Prediction markets have rapidly evolved from a niche concept to a significant topic of debate within the global gambling landscape. The pressing question now is whether these markets are classified as a financial product, a betting product, or perhaps lie in a gray area that regulators have yet to fully address. To explore this issue in depth, SBC is hosting the inaugural Global Prediction Markets Forum, a comprehensive conference scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Myriad Hotel in Lisbon, held in conjunction with SBC Summit 2026.
This one-day event aims to unite key stakeholders including operators, prediction market specialists, legal and regulatory authorities, as well as technology innovators to engage with current challenges as the sector transitions from a predominantly U.S.-focused niche to an expanding global opportunity.
The forum's agenda will feature discussions on evolving regulatory standards, the means by which prediction markets can appeal to European audiences, and the technical challenges involved in launching and integrating such markets. Additionally, experts will contemplate the long-term outlook for this sector.
Rasmus Sojmark, the founder and CEO of SBC, emphasized the surge in discussion surrounding prediction markets, stating, "As operators consider entering this space, they face the challenge of doing so efficiently, safely, and in compliance with regulations. This forum aims to bring both newcomers and experts together to address their inquiries and foster a clearer understanding of the sector's trajectory."
A session titled ‘Regulating futures: bridging the gap between the U.S. and Europe’ will explore the stark differences in regulatory approaches across the Atlantic. Key experts, including Andrew Lyman from the Government of Gibraltar and Charles Mizzi from the Malta Gaming Authority, among others, will evaluate the current regulatory environment and provide insights on how operators can prepare for forthcoming changes.
Another crucial panel, ‘The legal conundrum: are prediction markets gambling?’, will feature legal experts such as Matt Kane of Betr and Arthur Stadler of Stadler Partner Attorneys. This discussion will dissect whether event contracts should be classified under gambling or financial trading, alongside existing legal structures and potential future regulatory decisions.
Following this, participants will tackle technological aspects in the session ‘Time to market – the technological hurdles to launching a prediction market product’. Speakers, including Andrew Gonzalez of ParlayX and Amit Mahensaria of Pred.app, will analyze necessary technology for compliance, integration methods, and strategies for efficient market entry.
The future potential of prediction markets will also be addressed in a panel entitled ‘An industry on the cusp of boom or bust: what's the future of futures?’. Experts like John Aristotle Phillips from PredictIt will discuss how prediction markets might coexist with traditional sportsbooks and draw comparisons to other formats like poker and daily fantasy sports.
Moreover, other sessions will cover various topics, including strategic media partnerships for broader acceptance of prediction markets, differences between prediction markets and sportsbooks, and the evolution of these markets from niche offerings to widespread topics of interest in global gambling.
