17:0019:00
Welcome Reception
Evening welcome reception opening the conference.
About New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference 2026
New Horizons in Safer Gambling 2026 is BCLC's conference on player health and harm prevention, held at the JW Marriott Parq in Vancouver from 2 to 4 November 2026. It gathers researchers, policymakers, regulators, treatment providers and gambling industry staff to look at evidence-based approaches to safer gambling. This year's theme, "The Disruption Paradox - Reinventing Safer Gambling", treats new technology, changing player expectations, public-health research and the convergence of gambling with gaming and entertainment as forces to be harnessed rather than feared. Sessions cover technology-led player protection, affordability and overspending detection, prediction markets, youth exposure to sports betting, rapid-cycle innovation, new research from UBC's Centre for Gambling Research and the role of lived experience. The programme opens with a welcome reception on the evening of 2 November, followed by two full days of keynotes, plenaries and breakout sessions with networking breakfasts and receptions. Keynote speakers are change strategist Jay Kiew and former AFL player David Schwarz. Sponsorship opportunities are offered for the first time in 2026.
Responsible GamblingRegulation & ComplianceTechnology & PlatformsAI & DataPrediction MarketsSports Betting
New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference 2026 speakers
7DSDavid SchwarzFormer Australian Football League playerJKJay KiewChange navigation strategist and keynote speakerCZChen ZouDaniel UmfleetCEOKindbridge Behavioral HealthLCLuke ClarkDirector, Centre for Gambling Research at UBCUniversity of British ColumbiaRWRaymond WuPhD student, Centre for Gambling ResearchUniversity of British ColumbiaWWWill WangPhD candidateUBC Sauder School of Business
New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference 2026 agenda
16 sessions09:0009:15
Welcome and Opening Remarks
Opening remarks for the first full conference day.
09:1510:30
Keynote 1: Navigating the Disruption Paradox
Jay Kiew presents his Change Fluency approach to turning disruption from technology, regulation and changing player behaviour into progress on safer gambling.
11:0012:00
Plenary 2: Smarter Safer Play: How Technology Is Disrupting Player Protection
Panel with Mindway AI, BetBlocker and Focal Research on safer play tools, behaviour tracking, real-time interventions and risk detection.
13:0014:00
Session 3A: A New Approach to Affordability: Using Technology to Identify Overspending
Introduces Focal Research's Affordability Index, built on behavioural data from over 10,000 EGM players, to flag players at risk of overspending.
13:0014:00
Session 3B: TBD
Breakout session; topic not yet announced.
14:1515:15
Plenary 4: Prediction Markets - When Gambling Harm Stops Looking Like Gambling
Kindbridge Behavioral Health CEO Daniel Umfleet discusses how prediction markets may create gambling harms that current support systems miss.
15:3016:45
Plenary 5: The Non-Negotiables for Safer Gambling
Three experts discuss the baseline player protections every market should keep and what must change as new gambling forms emerge.
17:0019:00
Networking Reception
Evening networking reception after day one.
09:0009:15
Opening Remarks
Opening remarks for day two.
09:1510:30
Keynote 6: The Human Algorithm: Why Lived Experience Is the Most Disruptive Force in Safer Gambling
Former AFL player David Schwarz argues that lived-experience education reaches people that technology-led safer gambling tools cannot.
11:0012:00
Plenary 7: Rewriting the Playbook: Engaging Youth in an Era of Sports Betting
Looks at research on youth attitudes to sports betting and new ways to reach young people, from digital-first campaigns to peer-led engagement.
13:0014:00
Session 8A: From Ideas to Action: Using Rapid Cycle Innovation to Strengthen Safer Gambling Practices
Greo Evidence Insights presents a framework for testing small, low-cost changes to safer gambling initiatives before scaling them.
13:0014:00
Session 8B: New Topics in the Science of Gambling
UBC Centre for Gambling Research trainees present new work on slot machines and boredom, loot boxes, and sports betting odds formats.
13:0014:00
Session 8C: From Incentives to Integration: Making Healthy Play a Seamless Part of the Player Experience
Atlantic Lottery and Splashdot share an incentive programme that rewards players for setting wager and session limits.
14:1515:30
Plenary 9: Disrupting the Status Quo: How Lived Experience is Driving Innovation in Safer Gambling
Panel on how lived experience is reshaping safer gambling practice, and the challenges of using it responsibly.
New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference 2026 news
1Save the Date: BCLC’s New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference returns November 2026
BCLC announced that New Horizons in Safer Gambling returns on 2-4 November 2026 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, bringing together research, policy and industry voices. The release also opened sponsorship opportunities for the first time and said programme and registration details would follow.
New Horizons in Safer Gambling Conference 2026 FAQs
5When and where is New Horizons in Safer Gambling 2026?
It runs from 2 to 4 November 2026 at the JW Marriott Parq Vancouver, 39 Smithe Street, Vancouver, BC. A welcome reception opens the event on the evening of 2 November, with full conference days on 3 and 4 November.
How much does registration cost?
Registration is listed at $1035 plus fees and taxes, sold through Eventbrite in Canadian dollars.
What does registration include?
Registration covers all sessions, panels and networking events, plus breakfast, lunch and refreshments.
Is there a conference hotel rate?
Yes. The JW Marriott Parq offers a preferred rate starting at $339, with limited availability on a first-come, first-served basis via the official booking link.
Can my organisation sponsor the conference?
Yes. Sponsorship is offered for the first time in 2026; enquiries go to [email protected].