Sports betting’s growth into a mainstream entertainment product and the industry’s increasingly close relationship with the worlds of professional sports, broadcast and online media, and entertainment are set to be the central theme of SBC Summit North America 2022.

The largest conference and tradeshow for the sports betting and igaming industry in the U.S. and Canada returns to Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, New Jersey in its new summer slot of July 12-14.

It will feature an agenda that tackles the key issues shaping the future of the region’s fast-growing online gambling industry, including a deep dive into how legal sports betting is rapidly becoming embedded in popular culture and the opportunities that will create.

The Converging Worlds conference track will examine the lessons betting operators can learn from established digital-first customer-centric industries, seek to identify the next big areas for cross-industry collaboration, and evaluate how sports teams and leagues can better integrate betting content into their offer to fans.

In addition to senior executives from the gambling industry, the speakers will include experts from media, entertainment, and professional sports. They are set to share ideas for the ways in which their sectors’ relationships with betting operators could evolve and how sportsbooks can compete effectively with the likes of Netflix and Fortnite for their target audience’s screen time.

Rounding out the track, which is scheduled for July 14, are sessions examining how the increasing popularity of sports betting and the growth of major brands in the sector has changed the landscape for two established parts of the gaming industry – tribal casinos and state lotteries.

Converging Worlds is one of eight conference tracks running over July 13 and 14. There is an in-depth look at the opportunities in the emerging iGaming segment, along with content programs dedicated to the latest regulatory developments, next-generation payments technology, and the industry investment landscape.

There will also be plenty more focus on the next steps for the sports betting sector, with tracks looking at the biggest issues confronting operators’ leadership teams, product development, and marketing strategies that really work in increasingly competitive markets.

More than 250 high-level speakers will participate over the two days of the conference, including representatives from FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars Digital, Bally’s Corporation, Penn National Gaming, Entain, PointsBet, and Resorts Digital Gaming. 

Sue Schneider, VP Growth & Strategy Americas for SBC, said: “The pace of change in the industry over the past year has been phenomenal and there is potential for even greater developments in the next 12 months as new markets go live and operators look for ways to drive profits in established markets.

“The conference element of SBC Summit North America 2022 will provide a chance to take stock of the progress that has been already made and to share ideas about how to make the most of new opportunities, with input from many of the most influential executives in the industry.”

In addition to the conference, SBC Summit North America delegates will have access to a tradeshow floor with 75 leading betting and igaming suppliers showcasing their latest offerings, along with three nights of exclusive networking parties in stylish New York City and New Jersey venues.

Book your Full Access Pass for SBC Summit at the Super Early Bird rate of $495 here, or enquire about the last remaining exhibition and sponsorship opportunities by contacting [email protected].