEO, Canadian Gaming Association), Brett Calapp (Co-Founder, RareMint), Paris Smith (CEO, DefyTheOdds), Dinos Stranomitis (COO, Altenar) and Alexandre Tomic (CEO, Alea) discuss the booming popularity of alternative betting models amid a slowdown in US states legalising online gambling. Moderated by Jessica Welman (Editor, SBC Americas), the panel will explore whether this trend has staying power or faces an imminent regulatory clampdown.

Building on this theme is the panel Sweepstakes Boom – Sustainable Growth or Short-Lived Trend? This panel will examine the rise of sweepstakes and live casinos across the US and ask whether the rapid adoption of these offerings may pave the way for a lasting market. The panel will see Yoel Chapman (CPO, Soft2Bet), Marcello De Crescenzo (Senior Account Executive, Optimove), Brian Goodman (CEO, Golden Matrix Group), Karolina Moscicka (COO, BugsyEmpire), and Dmitry Starostenkov (CEO, EvenBet) answer how these formats could build a lasting model if responsible frameworks are implemented.

The Social Side of Betting – Peer-to-Peer, Gamification & Community will explore another fast-growing trend in the region: peer-to-peer wagering. The panel will examine whether the social side of these platforms could reshape how players engage with betting. Hebert L Luiz T Crespin Gaban (CMO, Aposta Ganha), Horst Maberly (Head of Gaming Investments, Lance East Office), Monica Rangel (VP Marketing & Strategy, A5 Labs), Marion Ryan (Managing Director, Tombola), and Josh Turk (Chief Strategy Officer, North America, Low6) will discuss what’s driving the rise of peer-to-peer models, how they’re fostering player communities, and which regulatory hurdles could limit further growth.

The track will conclude with Tribal Gaming: Blurred Lines or Commercial Collaboration?, a discussion on how alternative betting formats are impacting North America’s tribal gaming sector. Tony Amormino (CEO, Apache Nugget Corporation), Robert Davidman (CEO, World Golf Series), Will Griffiths (Founder, Investor & Tribal Partner, Level Media), and Jamie Hummingbird (Chairman, NTGCR – National Tribal Gaming Commissioners & Regulators) will consider whether these formats could open new avenues for growth or present challenges for the tribal gaming community.