Reimagining Growth: Fortuna Edge at SBC Summit Americas 2025

Last week, the Fortuna Edge Media team headed to Fort Lauderdale for the SBC Summit Americas 2025, joining industry leaders, innovators, and trailblazers across sports betting, iGaming, media, and tech. The event was a clear signal: the North American betting landscape is maturing fast and affiliates must evolve even faster.

With two packed days of content, networking, and strategic discussions, the summit tackled some of the most pressing questions in our space. And for us, it was a powerful opportunity to not only connect with partners and operators but also to shape the conversation around the future of affiliate growth strategies.

Taking the Stage: M&A and Beyond for Affiliates

Our co-founder Darragh Toolan spoke on the Day 2 panel: “Adapting Growth Strategies: M&A and Beyond for Affiliates.” The session unpacked how affiliates can scale in a time where traditional M&A models are being questioned and why innovation now often beats consolidation.

Here are three key takeaways from our participation:

1. M&A is No Longer the Only Growth Play

For years, mergers and acquisitions were the go-to path for scale. But as valuations tighten and deal fatigue sets in, the panel consensus was clear: affiliates must look beyond buying and selling. Organic audience building, media diversification, and owned technology are the new levers of competitive advantage.

At Fortuna Edge, we’ve embraced this shift. Our approach is to own the user relationship not just rent it. That’s why we’re investing in tech infrastructure, building our own ecosystem and exploring new verticals where user intent is high and growth models are strong.

2. Proprietary Channels Are the Next Frontier

Affiliates today face growing pressure from both operators and regulators. That means owning more of the funnel isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. On the panel, we discussed how affiliates with proprietary infrastructure or technology are better positioned to withstand attribution changes, competition and regulations.

3. Sustainable Growth Requires Bold Positioning

One point we emphasized during the session: in a commoditized landscape, playing it safe is the riskiest move. Affiliates must double down on their unique edge whether it’s geographic focus, media assets, tech, or audience ownership.

Beyond the Panel: Key Themes from SBC Americas 2025

Across the summit, several other themes resonated strongly with us:

• Personalization at Scale: From media buying to product offers, the demand for tailored user journeys continues to rise. Affiliates who can segment and serve content by intent and behavior will win.

• Data x Creative: The next wave of winning campaigns will come from those who marry strong data signals with bold, emotional creative especially in saturated sports markets.

• Regulatory Intelligence: With state-by-state rules tightening, affiliates need to be as legally savvy as they are technically sharp. Compliance is becoming a competitive advantage.

• Diversification is King: From iGaming and Sports Betting to international markets, there’s growing interest in vertical expansion. But the message was clear: test fast, learn faster.

Looking Ahead

The SBC Summit confirmed what we’ve believed all along the affiliate model is beginning its next chapter. The old playbook of arbitraging or playing catch-up with Google updates won’t cut it anymore. What’s required is sharper positioning, leaner infrastructure, and a deep understanding of where user attention is heading next.

At Fortuna Edge, we’re more focused than ever on building for the future one where engagement beats browser clicks, where owning data matters more than owning domains and where the most valuable affiliates are those who can drive real performance through proprietary systems.

We left Fort Lauderdale energized, inspired, and with our eyes firmly on the road ahead. If you’re an operator, investor, or partner looking for what’s next in affiliate growth — we’d love to talk.

See you at the next summit.