The first primary conference day of SBC Summit Americas 2026 has officially opened, bringing intensive executive dialogue to the main exhibition stages.
Following yesterday’s introductory registration windows, today’s schedule introduces the core technical tracking sessions designed to unpack market sustainability, emerging transaction verticals, and legal barriers across North and Latin American jurisdictions.
Latin American Realities and Contemporary Affiliate Branding
The early evening agenda featured a heavy focus on regional market sustainability and changing media acquisition structures. For operators assessing South American expansion, the panel titled Don’t kill the little guy. The implications of Brazil’s GGR Rise on Stage 5 provided essential policy mapping. The session explored the evolving Brazilian framework, which is characterized by a gross gaming revenue tax and a substantial thirty million Real licence fee.
With political pressure mounting from evangelical blocks in an election year, speakers debated whether rising regulatory friction will inadvertently empower the underground market, which already captures more than fifty percent of local activity. This discussion was led by prominent sector specialists:
- Marcos Sabiá (Chief Executive Officer at Galera Bet)
- Frederico Caputi (Managing Director, Brazil Office at Altenar)
- Joberto Porto (Chief Legal Officer at CDA Gaming)
- Adriana Ferreira Tavares (Senior Associate at TozziniFreire Advogados, acting as moderator)
Concurrently, Stage 4 hosted the Affiliate Leaders Panel: The New Face of Affiliates: Branding, Voice, and Value. This session analyzed how media partners are transitioning from basic traffic drivers into comprehensive standalone brands to survive tightening advertising laws. The speaker lineup included:
- Manuel Stan (Chief Executive Officer at Catena Media)
- Marcos Oliveira (Chief Operating Officer at Clever Advertising Group)
- René Gabriel (Director of Sales at Flashscore)
- Marco Bianchi (Chief Operating Officer at BC Ventures)
- Jyoti Rhambai (Editor at Affiliate Leaders, acting as moderator)
Technical Panels to Watch: Prediction Frameworks and Courier Regulations
As the night progressed, attention turned to two specialized areas representing significant regulatory changes within the domestic landscape. The first panel to watch, The Current State of Prediction Markets in the US, took place on Stage 1 to analyze how investors and operators navigate the fast changing event contract sector. The expert panel consisted of:
- Joshua Sterling (Partner at Milbank)
- Alex Kane (Chief Executive Officer and Founder at Sporttrade)
- Jeanine Hightower-Sellitto (Senior Vice President and General Manager at DraftKings Predictions)
- Jeff Laniado (US Lead at Optimove)
- Adam Candee (Editor at SBC News Americas, acting as moderator)
Directly following this session, delegates gathered for another vital panel to watch on Stage 2, titled Beyond the Link: Redefining Affiliate Growth Through Emerging Channels. This track evaluated video led strategies and short form storytelling across mobile first media channels to foster consumer trust. The speakers delivering insights were:
- James White (Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at HotTakes)
- Caleb Dykema (Chief Executive Officer at Vault Sports)
- Evan Kirkham (Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Outlier)
- Calvin Konya (Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Linemate)
- Bryan Bennett (Head of Americas at RPM Gaming, acting as moderator)
The final essential tracking session of the night, Lotto Couriers Under Review: Where Do States Draw the Line?, addressed the legal gray areas created by fast growing digital lottery courier networks, highlighted by the recent state ban in Texas. The judicial and compliance debate featured:
- Mike Silveira (Chief of Staff at Jackpot.com)
- Fernando Ortega (Chief Executive Officer at Lottofy)
- Rob Porter (Chief Legal Officer at Lotto.com)
- William Scott (Chairman at Warrenside, acting as moderator)
Evening Celebrations Honor Corporate Excellence
Concluding the busy daytime schedule, the focus transitions to the SBC Awards Americas 2026 ceremony. Operating as a separate ticketed event, the evening gala will celebrate the industry’s outstanding corporate achievements over the past year. Guests will enjoy a structured three course dinner, complimentary drinks, and an automated presentation ceremony honoring top performers across the gaming ecosystem.
