SBC Summit Lisbon to Examine the Future of Player Engagement
Portugal.- 13 August 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com SBC Summit Lisbon 2026 will feature a dedicated Player Experience Academy examining how operators can strengthen player engagement, retention and long-term value while maintaining their player-protection and responsible gambling obligations.
The Academy will take place on 29 September, from 1.30pm to 5pm, in the Tejo Room at Lisbon’s MEO Arena as part of the event’s Education+ programme.
News Details
The Academy will bring together operators, product leaders, growth specialists and industry experts to examine how different engagement mechanics can be responsibly adapted to iGaming.
Topics will include missions, progression systems, battle passes and personalised rewards, concepts already widely used across gaming, retail and entertainment.
The aim is to identify which ideas can transfer successfully to gambling, which require modification and where limits should be established to balance commercial innovation with player protection.
Gamification and Responsible Gambling
The programme will open with “2026 Update: As It Is Now and What’s Next?”, exploring the current state of player experience and gamification alongside trends expected to shape the sector.
The panel “Driving Innovation in Responsible Player Experience” will then examine how behavioural design and protective layers can support engagement while maintaining ethical responsibility.
Participants will include Justin Muscat Galán, Senior Product Manager – Player Rewards & Gamification at Betsson Group; Chris McGowan, CEO of Scatters Group; Christoffer Gronland, CEO of Mindboogle Affiliate Marketing & Growth; and David Nardaia, CEO of Lambda Gaming.
Learning from Other Industries
Arjan Korstjens, Principal and Trainer at Casino Marketing Academy, will lead the interactive presentation “What iGaming Can Learn from Responsible Player Experience”.
The session will examine how video games, retail and hospitality use rewards, progression and personalisation to build engagement and loyalty.
It will also assess which of these strategies can be adapted responsibly for betting and gaming businesses.
Risk Management and Sustainability
Another session, “Responsible Player Experience: Managing Risk for Commercial Sustainability”, will explore the commercial and risk implications of new engagement tools.
Dr Colin Lawrence, a global risk-management specialist and former senior regulator, will examine how battle passes, seasonal mechanics and mission-based strategies are moving from traditional gaming into betting.
The session will also consider the risks operators need to manage if these products are to deliver sustainable commercial benefits.
Statements
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said:
“Some of iGaming’s most effective engagement mechanics have come from outside the industry. Video games, retail and entertainment have shown how missions, progression systems, battle passes and personalised rewards can build stronger, longer-lasting customer relationships.”
He added:
“This Academy will explore how operators can adapt those ideas while recognising the regulatory responsibilities of the industry.”
Player Segmentation
The Academy will conclude with the interactive workshop “Know Your Player: Building Player Experience for Different Customer Segments”, led by Helen Walton, Chief Commercial Officer and Co-Founder of G Gaming.
The session will explore how player experience changes according to different behaviours, motivations and risk profiles.
From occasional customers to high-value VIP players, participants will assess how personalised missions, rewards and progression systems can improve retention and loyalty while supporting safer gambling.
Next Steps or Impact
The full speaker line-up is still being finalised, with additional names to be announced.
Access to the Player Experience Academy will be available exclusively through the Education+ Upgrade, which can be added to ticket categories for SBC Summit and Affiliate Leaders Summit.
The initiative reflects the industry’s growing interest in gamification and personalisation as growth tools, while placing responsible gambling and consumer protection at the centre of product design.
Editó: @fonta
