The 2025 Canadian Gaming Summit concluded last week, breaking attendance records and setting the stage for the event’s evolution into SBC Summit Canada.
In what marked both a culmination and a turning point, the 28th and final edition under the current name brought together key stakeholders from across Canada and beyond to reflect on challenges and chart a future course for the country’s gaming industry.
“There are always moves and changes within the industry, so this is the perfect venue for us to collaborate, collaborate with the operators, collaborate with the providers, just to see what’s going on, what’s coming up and really being able to exchange ideas,” Gigadat Inc. COO Cliff Nywening said of the event.
Over the course of two days, the summit welcomed over 3,000 professionals, 40% of whom held key decision-making roles. The event also featured strong representation from operators and affiliates, with 1,000 operator representatives and 200 affiliates in attendance.
In addition, the event welcomed delegates, including leading suppliers, game studios, regulators and government bodies.
The high caliber of attendees was a point noted by many, including Nywening.
“Size doesn’t really matter, it’s about the quality. You’ve got quality attendees, quality vendors exhibiting, that’s all that makes a good event.”
“We have been at the helm of the Canadian Gaming Summit for three years now, and every year we have worked tirelessly to evolve this event that was already loved by many,” noted SBC CEO and Founder Rasmus Sojmark.
“This year has undoubtedly been our most successful yet. The feedback I’ve received has been incredible—conference rooms were full, the show floor was alive with conversation and our networking parties were by far the most memorable to date. I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who attended.”
Serving as a platform to explore the current challenges and future opportunities in the Canadian market, the event’s three-stage conference programme featured 150 industry experts covering key topics such as leadership, sports betting and casino, player protection, affiliation and advertising and payments and compliance. The event also featured a dedicated Cybersecurity Symposium in partnership with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG).
Amongst the notable figures that took the stage was Duncan Hannay (President, OLG), who kicked off the conference with an opening address, followed directly by Honourable Doug Downey (Attorney General, Ontario), who partook in a fireside chat. In the afternoon, delegates were treated to a special keynote panel with Dale Nally (Minister for Service & Red Tape Reduction, Alberta).
“What I’ve been very surprised by is the attention on the panels and the quality of the panelists… the collaboration between the regulators, like the AGCO and the operators. It’s amazing to see,” observed Game Lounge Director of Casino Keith Geary.
The show floor served as the heart of the event, hosting a number of local and global brands and giving attendees ample choices and opportunities to explore the products that can power their presence in Canada.
The show floor also gave new market entrants a chance to introduce themselves and build a foothold in the Canadian market.
“We are new to the Canadian market, and trying to make a splash here. To have so many people engage with us, come by, be curious, and even interact with some of our goods. It definitely gives us a lot of encouragement about the market as a whole,” Head of External Affairs at Lotto.com Kweku Separu-Grant.
This sentiment was echoed by Maverick Games CEO Matt Rathburn.
“You’ll really find everybody that you would need to connect with. If you’re going to launch a new site, you could probably start here and collect all the different pieces that you need to put it all together.”
Alongside the networking opportunities on the show floor, the Canadian Gaming Summit also featured two dedicated evening networking events.
On Tuesday, delegates gathered at the RS Sports Bar for the SBC Canadian Gaming Summit opening party. The evening featured a live screening of the Stanley Cup Final Game 6 between the Florida Panthers and Canada’s own Edmonton Oilers.
The following night, delegates were treated to a memorable experience at the NHL Hockey Hall of Fame for the official networking party. Attendees explored the iconic museum celebrating Canada’s national sport, took part in interactive virtual hockey activations and had the chance to meet NHL and Maple Leafs legend Wendel Clark.
“Our Canada event has earned its place among the SBC Summits. We’re rebranding it as SBC Summit Canada to better align with our global event portfolio and deliver the signature SBC experience. We hope to see you next year.” Sojmark added.
Save the date: SBC Summit Canada will take place in Toronto on May 19-21. For exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, contact [email protected]
