As the interactive gaming industry across the Central and Eastern European (CEE), Balkans, and Central Asia regions faces a pivotal era of rapid legislative change, event organizers SBC and SMH have announced an ambitious expansion for the SBC Regulators Forum 2026.
Scheduled to take place on July 15–16 as an integrated highlight of the broader 2026 SBC Summit Tbilisi, the specialized forum will bring together at least twice as many sovereign regulatory bodies as previous editions, creating a significantly stronger and more connected framework for cross-border regulatory dialogue.
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With 2,500 delegates and over 60 expert speakers expected to descend upon the Georgian capital, this year’s gathering is intentionally designed to move far beyond high-level corporate discussions and focus squarely on coordinated regional action against the sector’s most pressing compliance challenges.
An Agenda Built for Operational Action
The 2026 programme shifts its focus entirely toward real-world operational realities. Key panel tracks will dissect the growing sophistication of the black market, moving past standard compliance theory to explore how “Big Tech” firms, financial institutions, and state regulators can actively collaborate to disrupt illegal digital infrastructure.
Delegates will also participate in hands-on workshops specifically designed to build a unified “National Disruption Playbook”—a tactical framework engineered to detect and dismantle illicit offshore operations through coordinated, multi-agency field actions. Beyond strict law enforcement, the forum will place intense focus on strengthening overall market integrity through improved data-sharing protocols.
Dedicated technical sessions will be focused on bilateral knowledge sharing between the private gaming sector and law enforcement agencies to better detect and combat fraud. Looking ahead, a dedicated policy topic will analyze upcoming market developments directly from the regulators’ point of view.
Tbilisi Established as a Regional Diplomatic Hub
The expansion comes at a critical time as regional jurisdictions seek greater synchronization with modern European standards, making the forum the definitive meeting point for businesses looking to secure a stable foothold in one of the world’s most dynamic gaming frontiers.
Andrew McCarron, Managing Director at SBC, emphasized that the expanded format provides corporate delegates with direct access to local policy architects:
“We aren’t just discussing the rules; we are facilitating the creation of the tools to enforce them fairly. By doubling the regulatory presence, we’re ensuring that the 2,500 delegates in attendance have a direct line to the people shaping the future of the CEE and Central Asian markets.”
Lasha Machavariani, Founder of SMH, highlighted Tbilisi’s growing status as the diplomatic center of the regional gaming industry:
“Tbilisi is now the diplomatic centre of the regional gaming industry. This summit provides the essential ‘local pulse’ that global operators need to navigate the transition from traditional frameworks to the modern, tech-driven regulations of tomorrow.”
