SEICon 2026 returns to the Bellagio in Las Vegas from July 7-9, uniting over 1,000 leaders across sports, entertainment, and innovation. Co-hosted by UNLV and Syracuse University, the conference features 100+ speakers from the UFC, PGA of America, USA Today, and more.
This article was produced in collaboration with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and Syracuse University as part of our commitment to supporting independent research and innovation in sports and gaming.
The Sports, Entertainment, and Innovation Conference, also known as SEICon, returns to Las Vegas for its third consecutive year. The conference will once again be hosted at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino on the Vegas strip, a location that also recently hosted the 19th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking, which was organized by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' (UNLV) International Gaming Institute (IGI).
The show started in 2024, initially being held at the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and is co-hosted by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Sports Innovation Institute and Syracuse University's Falk College, with USA Today Sports serving as the presenting sponsor. It aims to unite industry professionals from across the US and beyond to "educate, collaborate, and create dynamic ventures together". SEICon brings together leaders from across sports, entertainment, academia, technology, media, government, investment, and innovation to discuss emerging trends.
Since its inaugural conference, SEICon has expanded significantly, with the upcoming conference featuring over 1,000 executive attendees and more than 100 speakers across over 40 sectors. Among experts from major organizations in the sports and entertainment space, like the UFC and PGA of America, the event features distinguished academics from UNLV and Syracuse University, including Rodney Paul, Jay Vickers, Dr. Chris Cain, and Dr. Hamid Ekbia.
The 2026 edition of the Sports, Entertainment and Innovation Conference, also known as SEICon III, takes place at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from July 7-9, continuing the conference's tradition of being hosted in the city. Having established itself there for its first two editions, SEICon reflects Las Vegas' growing reputation as a hub for all things sports, entertainment, and innovation.
According to Jay Vickers, the Director of the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute, the idea of SEICon first emerged in 2021 when UNLV recognized that the city's quick evolution into a major sports destination wasn't being matched with a conference that brought together the wider sports and entertainment ecosystem.
Back in 2024, he told UNLV, "With SEICon, we've created a platform for like-minded individuals within the entire sports, entertainment, and innovation ecosystem. We've presented them with an opportunity to be educated by and collaborate with the world's thought leaders in this industry - with the hope that this [eventually] will equal dealmaking."
Las Vegas has undergone a transformation over the past decade or so. While it's long been known as the world's casino and gambling capital, it's expanded to a wider entertainment and sports hub, thanks to the arrival of professional sports franchises like the NHL's Golden Knights, the WNBA's Aces, and the NFL's Raiders. The city has also recently hosted major sporting events like the F1 Grand Prix, the Super Bowl, and many UFC events.
This evolution makes Las Vegas a natural fit for the conference, which is centered on innovation and collaboration in the sports and entertainment industries.
In addition to being one of SEICon's founding partner universities, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas has a premier background in sports innovation, hospitality, and academic research - especially through the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute and the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality. The former is a nationally recognized hub that combines sports science and business to drive the future of the sports industry, and the latter is an academic institution devoted to gaming management and hospitality.
Through its partnerships and workforce development initiatives, the university helps bridge the gap between academia and the gambling industry. UNLV and the International Gaming Institute are also well-positioned to contribute to discussions around the future of sports and entertainment.
Jay Vickers, the Visionary and Co-Founder of SEICon, who has been involved in the conference since its preconception, told us, "SEICon III reflects what makes Las Vegas special - a city where innovation, opportunity, and world-class experiences come together to create what's next. Through the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute and the UNLV Harrah College of Hospitality, SEICon III demonstrates how higher education can serve as a catalyst for industry collaboration, workforce development, and innovation in the global sports and entertainment marketplace."
The Executive Director of Global Sport Hospitality Research at UNLV's William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, Dr. Chris Cain, also attends and speaks at the conference. He is also a member of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) of America and has been nationally recognized by the organization for his efforts in connecting academia and service to the sport of golf in ways that shape its future.
Alongside the UNLV Sports Innovation Institute, Syracuse University's David B. Falk College of Sport is another founding co-host and academic partner of SEICon. Many of the university's professors and faculty members play a major part in moderating panels, delivering presentations, and running workshops at the conference, especially from the Sport Management and Sport Analytics programs.
Dr. Hamid Ekbia, a Syracuse University professor and the Director of the Autonomous Systems Policy Institute, will be speaking at the conference, alongside other industry professionals in the fields of sports, media, investment, hospitality, and more.
When we asked him about his involvement with SEICon, he told us, "I'm excited to have been part of SEICon since its inception in 2024 and to work with Falk colleagues, especially Prof. Paul, on topics of mutual interest such as sports betting. SEICon is a unique space that brings people from different backgrounds and perspectives to think collectively about technology and innovation in a way that would benefit our society."
In addition, the Director of Sport Analytics at Syracuse University's Falk College of Sport, Rodney Paul, is another industry professional speaking at the conference. He has presented at numerous national and international conferences, and his research has been published in The Journal of Sports Economics, Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, and more.
Rodney Paul's research was also recently presented at another major conference held at the Bellagio - the 19th International Conference on Gambling & Risk Taking, which took place from May 26th to 28th. He presented several research papers at multiple sessions, including "Cross-Sport Substitution Effects on NBA Betting Volume: Evidence from the 2024-2025 Regular Season" and "Price in the Player? Testing Performance-Based Mispricing in NFT Fantasy Sports Markets".
He co-wrote the latter with Dr. Hamid Ekbia, Nick Riccardi (a Ph.D. Candidate and Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University), and Andrew Weinbach (a Professor of Economics at Coastal Carolina University). The study looked at how players value digital soccer player cards on a blockchain fantasy sports website, Sorare. By comparing real-life player performance with NFT sale prices, the researchers examined whether market prices remain rational or become distorted by short-term performance trends.
Their findings suggest that players in good form often see their NFT cards momentarily sell at higher prices before eventually returning to their original levels. In other words, users seem willing to pay a premium for "hot" players because of recent performance, even when prices should already reflect long-term value.
In total, there will be over 100 individuals speaking at SEICon, bringing together expertise from across the sports, media, academia, investment, technology, wellness, and hospitality sectors.
In addition to professors and faculty members from UNLV and Syracuse University, the speaker lineup includes professionals from organizations like the UFC, The IX Sports, PGA of America, Stathletes, and more. Several industry influencers, broadcasters, and philanthropists will also be in attendance, including Leigh Steinberg, Greg Oden, Kate Eckman, and Bonnie-Jill Laflin.
These speakers showcase the interconnected nature of modern sports innovation and entertainment. Plus, with the conference occurring in Las Vegas, a city where sports, entertainment, technology, hospitality, and gaming often overlap, it's taking place in a fitting destination for discussions that span multiple industries.
Ultimately, SEICon highlights the importance of education, innovation, and collaboration in the sports and entertainment spaces. The involvement of Syracuse University and UNLV gives the event a strong academic focus, while also showing how the universities and other industry professionals can work together to drive new ideas.
The conference is held at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino from July 7th to 9th.
Ziv has been covering the iGaming industry for over 25 years, having held senior positions at casino technology companies. He is a slots aficionado who loves the overlap between technology and players, and he loves spending days in Las Vegas, tribal casinos, and other casino floors across the country.
