- SBC Summit Canada opens Tuesday, May 19, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre — the first edition under its new name after rebranding from the Canadian Gaming Summit.
- More than 3,000 industry professionals are expected across three days, with Alberta’s confirmed July 13 regulated iGaming launch serving as the defining backdrop of the event.
- The conference program features more than 150 speakers across six tracks, including keynotes from OLG President Duncan Hannay and Alberta Minister Dale Nally.
- Gambling advertising reform, the implications of Bill S-211, and preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup are also major agenda themes.
- The summit also co-hosts Canada Fintech Symposium, giving VIP pass holders access to both events.
TORONTO — The Canadian betting and gaming industry arrives in Toronto on Tuesday for SBC Summit Canada 2026, a three-day gathering at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre that kicks off at what may be the most consequential moment in the country’s regulated gambling history.
More than 3,000 operators, affiliates, regulators and technology suppliers are expected through Thursday, May 21. The event marks the debut under the SBC Summit Canada name, following a rebrand of the long-running Canadian Gaming Summit. Organizers describe it as the only conference in the country dedicated exclusively to the betting and gaming sector.
The timing is deliberate. Alberta’s regulated iGaming market is set to open July 13, giving private operators their first chance to compete legally in the province alongside the government-run Play Alberta platform. That deadline is less than eight weeks away, and much of the summit’s agenda is built around it.
Alberta Dominates the Conversation
Alberta Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally is scheduled to speak Wednesday, offering what will likely be the most closely watched session of the conference. Nally has been the political face of the province’s iGaming rollout since Bill 48, the iGaming Alberta Act, passed in 2025, and his remarks will give the assembled industry its clearest read yet on where the province stands heading into launch.
The Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission confirmed July 13 as the market launch date, and the Alberta iGaming Corporation has been processing operator applications since January. As of May 1, 30 operator sites had commenced or completed the registration process. All gambling sites in Alberta that are entering the market are required to hold RG Check accreditation from the Responsible Gambling Council — a condition the province set in partnership with the RGC.
With more than 55 sites having expressed interest in the Alberta market, the province is expected to open with a competitive landscape that some analysts say could rival Ontario’s first months of operation in 2022.
A Conference Agenda Built for an Industry at a Crossroads
Wednesday’s opening session begins with remarks from Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. President and CEO Duncan Hannay, followed by a keynote from Nell Watson, chief scientist at EthicsNet and Creed Space, on how autonomous artificial intelligence is reshaping cybersecurity and trust in gaming environments.
The conference program spans six dedicated tracks: sports betting and iGaming, affiliates and advertising, cybersecurity, land-based and lottery, player protection, and payments and compliance. Two specialist co-located events run alongside the main program: the Cybersecurity in Gaming Summit, presented by OLG, and the Player Protection Symposium.
Other prominent speakers include iGaming Ontario CEO Joseph Hillier, Ontario Minister of Tourism and Gaming Stan Cho, PointsBet Canada CEO Scott Vanderwel, Bet99 CEO Jared Beber, DraftKings Sportsbook Director Tim Whitehead, FanDuel VP of Marketing Tom Burdakin, BetMGM Director of Marketing Yohan Mathew, bet365 Assistant Vice President Andrew Moreno, and Formula 1 Head of Betting Mark Wrigley.
Sessions will also take up daily fantasy sports growth, World Cup preparation, the implications of federal Bill S-211 — which proposes restrictions on gambling advertising — and whether Ontario will ultimately be permitted to offer international peer-to-peer poker liquidity, a question that remains before the Supreme Court of Canada.
Advertising Reform and the World Cup on the Docket
The gambling advertising debate has intensified in Canada in recent months. Bill S-211 is moving through the House of Commons, and an Ontario Liberal member of provincial parliament has separately introduced legislation that would ban online gambling advertising in the province entirely. Critics in the industry argue that such restrictions would push players back toward unregulated offshore sites that operate without consumer protections.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by Canada, the United States and Mexico, adds another layer of urgency. Sportsbooks are preparing for what could be an outsized betting event in a market where soccer has historically drawn less wagering interest than hockey or football. Summit sessions will examine how operators plan to convert World Cup engagement into lasting player retention.
Ontario’s Market Provides the Benchmark
Ontario remains Canada’s only fully open regulated online gambling market, having launched in April 2022. The province recorded more than $9.59 billion in handle in March 2026 alone — a monthly record — while cumulative operator revenue has surpassed $11.3 billion since launch. The province collected more than $800 million in iGaming tax revenue in 2025.
Readers of Canada gambling sites have watched Ontario’s trajectory closely, and Alberta’s launch will be the next major test of whether the regulated model can be replicated at scale.
The question of what other provinces do next will almost certainly come up on the summit floor. British Columbia, Quebec, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan all continue to operate government-run monopoly platforms, while the economic data from Ontario and the incoming Alberta market will give their governments fresh material to weigh.
Event Logistics and Networking
Badge collection opens Tuesday, May 19, ahead of an opening party that evening at RS Sports Bar. The main conference and exhibition floor run Wednesday and Thursday, with the official networking party scheduled for Wednesday evening at The Rec Room.
Dedicated breakfasts are on the calendar for both days: the Global Gaming Women Breakfast on Wednesday and the First Nations Breakfast on Thursday, reflecting the summit’s effort to bring a wider cross-section of the industry into the conversation.
The summit also runs alongside the Canada Fintech Symposium. VIP pass holders gain entry to both events.
Confirmed exhibitors include Altenar, Gigadat, iGaming Ontario, Optimove, Paramount Commerce, Soft2Bet, and Top Alliance, among more than 75 total sponsors and exhibitors.
SBC CEO and founder Rasmus Sojmark said in a statement ahead of the event: “There is enormous momentum around the Canadian gaming industry right now, and that is reflected in both the quality of the agenda and the calibre of companies and speakers joining us in Toronto next week.”
SBC Summit Canada runs through Thursday, May 21, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
