World Gaming MD Stuart Hunter reveals how innovation, networking and global expansion are shaping a business-critical iGB L!VE 2026
As the global gaming industry prepares to gather in London for iGB L!VE 2026, the event has evolved into far more than an exhibition. It has become a strategic meeting point for operators, affiliates, suppliers, investors and regulators navigating an increasingly competitive and regulated marketplace. In this exclusive Sports Betting Operator interview, World Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter discusses the innovations shaping this year’s event, the growing influence of AI, mergers and acquisitions, responsible gambling, emerging international markets and why face-to-face networking remains one of the industry’s most valuable business assets. From the launch of the inaugural World Gaming M&A Summit to the expansion of the Sustainable Gambling Zone, Hunter explains how iGB L!VE is positioning itself at the centre of the global gaming industry’s future.
iGB L!VE has continued to evolve rapidly over the past few years. What are the biggest changes attendees and exhibitors can expect from the 2026 edition?
‘New’ underpins the entire iGB L!VE experience, and attendees can expect that commitment to be evident throughout the event. Highlights include the launch of the inaugural iGB L!VE Africa Summit, dedicated sessions on doing business in LatAm, the launch of the first World Gaming M&A Summit, the first Summer Gala (in association with ICE) and which is being hosted by the Savoy Hotel, the new iGB Affiliate Awards taking place at the iconic Shard and a significantly expanded Sustainable Gambling Zone, the largest in the event’s history. Our message for 2026 is ‘All In’ – a theme which reflects both the energy of iGB L!VE and the breadth of what the show covers from casino, to affiliates and in the year of the FIFA World Cup, sports betting operators.
Image Stuart Hunter Managing Director World Gaming
How important is London as a host city for iGB L!VE in terms of attracting international operators, affiliates, suppliers and investors?
London remains the spiritual and commercial home of the global iGaming industry. More than 50 of the sector’s most influential companies are based in the UK, alongside an estimated 37,000 iGaming professionals, making the city one of the world’s leading hubs for business networking, investment and industry leadership.
Being in London places iGB L!VE closer to the investors, operators and decision-makers who are shaping the future of the sector. The city’s position as a global financial centre also creates the perfect backdrop for some of our key strategic content streams.
The first World Gaming M&A Summit (WGM&A) which is taking place 1 July, draws on the importance of London as host city. The WGM&A represents the only dedicated forum for corporate development officers and M&A advisors working in iGaming.
Convening leadership from public and private operators alongside sector-focused investment banks, legal advisors and corporate finance specialists, attendees will benefit from a highly focussed opportunity to engage with key decision-makers, originate deal flow, assess strategic fit, and gain insights from active market participants. The event provides direct access to London’s deep sector expertise built over decades of transactions and its unparalleled ecosystem of strategic acquirers, potential targets, leading advisory firms, and business leaders across the M&A value chain. M&A is a business imperative in the current iGaming landscape and this event features insights from sector-specialist advisors and industry leaders including Morgan Stanley’s Laurence Hopkins, Paolo Della Rovere and Bally’s Robeson Reeves. Also featuring Strategic Intent
Sessions, industry leaders will host round-tables to explain their growth theses, define their M&A criteria and share their business’ vision for consolidation and growth.
Following the sessions attendees are invited to the M&A Summit cocktail reception and dinner where conversations will continue and deals will be cemented. Legislative and fiscal developments including the increase in UK gaming taxes which were announced by the government in the November 2025 budget, evolving European regulations, and wider global legislative adjustments, have prompted the introduction of the World Gaming M&A Summit. The WGM&A, is part of a broader programme of businesscritical
events taking place at iGB L!VE.
AI has become one of the most important talking points across gaming technology. How are you seeing operators and suppliers embrace AI-driven innovation and
what other trends are shaping the industry?
A critical point to make at the outset is that our job as event organisers is to provide the best possible platform to debate and reflect the topics, trends, challenges and opportunities that our stakeholders tell us are impacting the industry. AI is clearly fundamental impacting customer support, fraud prevention, data analysis, operational efficiency, and player engagement. Additional themes that have been highlighted and fed back to us are the intersection of gaming and mainstream entertainment, localisation, regulation, and with that the path to achieving sustainable growth. The fact remains that every current and future trend will be represented at iGB L!VE London in July making it a truly business critical event.
Responsible gambling and compliance remain critical topics globally. How is Clarion Gaming ensuring these conversations remain central to the iGB L!VE agenda?
Responsible gambling, compliance and player protection have long been central to our events. I remain extremely proud that we were the first organisers in the sector to introduce a dedicated player protection area with the launch of the Consumer Protection Zone at ICE 2018. Since then, that initiative has evolved into the Sustainable Gambling Zone (SGZ), reflecting the broader industry focus on sustainability, compliance and duty of care.
This year, the SGZ at iGB L!VE will be the largest and most prominent we’ve ever delivered. Given the show’s digital-first audience, it provides an ideal platform for showcasing technology-led safer gambling and KYC solutions that are particularly relevant to the online gaming sector.
Many of the tier two and tier three operators, alongside businesses entering new or emerging markets, are actively seeking solutions that can help them prepare for future regulation or strengthen their longterm business positioning. The SGZ creates an important environment for networking, knowledge-sharing and collaboration among organisations that place sustainable play and consumer protection at the forefront of their operations.
From an exhibitor perspective, what are companies looking for most from industry events in 2026, branding, lead generation, networking, partnerships, or something else?
All of the above – and much more! While virtual communication has become easier than ever, there is still no substitute for face-to-face conversations. Many of the industry’s
most valuable partnerships, ideas, and innovations begin with a discussion on a show floor and iGB L!VE is central to that process.
The affiliate sector continues to evolve alongside stricter regulations and changing acquisition models. How important is the affiliate community to the ongoing success of iGB L!VE?
With the advance of technology, including Ai has made Gaming Affiliation even more complex and competitive. Creating the biggest global gatherings of the affiliate community in Barcelona followed by London, is a unique opportunity to develop crucial strategies and partnerships in an ever-evolving landscape.
What role do emerging markets such as Latin America, Africa and parts of Asia now play within the overall iGB L!VE ecosystem?
One of the stand-out strengths of iGB L!VE is its global reach. We are focussed on building on last year’s success which set a new visitation record of 20,227 with attendees travelling to London from 149 nations – international credentials that are only bettered by ICE Barcelona. Bringing together representatives from so many different markets creates opportunities to exchange ideas, compare experiences, and identify emerging trends before they become mainstream. We have entered into a strategic partnership with the African iGaming Alliance (AiA) designed to support the development of sustainable, wellregulated gaming markets across Africa. The first major initiative delivered through the partnership will be the launch of the Africa Summit at iGB L!VE London, taking place on 1 July.
The business-critical Summit will bring together African regulators, international operators, suppliers and industry stakeholders to explore Africa represents one of the most important growth opportunities in global gaming, but success depends on market knowledge, regulatory understanding and trusted local engagement. The Summit has been created to give delegates exactly that.
The Summit will cover a wide range of business-critical topics including regulatory cooperation, growth through best practice, the future of taxation, adapting global products for local audiences, sports betting, responsible gaming, player protection and integrity, AML, mobile money, KYC and player acquisition. The programme will also include region-specific roundtables focused on markets across west, east and southern Africa.
What feedback have you received from previous attendees that has helped shape the experience and content for the 2026 show?
Listening to the industry is fundamental to the way we develop all of our award-winning products including iGB L!VE. Any organiser that stops engaging with its customers risks losing relevance very quickly. The experience delegates will be part of in July is the product of hundreds of conversations with stakeholders across every part of the sector.
We don’t make major decisions in isolation. Our events are shaped collaboratively with the industry, for the industry, and that ongoing dialogue plays a critical role in how the show evolves year after year. Postevent research is equally important, helping us identify which initiatives resonated most strongly and where improvements can be made. In many ways, attendees themselves are continuously shaping the future direction and experience of iGB L!VE.
Networking remains one of the biggest drivers for event attendance. How is iGB L!VE enhancing networking opportunities both on and off the exhibition floor?
The evolution of our networking opportunities are community driven. By that I mean we put an even greater emphasis on listening to the needs of the sector and designing platforms and experiences that not only deliver a memorable experience - which we believe is hugely important - but that it delivers an ROI beyond just fun. There are numerous large- scale networking events held across the industry - huge parties and concerts in fact: for us the focus is the effectiveness of the opportunity. Be it small curated dinners, to rare access galas, we think creatively on who’s in the room and what we want the outcomes to be for all.
In terms of specifics, we are hosting the first Summer Gala which will take place in the Beaufort Bar, at The Savoy Hotel, on Wednesday, 1 July (7pm to 9pm.) The Savoy was Britain’s first luxury hotel and became a legendary hub for film stars, artists, authors and royalty. This exclusive, invitation-only event will bring tog****ether senior leaders, regulators, and investors from the global gaming industry.
The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy offers an elegant, intimate and luxurious setting which is ideal for meaningful conversation, networking and supporting the goal of fostering key connections among industry leaders. The Summer Gala is being jointly presented by iGB L!VE and ICE underlining how the conversations started in Barcelona in January are continued, developed and extended in London six-months later.
We have also reimagined the iGB Affiliate Awards. which will take place in the salubrious surroundings of The Shard, the iconic London landmark. The Shard was created as an architecturally stunning Vertical City emerging from the Thames and at just under 310 metres high (1,016 feet) is Western Europe’s tallest building. The Awards will take place in the Aqua Shard Restaurant which is located on the 31st floor.
We’ve replaced the traditional table lay-out with a standing format that that will enable everyone to network more widely and freely. The iGB Affiliate Awards will open at 8pm on 2 July with food served as a series of bowls, bites and canapes curated by Aqua Shard Executive Chef Mark Abbot. The Shard is an unforgettable venue and I’m sure that the industry will embrace its outstanding architecture and ambience.
Finally, what message would you give to operators, affiliates and suppliers who may still be considering attending iGB L!VE 2026?
iGB L!VE the event occupies a pivotal position within the industry calendar as a mid-year meeting point where businesses can reconnect, review progress and prepare strategically for the months ahead.
Attendees consistently tell us that the event plays a valuable role in continuing the conversations and relationships established earlier in the year at ICE and iGB Affiliate Barcelona, while offering the energy and accessibility of another major international city. Although more compact than ICE, the strength of iGB L!VE lies in the quality of its audience, exhibitors and networking opportunities. The event is designed to be highly focused, commercially relevant and driven by the needs of the industry itself.
For first-time attendees, my advice would simply be to plan ahead and fully explore the breadth of content, networking opportunities and specialist events available throughout the week. To quote one of our exhibitors ‘the industry is evolving rapidly, and iGB L!VE provides a unique opportunity to learn, network, and gain perspectives that are difficult to replicate anywhere else.’
Register for the 2026 edition of iGB L!VE (1st- 2nd July) at https://www.igblive.com
