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AIBC Eurasia 2026 concluded this week at Dubai’s Festival City, welcoming 13,000 delegates from across the MENA region and beyond. The summit delivered three days of high-level networking, conference programming, and industry awards, as organisers already look ahead to an expanded 2027 edition targeting 14,000 attendees.
A Summit Expanding Its Footprint
Building on the momentum of its 2021 launch, AIBC Eurasia has established itself as one of the most prominent gatherings in the iGaming and emerging technology calendar. The 2027 edition will extend its reach beyond Dubai, adding a full-day workshop and exclusive tour of Wynn Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah — home to the forthcoming Wynn resort, expected to complete construction by Q1 2027. Attending delegates will be among the first to experience the property ahead of its official opening.
Early bird tickets for AIBC Eurasia 2027 are available until 28 February 2026, with savings of up to $800 on Dubai summit passes.
Awards Night and Charitable Auctions Raise Over €100,000
The AIBC Awards, powered by Oddin.gg, served as the centrepiece of the event’s social programme. Alongside the industry recognition ceremony, two charitable auctions were held in support of the SiGMA Foundation — the Group’s philanthropic arm. Delegates raised over €100,000 in bids, with proceeds directed toward healthcare and education initiatives. A percentage of all event ticket sales is also allocated to the Foundation.
Notable award recipients included:
- Best Streamer 2026 — Haddzy
- Best Aggregator — SOFTSWISS
- Best Payment Provider — Payment Center
- Best Multi-Vertical Affiliate Network — Riddicks Partners
SoftConstruct AI, which powered the AIBC Eurasia summit this year, was also recognised for its active participation, securing three artworks during the Eurasia Auction. Bilyan Balinof, Founder and CEO of Vegas Legends, was acknowledged for his contributions to the industry, while Arsen Akopyan, Founder of Payment Center, and Vigen Badalyan, Co-Founder of SoftConstruct, were honoured during the Hall of Game segment.
Networking and Hospitality Highlights
The event opened on 9 February with the inaugural SiGMA Nexus Elite Golf Tour, powered by ATFX, held at the Trump International Golf Club. Forty tee times were secured across ten four-ball teams, with prizes including a Rolex watch and three seats to the Duke of Edinburgh qualifiers. Delegates also enjoyed a private cruise aboard the Dutch Oriental mega-yacht Lotus, taking in views of the Dubai Marina skyline.
The summit’s closing night was hosted at the Helipad by Frozen Cherry — a converted landing pad offering panoramic views of the city. The event was open to all ticket holders and headlined by iLee, with a supporting lineup including JEA, Heroine, and Yuliya Sehen.
Government and Diplomatic Delegation
SiGMA Group hosted a high-level delegation of nearly 70 government and diplomatic representatives at AIBC Eurasia 2026, including officials from royal offices, government agencies, regulatory bodies, and embassies. The delegation engaged in curated exhibition tours, bilateral meetings with operators, conference sessions, and private networking dinners. The programme provided structured dialogue between government representatives and private sector stakeholders across regulatory frameworks and industry trends.
Football icon Blaise Matuidi — Paris Saint-Germain legend and 2018 FIFA World Cup winner — also attended, making a special appearance at the 1x booth on 11 February.
Conference: Technology, Ethics, and the East’s Rising Influence
The conference programme spanned multiple stages across the three-day event, tackling the intersection of Web3, artificial intelligence, and emerging market development.
Mattiaw Mende, Founder and CEO of Bonuz, addressed the persistent gap between blockchain technology and mainstream adoption:
“Blockchain has traditionally always been used. The jargon feels alienating. The solution is not to replace systems, but to stabilise them. Blockchain has superpowers that go far beyond fintech.”
Benjamin Notini, Co-Founder of Xtrends, reinforced the point, noting that most users remain unfamiliar with crypto and that traditional marketing approaches often fall short due to a lack of trust among non-native audiences.
Paul Dawalibi, CEO of Innovation City, highlighted the growing role of Ras Al Khaimah as a technology hub:
“We think that RAK is no longer a place, but a platform. We want to take away the friction, so innovators can focus on what they do best — inventing and building the future.”
“History will remember this decade as the one where technology’s centre of power has shifted. It is moving from West to East. The global tech hubs we all think of today are moving — the talent, the ideas — it’s all moving East.”
H.E. Sheikha Jawaher Al Khalifa offered a broader perspective on the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence:
“In the UAE, the future is not something we wait for, but something we deliberately design. Ambition without ethics is fragile, intelligence without leadership is dangerous. The future belongs to those who lead with values, and we are ready to lead it.”
Startup Pitch Competition: IDEEZA Takes Top Honours
David Mermelstein, Co-Founder of IDEEZA, won the Startup Pitch competition with a platform he described as a “Dream Engine” for physical product creation. IDEEZA converts text prompts into functional hardware blueprints — including electronics, 3D casing, and code — bridging generative AI with real-world manufacturing. The judges highlighted its monetisation model, IP ownership integration, and phygital NFT approach as standout elements.
Next Stop: SiGMA Africa in Cape Town
SiGMA Africa takes place in Cape Town from 3–5 March 2026, drawing an expected 3,000 delegates. The event is supported by more than 15 regulatory authorities and will include high-level roundtables, strategic workshops, and cross-border dialogue between operators and regulators.
Source: SiGMA Group
