Tom Light Named to 2026 Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40 List

Tom Light, founder and CEO of sportsbook provider FIRST.bet, has been selected for the Emerging Leaders of Gaming (ELG) 40 Under 40 Class of 2026. The annual program, run by The Innovation Group (TIG) in partnership with Global Gaming Business (GGB) and iGaming Business (iGB), honors professionals under 40 who are driving meaningful change across the global gaming industry.

Record Nominations and Industry Recognition

This year's cohort was drawn from a record pool of more than 250 nominations worldwide, according to program organizers. Honorees span operators, suppliers, legal experts, regulators, and marketers, reflecting a broad cross-section of the modern gaming sector. Light is separately profiled in GGB's Class of 2026 feature. The accolade follows his Individual Achievement Award at the EGR Awards 2026, where FIRST.bet also earned Sports Betting Supplier of the Year.

"Building in this space requires long-term thinking. Results take time, and consistency matters more than short-term wins," Light said in response to the recognition.

Background and Growth of FIRST.bet

Light was born and raised in Israel before relocating to Bulgaria in 2013. Over more than a decade, he helped shape early live-betting mechanics that became industry standards. Under his leadership, FIRST.bet has grown to more than 500 employees, with major operations in Sofia and Plovdiv. The company's sportsbook engine emphasizes speed, scalability, real-time performance, dynamic pricing, and risk management.

"Today we are talking about thousands of events per day and hundreds of markets," Light noted. "We focus on speed, scalability and real-time performance."

Market Adaptation and Future Outlook

FIRST.bet tailors its product to local player behavior, offering niche sports such as vaquejada in Brazil, where it ranks among the most popular betting categories in certain regions. The company continues to develop bet builders, automation, data-driven pricing, and personalization tools for operator partners.

Light expects the industry to become more sophisticated as regulation widens and operators demand stronger products, faster execution, and better compliance. "In this industry, product quality and speed of execution are what ultimately determine success," he said. "Unlike many providers, we are fully dedicated to sportsbook. That focus allows us to move faster and deliver a stronger product to our partners."

TIG President and CEO Brian Wyman noted the program's role in advancing the next generation, stating, "Past honorees hold C-suite positions across top industry operators and suppliers, lead regulatory agencies and are among gaming’s foremost thought-leaders. I expect nothing less from this impressive class."