Another SBC Summit is wrapped up, and what a few days it was.
The Finnplay team spent three busy days in Lisbon meeting customers, partners and new faces from across the industry. From conversations at our booth to discussions about the future of regulated markets, there was plenty to talk about, and, unsurprisingly, Finland was high on the agenda.
Our booth was once again at the centre of our SBC week, giving us a place to catch up with existing partners, meet new ones and continue conversations about what operators need from their platform as markets and regulatory requirements evolve.
A big thank you to Concept2Reality for bringing the Finnplay booth to life, and to IC Studio for capturing the week through their photography.
With Finland preparing to open its licensed gambling market in July 2027, the country naturally remained a major topic of conversation throughout SBC.
Our Commercial Director, Brian Forth, joined the panel “Finland: Licenses Available”, where the discussion turned to one of the biggest questions facing operators preparing for the new market: what will responsible and effective marketing in Finland actually look like?
One clear theme was that regulation alone is unlikely to provide an answer to every practical question. Operators will need to interpret what moderation means in practice while adapting their approach to the characteristics of the Finnish market.
Brian highlighted the importance of understanding Finnish consumers and culture rather than simply applying strategies that have worked elsewhere in the Nordics.
Finnish culture tends to value modesty, meaning overly aggressive marketing is unlikely to resonate in the same way it might in other markets. At the same time, Finland is expected to be a highly competitive market, with significant investment in advertising and brand building as operators establish their positions.
Sport will naturally play an important role, with ice hockey expected to be a major engagement driver. But Brian also pointed to another distinctly Finnish opportunity: humour. Finland has no shortage of unusual sports and traditions that attract surprisingly large audiences, creating opportunities for brands that understand the local culture and know how to communicate with it authentically.
The wider panel also explored Finland's similarities with other Nordic markets, the importance of strong digital products and the challenge of achieving high channelisation as the market moves from monopoly to licensing.
For operators preparing to enter Finland, the message was clear: local understanding will matter just as much as having the technology and regulatory capabilities to operate in the market.
Some of the best conversations at SBC happen away from the exhibition floor.
On Wednesday evening, together with ShockMedia and Fast Track, we welcomed customers, partners and industry friends to Cantinho do Avillez – Parque das Nações for our SBC Lisbon get-together.
And it was a busy one.
The venue filled up quickly, making for a fantastic evening of food, drinks and conversation in a more relaxed setting after a full day at the summit.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success.
SBC Summit is always about much more than three days on an exhibition floor. It's an opportunity to reconnect with people we work with throughout the year, meet new ones and hear first-hand what operators and partners are thinking about the markets ahead.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by B130, joined Brian's panel, came along to our evening event or simply found time for a conversation during another very busy week in Lisbon.
And once again, thank you to Concept2Reality for our booth, IC Studio for capturing the week, and ShockMedia for joining us in hosting a great evening.
See you next time!
Didn't get a chance to meet us in Lisbon?