IAGA announces 2026 International Gaming Summit and key speakers at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
Summit will be held June 2 to 4, 2026 at The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida
The International Association of Gaming Advisors (IAGA) will hold its 43rd International Gaming Summit Tuesday, June 2, through Thursday, June 4, 2026, at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota.
As a premier event that brings together leaders from all global gaming sectors, the Summit will provide operators, suppliers, attorneys, investors, bankers, sport governing bodies, regulators and other advisor delegates with an unparalleled opportunity to meet and discuss the most important issues facing the global gambling and betting industry.
“We are looking forward to holding our 2026 Annual International Gaming Summit in Sarasota, a beautiful city located on Florida’s Gulf Coast,” commented IAGA President Harper Ko. “Our 2026 agenda addresses numerous issues of critical importance to the gaming industry, including the growing issues created by prediction market contracts, the global illegal gambling and betting market, the ethics of using AI across gaming operations, the challenges facing sports betting and sports integrity, and more.”
“We are also pleased to announce that as part of the Summit, we will open each day with a combined general session that brings our Summit delegates together with attendees from the 2026 North American Gaming Regulators Association (NAGRA) Annual Conference taking place nearby at the Westin Hotel. Each combined session will be followed by networking break, enabling IAGA and NAGRA delegates to expand their relationships with other industry representatives.
“The Summit will open on Tuesday morning with a keynote address from Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International and Chief Executive Officer for Seminole Gaming. Allen is a gaming and hospitality industry veteran with over 40 years of experience and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Seminole Gaming, Chairman of Hard Rock International, Hard Rock Digital, and recently served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Gaming Association, the gaming industry’s premier trade group with membership representing every corner of the gaming industry. Responsible for all gaming, hospitality and entertainment operations at the Seminole Tribe of Florida since 2001, Allen has guided the development of Seminole Gaming into one of the world’s most successful casino and integrated resort operators, with seven casino locations throughout Florida, including the world’s first Guitar Hotel, which opened in October 2019.
“For our Tuesday afternoon keynote, representatives from Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), will provide an insightful look into the measures they are putting in place to protect the FIFA World Cup 2026 that begins June 11. The address will provide a comprehensive overview of FIFA Integrity’s competition monitoring framework for the FIFA World Cup 2026, highlighting key integrity measures, operations and cooperative structures with internal and external stakeholders.
“We are confident that this year’s Summit will provide an unmatched opportunity for gambling and betting industry stakeholders to broaden their knowledge of critical issues and strengthen their relationships with their counterparts.”
The full Summit agenda is available online at www.theiaga.org and is updated frequently as additional panelists are confirmed.
IAGA also announced the Summit’s evening social events: Welcome to Sarasota Opening Reception: Monday, June 1 from 6:30 – 8 p.m. We’ll open our 2026 Summit with a welcome reception at The Ritz-Carlton Sarasota that features local culinary favorites and gives our delegates an opportunity to catch up with their global colleagues ahead of the Summit sessions.
President’s Reception and Dinner: Tuesday, June 2 from 6:30 – 9 p.m. Held at the private Ritz-Carlton Beach Club located on Lido Key, our President’s Reception and Dinner will feature a variety of live action food stations in a relaxed atmosphere on and off the beach.
Closing Reception and Dinner: Thursday, June 4 from 7 – 9 p.m. We’ll celebrate the end of our 43rd Summit and NAGRA’s Annual Conference with a combined outdoor BBQ at The Ritz-Carlton.
