Cybersecurity in Gaming Summit Returns to SBC Summit Canada 2026 with Focus on AI and Risk

As AI expands the attack surface and cyber threats grow more sophisticated, pressure is mounting on the gaming industry to strengthen oversight and control. The Cybersecurity in Gaming Summit returns in 2026 to confront these challenges, with a focus on risk, regulation and resilience.

Taking place on Wednesday, May 20, the summit forms part of the SBC Summit Canada 2026 conference programme. Developed in partnership with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), it brings together cybersecurity leaders, legal and compliance specialists, and industry experts for a dedicated deep dive into one of the industry’s fastest-growing areas of concern.

Beyond identifying risks, the programme will explore how organisations can respond, from managing AI-driven threats to building governance frameworks that stand up to increasing regulatory scrutiny.

“Gaming operators handle large volumes of player data and financial transactions, making cybersecurity a critical priority for the entire industry,” said Graham Reed, Vice President of Cyber and Information Security at OLG. “Every time we take a step forward with technology, the risks evolve with it. With AI, the difference now is the speed and scale of those threats. The question ‘are we moving fast enough?’ is more important than ever. This summit is about ensuring Canadian operators are considering what’s next.” 

As the industry grapples with these challenges, the summit will feature leading voices in AI and ethics, including Nell Watson, philosopher, engineer and author, who will make two appearances throughout the day.

Watson has spent decades working across ethics, emerging technology and AI, holding leadership roles at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the European Responsible Artificial Intelligence Office (EURAIO), and advising organisations including Apple and Amazon. She is also the author of two books on AI and has spoken at institutions such as the World Bank, the United Nations General Assembly and the Royal Society.

Watson will deliver a keynote on the “Leaders Stage”, titled “The Agent in the Machine: Trust, Capability and the New AI Era,” examining how agentic AI is reshaping cybersecurity and forcing organisations to rethink trust and control. The session will also address how operators can deploy AI responsibly while maintaining effective governance.

Watson will also take part in the fireside chat “Bonus Level: An Interactive Conversation with Our Keynote.” Joined by OLG’s Graham Reed, she will answer a series of questions on agentic AI and strategy before opening the floor to a live Q&A with the audience.

The session “Cybersecurity in Gaming: Emerging Risks and Opportunities” will examine how cyber threats are becoming more automated, more organised and increasingly shaped by AI, including the rise of agentic systems. Experts Rick Carville (VP, Cybersecurity & CISO, Great Canadian Entertainment) and Bryan Pollitt (Associate Partner, Consulting, EY Canada), alongside moderator Graham Reed (Vice President, Cyber & Information Security Office, OLG), will explore where the biggest pressure points lie, how attack methods are changing and how organisations can strengthen resilience.

“Mastering Agentic AI: The Playbook for Safe & Scalable Autonomy” will focus on how agentic AI is transforming how organisations operate, requiring a shift from managing risk to building organisation-wide capability. Led by Graham Reed and moderated by Tom Nightingale (Editor, Canadian Gaming Business), the session will examine how to align cybersecurity, IT and business teams to deploy autonomous systems securely.

The panel “Proving Control: Compliance and Accountability in a Changing Risk Environment” will address how organisations can move beyond understanding risk to demonstrating control and accountability as new technologies evolve. Graham Reed, Tony Wong (General Counsel, OLG), Karl Rempel (Senior Manager, Technology Regulation and Compliance, ACGO) and Danielle M. Bush (Senior Counsel, McCarthy Tétrault) will discuss how to build compliance frameworks that can adapt to regulatory change and emerging technologies.

“Cybersecurity is becoming one of the defining challenges for the gaming industry,” said Aidan Brain, VP of Conference Production at SBC. “Working with OLG allows us to ground this programme in real operational experience and focus on the risks organisations are dealing with today.”

OLG is a Crown agency that oversees lottery, casino, digital and charitable gaming operations in Ontario, in addition to supporting the province’s horse racing sector.

Since 1975, OLG has generated nearly $64 billion back to the people and Province of Ontario, supporting key priorities such as healthcare, the treatment and prevention of problem gambling and amateur sport. Its proceeds also support host communities, Ontario First Nations, lottery retailers and local charities across Ontario. One hundred percent of OLG's profits are reinvested back into the province.

SBC Summit Canada will take place from 19–21 May at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, bringing together operators, suppliers, regulators and affiliates at a pivotal moment for the Canadian gaming industry, as Alberta moves towards launching a regulated market expected to follow Ontario’s model.