Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN), an international developer, licensor and global operator of online gaming and e-commerce platforms, announced that William Scott, Chairman and Chief Financial Officer, will speak at the 2026 SBC Summit in Lisbon, Portugal. The summit will take place from September 29 to October 1 at the Feira Internacional de Lisboa. Scott will participate in the panel "The Africa Advantage: High Growth, Fast Regulation, Huge Potential," which opens the Global & Emerging Markets Stage on Tuesday, September 29 at 13:00 local time.
The panel will bring together senior operators active across Europe to examine how player preferences vary between markets, which countries are expanding fastest, and where regulations are shifting activity away from the grey market and toward licensed operators. Scott will be joined by Christopher Coyne, CEO of 888Africa; Jason Gibson, Chief Commercial Officer of SportPesa; Aggrey Sayi, CEO of Maybets; and Ronnie Whelan, CEO of Kingmakers.
The discussion comes as Africa emerges as one of the fastest-growing regions in global iGaming. According to iGaming Business, the continent's online betting and gaming market is projected to grow from $12.7 billion in 2026 to $19.4 billion by 2030. The panel will explore, among other topics, the role mobile money platforms play in player conversion across the continent, as well as regulatory developments in markets including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Ghana, and Uganda.
Meridianbet, Meridian Holdings' flagship sports betting and gaming subsidiary, maintains an established presence across several African markets. Scott will bring insights from his experience navigating the continent's regulatory landscape in addition to his oversight of Meridian's broader international operations.
"Africa represents one of the most compelling growth stories in our industry right now, and it's an opportunity we've been building toward for years," said Scott. "I'm looking forward to sharing perspective alongside operators who, like Meridian, are working directly with regulators and players across these markets and discussing what it takes to build a sustainable, compliant business as this region continues to mature."
Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN), headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an established B2B and B2C gaming technology group operating across 25+ international regulated markets. The Company's B2C division is led by Meridianbet Group, a leading online sports betting and gaming operator founded in 2001 and licensed across Europe, Africa, and South America. Meridian's B2B division - comprising game developer Expanse Studios and iGaming platform GMAG - develops, licenses, and distributes proprietary gaming technology to a global client base. Additional subsidiaries include RKings Competitions (pay-to-enter prize competitions in the UK), MexPlay (regulated online casino in Mexico), and Classics for a Cause (Australia's leading subscription-based digital memberships and trade-promotion lottery). The Company's software automatically declines gaming or redemption requests originating in the United States, in strict compliance with U.S. law.
For more information, visit www.meridian-holdings.com. The original release is available on www.newmediawire.com.
This announcement underscores the growing importance of Africa in the global iGaming landscape, with significant market growth projected over the next several years. As regulations evolve and mobile money platforms drive player conversion, operators that can navigate these changes stand to benefit. Meridian's participation in the SBC Summit highlights its strategic focus on emerging markets and its commitment to sustainable, compliant growth. For investors and industry observers, Scott's insights may provide valuable perspective on the opportunities and challenges in Africa's iGaming sector, potentially influencing investment decisions and market strategies.
