Event Recap: iGB L!VE London 2026

iGB LIVE hit London in the middle of a proper heatwave, turning the ExCeL show floor into a greenhouse. You know what happens in a greenhouse, though? Growth. And that’s what this event was all about. Nobody let it slow them down. Our very own Jimmy and Katerina took on the temperature, the floor, and the clients, and came out wiser and more connected than ever.

📅 Dates: July 1-2, 2026
📍 Place: London, UK
🏟️ Venue: ExCeL London

Who Was There and What They Wanted

iGB Live London leaned toward casino and sports betting, though affiliates worked it just as hard. Direct advertisers and media buyers were doing most of the hunting, chasing deals table to table. Brazilian operators showed up too, drawn in by the regulation that’s been live since January 2025. 

Newer brands wandered around still writing their playbook; they knew where to start looking even if they hadn’t figured out where to land yet. Auto Rules got its fair share of attention too, mostly from people tired of babysitting their own campaigns by hand.

Key Trends

Predictive markets, the trend everyone expected, barely got a mention. PPC’s slow death did instead, with conversations circling spreading risk across channels instead of betting everything on one. Influencer marketing traffic got name-dropped constantly, but the trust just isn’t there yet. The ROI feels too shaky for most budgets to commit past a toe-dip.

Regulation is still the talk of the town. Things are tightening channel by channel instead of industry-wide. More hoops to jump through, same size space to fight over. Nobody who’d already read the fine print seemed worried about it, though.

The Vibe Check

The room ran heavy on business and light on small talk, with people pushing straight into CPM and revshare numbers before pleasantries even landed. Away from the main booths, a lot of the good stuff happened during side conversations with new partners. A few turned into real connections by the end of the day, useful ones too. Perfect for when a client needs more than what’s already on the roster.

And finishing with a top tip: leave a 30-minute gap around every meeting instead of stacking them back to back. Actual time to talk instead of rushing a pitch before sprinting to the next one. It was hot enough without throwing running into the mix.

The Ratings

Location:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

London was burning, but Excel… excelled. Great location, brilliant space.

Networking:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

The perfect time to put faces to names of loyal clients. Great new connections, too.

Booths:

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Three hundred + exhibitors packed into 22,000 sq m. Good luck finding a quiet corner.

Presentations/Speakers:

⭐⭐⭐

Talks stayed sharp and insightful as always, no surprises there.

After-events/Parties:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Myleene Klass hosted the awards night at the Shard, Cool Britannia theme and all. A football tournament rounded out the week.

Cost (accommodation, food, etc.):

⭐⭐ 

London isn’t getting any cheaper. Make sure your budget comes with an elastic waistband.

iGB Live London: Final Verdict

iGB L!VE London delivered exactly the kind of week worth clearing the calendar for. People wanted numbers, not chit-chat, and the conference provided. Auto Rules kept popping up in conversation without anyone needing a nudge, and a handful of new partnerships came out of it almost by accident. 

Throw in a proper London heatwave, an awards night at the Shard, and enough business done on the floor to make the trip worth it twice over, and this one’s already got a spot booked for next year.