SBC Summit Americas 2026 in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., provided key stakeholders from around the world an opportunity to discuss the landscape of online gaming.
Loserball CEO Jonathan Gruber continued the conversation by speaking with SBC Americas about creating and establishing an innovative fantasy sports platform that is trying to disrupt the industry by rewarding players who predict losing in sports.
Here are five questions with Gruber about the gaming industry and Loserball:
How has your experience in directing and producing film and video content benefited your entry into a competitive online gaming and fantasy sports market?
Gruber: I’ve spent more than three decades telling stories that connect with audiences emotionally, and that’s been surprisingly relevant to building Loserball. At its core, sports aren’t just about statistics—they’re about hope, heartbreak, rivalry, and shared experiences. Traditional fantasy sports celebrate success, but every fan also knows the emotional roller coaster of supporting a team that never seems to catch a break.
Loserball was born of the recognition that those moments can be just as entertaining. My filmmaking background taught me to find compelling stories where other people weren’t looking, and that’s exactly what we’ve done by turning losing into a new form of entertainment.
Loserball takes a different approach to gaming by recognizing the volatility of fantasy and betting. Has the company’s framework allowed it to separate itself from
competitors in the space?
Gruber: Absolutely. We didn’t set out to build a better version of existing fantasy sports—we set out to build something fundamentally different. Every platform rewards great performances. We reward the chaos that fans talk about all week: interceptions, missed field goals, penalties, blown leads, and everything that makes sports unpredictable. That creates a completely different emotional experience.
People laugh more, trash-talk more, and stay engaged because even a terrible game can become the best game of the weekend in Loserball. We believe we’ve created an entirely new category within fantasy sports rather than simply another product competing for the same users.
In your time developing Loserball since its inception, what challenges have you seen develop while leading the strategy and operations of an emerging platform?
Gruber: The biggest challenge has been education. When people first hear “fantasy sports where you pick the worst players,” they usually smile—but then they immediately ask, “How does that work?” Once they play, they get it almost instantly.
So we’ve spent a lot of time simplifying the experience while building technology, refining the scoring system, navigating regulatory considerations, and growing an audience. Like any startup, you’re constantly balancing product development, marketing, fundraising, and partnerships. The challenge isn’t proving that fans understand losing—it’s introducing them to a completely new way of enjoying it.
Do you believe the emergence of new gaming verticals and platforms allows Loserball to establish a presence in a dynamic gaming industry?
Gruber: Definitely. Players today are more willing than ever to try new formats, whether that’s prediction markets, pick’em games, social gaming, or alternative fantasy contests. That willingness creates opportunities for innovation.
We see Loserball as part of that broader evolution. Our goal isn’t to replace traditional fantasy sports or sports betting, but to offer something that feels fresh, social, and accessible. The industry has become much more open to experimentation, and that’s a great environment for entirely new ideas.
What can we expect from Loserball moving forward as the business continues to grow?
Gruber: Our focus this season is on growing the Loserball community by expanding our free-to-play platform for NFL fans and continuing to refine the experience based on user feedback. We believe the best way to build a lasting gaming brand is to earn passionate players first and monetize second.
Looking ahead, we’ll continue investing in original content, strategic partnerships, and community features that keep fans engaged throughout the season. As the platform grows and the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, we’ll evaluate opportunities to introduce real-money gaming at the right time. Our long-term vision is to build Loserball into a category-defining sports-entertainment brand that gives fans a completely new way to experience the games they already love.
