Alea’s Alexandre Tomic: SBC Americas Unites Key North American and Latin American Markets

(AsiaGameHub) –   Alexandre Tomic, founder of Alea, has outlined how the company is gearing up for SBC Summit Americas.

Exclusive interview.- Alexandre Tomic, founder of Alea, discussed how the company is preparing for SBC Summit Americas. The event will take place in Fort Lauderdale in June.

In this exclusive interview with Focus Gaming News, Tomic addressed Alea’s objectives for the show and its primary focus for the opening months of the year. He also provided perspectives on sweepstakes, challenges facing the igaming industry in the US, and plans for the months ahead.

Alea began 2026 with new commercial agreements, participation in multiple events, and award nominations. How would you characterize the start of the year?

Extremely busy. Since January, the team has been on the move: Brazil, Africa, Dubai, across Europe. If a conference brings our clients and providers together, we make sure to attend.

The standout story for us this year has been the Alea jackpot. We introduced it at ICE in January, completed over 70 demos in three days, and the response confirmed we had built something the market genuinely wanted. An agnostic jackpot positioned above game studios, where the operator retains full control. Since then, it has been our central commercial and product priority.

The schedule moves next to SBC Summit Americas. How are you preparing and what are your objectives?

SBC Summit Americas places two of our largest markets in the same room at the same time, North America and LatAm, so we ensure we are properly represented. Local teams, personnel traveling in, dedicated time for clients. We approach it the same way every time: show up, make yourself available, and hold the conversations.

Sweepstakes is generating significant momentum this year, and points to where things are heading next. Brazil is now on the agenda, and many LatAm markets are examining it closely. The model is appealing because no licence is required, a legal opinion is obtained, and markets previously closed to real money gaming suddenly become accessible. That is what we will be there to discuss.

“The standout story for us this year has been the Alea jackpot.”

Alexandre Tomic, founder of Alea.

You were in New York in March. What stood out most in discussions with US operators about sweepstakes?

The US market has become highly inventive in finding ways to gamble without labeling it as such. Sweepstakes, prediction markets, social casinos. There is a strong cultural inclination toward gambling, yet a complex regulatory history with it, so the industry continually identifies the gaps. Operators there are sophisticated; they understand the mechanics, the opportunity, and they are moving quickly.

That market is always surprising. Just when you think you know where it is heading, it has already shifted elsewhere.

What are the primary challenges currently facing the igaming industry in the US market?

Regulation. It is so fragmented that navigation is genuinely difficult. Every state has its own rules, its own appetite, its own limits. What works in New Jersey does not work in Nevada. There is no federal framework holding it together, so you are effectively operating in multiple different countries under one banner. And the political landscape can change rapidly. Something legal in one state today can disappear tomorrow, often with little warning. The only consolation is that if one state closes, operations can continue in others. But it keeps everyone alert.

How do North American players differ from those in other markets, and how are you adapting your offering?

The US player has developed a very different relationship with gambling compared to a European player. Sports betting arrived first and shaped expectations around interface, speed, and the social element. Casino is newer, so habits are less established, but the interest is present.

We adapt the offering through people and data. We have local teams in these markets who understand them, and we use player and market behaviour data to support decisions. Game preference, what works and what does not, varies significantly from one market to another. You need both elements to get it right.

“The US player has developed a very different relationship with gambling compared to a European player.”

Alexandre Tomic, founder of Alea.

What are Alea’s plans for the coming months?

iGB Live in London in July is the next major event on the calendar.

On the product side, the jackpot is live and performing well. That remains the main focus. But the broader direction is clear: aggregation does not have to mean games alone. We began with payments, now the jackpot, and there is more to come before the end of the year.