SBC Launches Global Prediction Markets Forum In Lisbon
The new event will bring together industry leaders to examine the regulatory, legal and technological challenges facing prediction markets.
SBC has announced the launch of its Global Prediction Markets Forum, a standalone event dedicated to examining the development and future of the rapidly growing prediction markets sector.
Taking place at the Myriad Hotel in Lisbon on 1 October, the event will run alongside SBC Summit 2026 and feature a full-day conference programme. Operators, prediction market specialists, regulators, legal experts and technology providers will discuss issues ranging from market classification and regulation to product development and expansion beyond the US.
Forum To Address Regulatory Uncertainty
A central focus of the event will be the continuing debate over whether prediction markets should be classified as gambling, financial products or another form of regulated activity. The issue has become increasingly significant as the sector expands and different jurisdictions consider how such products should be treated.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said:
“Prediction markets have quickly become one of the biggest talking points in the industry, but as with any sector moving at this pace, the opportunities come with a lot of questions.
“For operators considering entering the space, the question is how to do so effectively, safely and compliantly. That is the purpose of this forum: to bring newcomers and experts into the same room, tackle the questions and build a clearer understanding of where the sector is heading.”
The session ‘Regulating futures: bridging the gap between the US and Europe’ will examine different regulatory approaches on either side of the Atlantic. Speakers will include Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner and Executive Director Andrew Lyman, Malta Gaming Authority CEO Charles Mizzi, GTG Legal Partner Terence Cassar and WagerWire Co-Founder and CEO Zach Doctor.
Another panel, ‘The legal conundrum: are prediction markets gambling?’, will consider whether event contracts should legally be treated as gambling or financial trading products. Betr Head of Legal Matt Kane and Crypto.com Chief Legal Officer Steve Humenik will be among those participating in the discussion.
Technology And Market Development On Agenda
The programme will also explore the technical requirements associated with launching prediction market products, including integrations, compliance infrastructure and the technology needed to support faster routes to market.
ParlayX CEO Andrew Gonzalez, Limitless Head of Business Development Henrich Tauber, Pred.app CEO Amit Mahensaria and WireMarkets Co-Founder Guy Dotan will participate in a dedicated technology panel.
The longer-term prospects for the sector will be discussed during ‘An industry on the cusp of boom or bust: what’s the future of futures?’. PredictIt CEO John Aristotle Phillips, Betr CEO Joey Levy and Winible CEO Noah Traisman will consider whether prediction markets can coexist with traditional sportsbooks and whether the sector can support multiple major operators.
Further discussions will cover the differences between sportsbooks and prediction markets, peer-to-peer and fixed-odds models and the potential role of media partnerships in taking the sector into the mainstream.
Global Prediction Markets Forum To Run Alongside SBC Summit
The Global Prediction Markets Forum will take place as prediction markets continue to attract increasing attention from the wider gambling industry, particularly around their regulatory status and potential expansion into markets outside the US.
Attendance requires a separate ticket from SBC Summit, priced at €399. Delegates will also receive a complimentary copy of SBC Insights’ Prediction Market Report 2026.
