SBC Summit 2026 in Lisbon dominated by Brazil betting ban row
Delegates at SBC Summit in Lisbon clashed over Brazil's new betting ban, European prediction markets edged closer to reality, and Lisbon secured hosting rights until 2030, according to SBC News.
The 2026 SBC Summit in Lisbon was dominated by reaction to Brazil's abrupt prohibition on online betting, with industry figures and regulators clashing over its legality and consequences, according to SBC News.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared the ban less than two weeks before election voting, prompting fierce debate on panels throughout the week. ANJL Legal Counsel Bernardo Cavalcanti Freire told delegates the measure is illegal, while saying he remained "very optimistic" of an intervention.
Beatriz Melges Lopes, LATAM Director at BetConstruct AI, warned the ban risks pushing players towards the black market and said the global industry "needs to be together" as Brazil "isn't doing anything properly", SBC News reported. Flutter Entertainment's Chief Strategy Officer, Tom Bowry, voiced disappointment given the operator's investment in the country.
The strongest intervention came from Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Chief Executive Officer of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance, who represents Brazilian sports leagues rather than betting interests. He said the organisation does not support a blanket prohibition on the country's regulated betting market, arguing that dismantling it is not the answer and that any state action must be backed by evidence, proportionality and a credible transition, which he said had not been the case.
A second major theme was the likely arrival of prediction markets in Europe beyond Gibraltar. The Global Prediction Markets Forum, held on the Thursday of the summit, drew speakers from Kalshi, Betr and WagerWire to discuss the sector's prospects on the continent.
Charles Mizzi, Chief Executive of the Malta Gaming Authority, told the forum that prediction market operators are actively applying for licences and that regulators have fielded considerable interest in recent months, SBC News reported.
Alex Gowar, Chief Growth Officer at Matchbook, suggested the bigger challenge may be consumer adoption rather than regulatory approval, given Europeans' long exposure to conventional sportsbook products. He said operators will need to educate customers on a new way of betting that does not offer an obvious additional benefit over existing options.
SBC also confirmed a long-term commitment to its host city, signing an agreement with Turismo de Portugal, the Municipality of Lisbon and Lisboa FCE to keep the Summit in the Portuguese capital until 2030. The deal was signed on site by SBC founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark alongside city and tourism board representatives, including Lisbon Vice President Gonçalo Reis and Deputy Mayor Maria Luísa Aldim.
Sojmark said the event organiser was "very happy to have the support of the city we have chosen to host our biggest and most ambitious event", adding that Lisbon had proved "the perfect fit" year on year.
Basketball legend Michael Jordan made his first European speaking appearance at the Summit, joining Sportradar CEO Carsten Koerl and DraftKings CEO Jason Robins — two companies in which he holds investments — on the Super Stage. Jordan said any commercial partnership has to align with how he is perceived, noting that he accepts being used as a marketing vehicle but that consumers must feel a genuine connection to the brand.