Episode 90·11:27·12 Oct 2026

All Roads Lead to Rome: What’s in Store for SiGMA 2026? | Chloe von Brockdorff

with Chloe Von Brockdorff, CCO, SiGMA Group

Surya Palli

Founder of iGaming Real Talk.·12 Oct 2026

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In Episode 90, Surya speaks with Chloe Von Brockdorff the CCO of SiGMA Group about what will be different in Rome this year. The event will bring four verticals together under one ticket, with SiGMA, Affiliate Grand Slam, FX World and AIBC all operating within the same wider event.

Chloe also addresses one of the main complaints from the previous Rome edition: transport. She says the logistics team began working on the issue almost immediately after last year's event, with more shuttle routes, a structured taxi system and additional chauffeur options planned this time.

The conversation then moves to a bigger question for the industry. With SBC Lisbon and SiGMA Rome happening within a relatively short period, does iGaming really need so many large events? Chloe does not claim there is a simple answer, but says the demand is clearly there. She also argues that different shows continue to attract regional audiences, while repeated face-to-face meetings help relationships develop over time.

For her, this is still the main value of events. Business is built through human interaction, knowing clients personally and building trust beyond a single meeting.

The episode closes with SiGMA's expansion beyond traditional iGaming through affiliation, fintech, forex, AI and blockchain, as well as how the company is thinking about future markets while regulatory conditions continue to change.

Last year really, I would say, served as a prelude to what we're doing this year.

Expect the unexpected here. It's going to be something very, very different.

I'm a very strong believer that clients don't buy products, they buy outcomes.

I'm a huge believer that real business is built on human interaction.

We pride ourselves on being wherever the industry needs us to be.

Key takeaways

SiGMA Rome is becoming much bigger than last year
Chloe describes the previous Rome edition almost as a starting point for what SiGMA is trying to create this year.
“Last year really, I would say, served as a prelude to what we're doing this year.”
She calls Rome SiGMA's most ambitious project to date, bringing four different verticals together.
One ticket now covers four different shows
The Rome event combines SiGMA with Affiliate Grand Slam, FX World and AIBC.
The verticals cover gaming, mainstream affiliation, forex and fintech, and AI and blockchain.
Chloe says the objective is to bring a wider ecosystem together rather than operate each audience completely separately.
Transport was one of the biggest lessons from last year
Surya raises attendee complaints around getting to and from the venue during the previous Rome show.
Chloe acknowledges it directly.
“It was one of our major bottlenecks.”
She says the logistics team began working on solutions one week after the previous edition.
The demand for more events is still there
Surya asks whether the industry really needs two very large European events within such a short period.
Chloe says the calendar is undeniably busy, but she believes demand still exists.
She also points out that audiences are not identical, even when two shows happen in Europe.
Trust takes more than one meeting
Chloe sees the event calendar as more than repeated sales meetings.
“Trust doesn't happen in one conversation.”
A relationship might begin at one regional event, continue somewhere else and eventually turn into business months later.

About the guest

Chloe Von Brockdorff

CCO, SiGMA Group

LinkedIn profile

Extended summary

Published by the podcast, not written by our newsroom.

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(00:00 - 00:38) Surya: Do you think there is a necessity for actually two big events in the same part of the calendar? Chloe: Last year really, I would say, served as a prelude to what we're doing this year. Surya: What's next? Chloe: We saw an opportunity. Surya: If there's one thing that people discover in Rome that they wouldn't expect, what would it be? Chloe: Expect the unexpected here. It's going to be something very different.

We already have 1,200-plus exhibitors and sponsors. Business is built on human interaction. This is our global hub. Surya: And trust doesn't happen in one conversation. Chloe: You know, I wish I had the answer. Surya: Where do you see the SiGMA brand evolving? Chloe: Wherever the industry needs us to be.

(00:50 - 01:23) Surya: We are here in Lisbon. iGaming Real Talk is launching the seventh edition of Real Roadshow, where we spoke to 24 leaders and experts, covering insights and conversations from the expo floor, but also from the sky. Stay tuned for more on that. This series is brought to you by the SOFTSWISS 2027 iGaming Trends Report, featuring five years of insights. (01:38 - 02:10) Surya: Hello and welcome back to another episode of iGaming Real Talk.

I'm very excited to have Chloe with me, CCO of SiGMA Group. Chloe, welcome to the show. Chloe: Thank you for having me. Surya: Of course, I've had conversations with many professionals from SiGMA, but this time I wanted to focus more on the coming show, SiGMA Rome. I think the slogan is something like “All roads lead to Rome,” right? Chloe: Correct. Yes. Surya: I've seen it everywhere almost. This is the second edition of the event happening in Rome.

So what can attendees expect differently this time? (02:10 - 03:48) Chloe: Last year really, I would say, served as a prelude to what we're doing this year. I think it's almost incomparable. Last year, of course, was our first time in a new city. While I think we did exceptionally well, good is never good enough. You always want to strive to do better, be better. It's our most ambitious project to date. We have four verticals.

We're bringing four verticals, so one ticket gives you access to four shows. We have, of course, our SiGMA brand. We launched AGS, which is mainstream affiliation. We have FX World, which is forex and fintech. And AIBC, AI and blockchain. Surya: Yeah. Chloe: We're really bringing the entire ecosystem together. Somehow, even though each vertical is different from one another, they all serve the same purpose as well.

Apart from that, I would say the creative elements we're bringing to Rome this year. It's a festival of sorts as well. Rome is a city that's really deep-rooted in culture and innovation. We're taking the best elements from that cultural aspect as well and putting our creative team on full force. Expect the unexpected here. It's going to be something very, very different that I think the industry hasn't seen before. (03:48 - 05:02) Surya: Wow. That's really amazing.

I didn't make it last time, so I'm really looking forward to it. I've seen on the website that you already have 1,200-plus exhibitors and sponsors. That's a very big number. This is the biggest SiGMA show ever. What do you think, if there's one thing that people discover in Rome that they wouldn't expect, what would it be? Chloe: I think again it's the scale of the event and how we have weighed the significance of every outcome.

The user journey is one that we're really putting all forces together to make sure that no stone is left unturned. I'm a very strong believer that clients don't buy products, they buy outcomes. Surya: Yeah. Chloe: All of us as a group are really working hard to make sure that everybody, whether you're an attendee, exhibitor or sponsor, your outcome is really measured well. This is what we're trying to do collectively.

(05:02 - 06:06) Surya: One of the things that last year's attendees were mentioning was a little bit of dissatisfaction in terms of transportation to and from the venue. I'm curious to understand what's going to be different this time and how it's being worked on. Chloe: Yes. It was one of our major bottlenecks. It was an issue that our logistics team started working to resolve one week after the previous edition. This year we have many shuttle routes.

We're going to have a drop-off system very similar to an airport taxi pickup and drop-off waiting system. We have 136 taxis at any given time. We're going a step further as well. We also have a VIP chauffeur service for clients. You have two options. You can either have this for 12 hours a day or 24 hours a day for your team. It can also become a branding opportunity through the city itself. We listen to our clients' feedback and we try to create opportunities for them.

(06:06 - 07:16) Surya: SBC Lisbon is happening now. In around a month we have SiGMA Rome. Obviously these are very large-scale events for the industry within a short period of time. Do you think there is a necessity for actually two big events in the same part of the calendar? Chloe: Look, it's no secret that the roadmap is busy. I think it's very hard for anyone to determine whether or not there is a need for it. But the want and demand are there.

You can take a look at the floor plan. It speaks for itself. This industry is very fast-paced, and I think the events roadmap becomes crowded for a reason. I can't say if there's a need or not. It's subjective. But the want and demand are there. I think shows like this speak for themselves. The energy is electrifying. Despite being two European shows, you also have to think about your regional audience. You still have a very high regional focus too.

(07:16 - 09:02) Surya: Do you see a slightly different audience coming to Rome compared to people attending Lisbon? Chloe: Our Italian market, for starters. But Rome is not an Italian-focused event per se. This is our global hub. We have partners and delegates coming from all over the world, from Asia, Africa, LATAM. I think this is the beauty of our roadmap as well. You can pick up a conversation with somebody in Asia.

Then you can continue that conversation in Rome and then close the deal in Africa. It's about creating that brand and trust. Trust doesn't happen in one conversation. I'm a huge believer that real business is built on human interaction. The only thing that's really going to set you apart from any of your competitors is how well you know your clients. Not just their product. Know them on a personal basis. That human relationship, that element of trust.

People automatically want to do business with people they like. Whether you have a solution to their problem or not, if you have that connection, you're always going to find a way to work together. This is another important element that I really feel we bring to the table for our clients. It's feedback that I get very often, that it feels like a home in comparison to many of the other expos that they attend. We pride ourselves on calling it a SiGMA family for a reason.

It's not just an internal culture. I think our clients feel it too, which is amazing. Surya: That's great to hear. I was part of that as well, so I can understand what you mean from the internal aspect. (09:11 - 10:14) Surya: Just to close off, from what I see, SiGMA is increasingly becoming much bigger than just an iGaming show. You have AGS for affiliates. You have FX World, recently launched for forex. You also have AIBC for blockchain and frontier tech.

Where do you see the SiGMA brand evolving next year? You already had seven events this year. So what's next? Chloe: I think we pride ourselves on being wherever the industry needs us to be. I think that's not limited to the iGaming industry as well. We saw an opportunity. We saw that there's a gap in the market. While there are other fintech expos, AI summits and the same for affiliation as well, what sets us apart is the scale and significance in which we operate.

It's tiring. It's a lot of work. But we make sure that we're where everyone needs us to be. (10:14 - 11:03) Surya: Do you think there will still be SiGMA South America next year, keeping in mind the latest changes in regulation in Brazil? Chloe: Look, I think it's a waiting game at the moment. I wish I had the answer for this. Surya: It's quite recent. Just last Friday. Chloe: Just last Friday.

I think it's actually one of the hottest topics here this week, but I don't think anybody has the answer for it. I'm cautiously optimistic. But again, we don't just sit back and wait. Everybody needs to have some kind of contingency plan. We're cautiously optimistic. Pre-election tactics and strategies, it's a dangerous game to play. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Surya: We'll have to wait and see. (11:03 - 11:19) Surya: All right, cool.

Thank you so much for joining me and explaining from your perspective what everyone can expect in Rome as well as for next year. Thank you. Chloe: Thank you for having me. I'll see you in Rome. Surya: Yes, definitely. That's it, guys, for this one. Thank you for watching. Do share your thoughts in the comments below and I'll see you on the next one.

(00:00 - 00:38) Surya: Do you think there is a necessity for actually two big events in the same part of the calendar? Chloe: Last year really, I would say, served as a prelude to what we're doing this year. Surya: What's next? Chloe: We saw an opportunity. Surya: If there's one thing that people discover in Rome that they wouldn't expect, what would it be? Chloe: Expect the unexpected here. It's going to be something very different.
We already have 1,200-plus exhibitors and sponsors. Business is built on human interaction. This is our global hub. Surya: And trust doesn't happen in one conversation. Chloe: You know, I wish I had the answer. Surya: Where do you see the SiGMA brand evolving? Chloe: Wherever the industry needs us to be.
(00:50 - 01:23) Surya: We are here in Lisbon. iGaming Real Talk is launching the seventh edition of Real Roadshow, where we spoke to 24 leaders and experts, covering insights and conversations from the expo floor, but also from the sky. Stay tuned for more on that. This series is brought to you by the SOFTSWISS 2027 iGaming Trends Report, featuring five years of insights. (01:38 - 02:10) Surya: Hello and welcome back to another episode of iGaming Real Talk.
I'm very excited to have Chloe with me, CCO of SiGMA Group. Chloe, welcome to the show. Chloe: Thank you for having me. Surya: Of course, I've had conversations with many professionals from SiGMA, but this time I wanted to focus more on the coming show, SiGMA Rome. I think the slogan is something like “All roads lead to Rome,” right? Chloe: Correct. Yes. Surya: I've seen it everywhere almost. This is the second edition of the event happening in Rome.
So what can attendees expect differently this time? (02:10 - 03:48) Chloe: Last year really, I would say, served as a prelude to what we're doing this year. I think it's almost incomparable. Last year, of course, was our first time in a new city. While I think we did exceptionally well, good is never good enough. You always want to strive to do better, be better. It's our most ambitious project to date. We have four verticals.
We're bringing four verticals, so one ticket gives you access to four shows. We have, of course, our SiGMA brand. We launched AGS, which is mainstream affiliation. We have FX World, which is forex and fintech. And AIBC, AI and blockchain. Surya: Yeah. Chloe: We're really bringing the entire ecosystem together. Somehow, even though each vertical is different from one another, they all serve the same purpose as well.
Apart from that, I would say the creative elements we're bringing to Rome this year. It's a festival of sorts as well. Rome is a city that's really deep-rooted in culture and innovation. We're taking the best elements from that cultural aspect as well and putting our creative team on full force. Expect the unexpected here. It's going to be something very, very different that I think the industry hasn't seen before. (03:48 - 05:02) Surya: Wow. That's really amazing.
I didn't make it last time, so I'm really looking forward to it. I've seen on the website that you already have 1,200-plus exhibitors and sponsors. That's a very big number. This is the biggest SiGMA show ever. What do you think, if there's one thing that people discover in Rome that they wouldn't expect, what would it be? Chloe: I think again it's the scale of the event and how we have weighed the significance of every outcome.
The user journey is one that we're really putting all forces together to make sure that no stone is left unturned. I'm a very strong believer that clients don't buy products, they buy outcomes. Surya: Yeah. Chloe: All of us as a group are really working hard to make sure that everybody, whether you're an attendee, exhibitor or sponsor, your outcome is really measured well. This is what we're trying to do collectively.
(05:02 - 06:06) Surya: One of the things that last year's attendees were mentioning was a little bit of dissatisfaction in terms of transportation to and from the venue. I'm curious to understand what's going to be different this time and how it's being worked on. Chloe: Yes. It was one of our major bottlenecks. It was an issue that our logistics team started working to resolve one week after the previous edition. This year we have many shuttle routes.
We're going to have a drop-off system very similar to an airport taxi pickup and drop-off waiting system. We have 136 taxis at any given time. We're going a step further as well. We also have a VIP chauffeur service for clients. You have two options. You can either have this for 12 hours a day or 24 hours a day for your team. It can also become a branding opportunity through the city itself. We listen to our clients' feedback and we try to create opportunities for them.
(06:06 - 07:16) Surya: SBC Lisbon is happening now. In around a month we have SiGMA Rome. Obviously these are very large-scale events for the industry within a short period of time. Do you think there is a necessity for actually two big events in the same part of the calendar? Chloe: Look, it's no secret that the roadmap is busy. I think it's very hard for anyone to determine whether or not there is a need for it. But the want and demand are there.
You can take a look at the floor plan. It speaks for itself. This industry is very fast-paced, and I think the events roadmap becomes crowded for a reason. I can't say if there's a need or not. It's subjective. But the want and demand are there. I think shows like this speak for themselves. The energy is electrifying. Despite being two European shows, you also have to think about your regional audience. You still have a very high regional focus too.
(07:16 - 09:02) Surya: Do you see a slightly different audience coming to Rome compared to people attending Lisbon? Chloe: Our Italian market, for starters. But Rome is not an Italian-focused event per se. This is our global hub. We have partners and delegates coming from all over the world, from Asia, Africa, LATAM. I think this is the beauty of our roadmap as well. You can pick up a conversation with somebody in Asia.
Then you can continue that conversation in Rome and then close the deal in Africa. It's about creating that brand and trust. Trust doesn't happen in one conversation. I'm a huge believer that real business is built on human interaction. The only thing that's really going to set you apart from any of your competitors is how well you know your clients. Not just their product. Know them on a personal basis. That human relationship, that element of trust.
People automatically want to do business with people they like. Whether you have a solution to their problem or not, if you have that connection, you're always going to find a way to work together. This is another important element that I really feel we bring to the table for our clients. It's feedback that I get very often, that it feels like a home in comparison to many of the other expos that they attend. We pride ourselves on calling it a SiGMA family for a reason.
It's not just an internal culture. I think our clients feel it too, which is amazing. Surya: That's great to hear. I was part of that as well, so I can understand what you mean from the internal aspect. (09:11 - 10:14) Surya: Just to close off, from what I see, SiGMA is increasingly becoming much bigger than just an iGaming show. You have AGS for affiliates. You have FX World, recently launched for forex. You also have AIBC for blockchain and frontier tech.
Where do you see the SiGMA brand evolving next year? You already had seven events this year. So what's next? Chloe: I think we pride ourselves on being wherever the industry needs us to be. I think that's not limited to the iGaming industry as well. We saw an opportunity. We saw that there's a gap in the market. While there are other fintech expos, AI summits and the same for affiliation as well, what sets us apart is the scale and significance in which we operate.
It's tiring. It's a lot of work. But we make sure that we're where everyone needs us to be. (10:14 - 11:03) Surya: Do you think there will still be SiGMA South America next year, keeping in mind the latest changes in regulation in Brazil? Chloe: Look, I think it's a waiting game at the moment. I wish I had the answer for this. Surya: It's quite recent. Just last Friday. Chloe: Just last Friday.
I think it's actually one of the hottest topics here this week, but I don't think anybody has the answer for it. I'm cautiously optimistic. But again, we don't just sit back and wait. Everybody needs to have some kind of contingency plan. We're cautiously optimistic. Pre-election tactics and strategies, it's a dangerous game to play. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Surya: We'll have to wait and see. (11:03 - 11:19) Surya: All right, cool.
Thank you so much for joining me and explaining from your perspective what everyone can expect in Rome as well as for next year. Thank you. Chloe: Thank you for having me. I'll see you in Rome. Surya: Yes, definitely. That's it, guys, for this one. Thank you for watching. Do share your thoughts in the comments below and I'll see you on the next one.