Prediction markets are quickly becoming a major conversation in gaming, finance, and online trading, and NEXT.io is putting that shift in the spotlight during its upcoming Malta summit week. Ahead of NEXT Summit Valletta 2026, Trade Handle spoke exclusively with NEXT.io’s Georgia Bloomer about why the company decided prediction markets deserved their own dedicated event and why the category suddenly feels impossible for the broader industry to ignore.
NEXT Summit Valletta officially takes place May 27-28 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Malta, though the week now includes several focused side events leading into the main conference. One of the most anticipated additions this year is NEXT Focus: Prediction Markets, which opens the week of May 25.
Trade Handle’s Exclusive Interview With NEXT.io’s Georgia Bloomer
During Trade Handle’s interview with Bloomer, one theme kept coming up repeatedly: prediction markets are no longer operating on the fringe of the industry. “Prediction markets have suddenly gone from niche internet curiosity to a serious global conversation,” Bloomer said. “You’re seeing massive growth in numbers, institutional interest, huge conversations around regulation, and major gaming companies paying attention.”
Bloomer explained that NEXT.io felt the timing made perfect sense for building an entire side event around the category, since the space is evolving so quickly across multiple industries. The US market has exploded over the past year, though Europe is still trying to figure out exactly how prediction markets fit into its regulatory and commercial landscape.
“Malta is actually a fascinating place to have that conversation because it sits at the intersection of gaming, regulation, innovation, and international business,” Bloomer told Trade Handle. For readers planning to attend the NEXT Summit Valletta, the interview also included practical advice on making the most of the week. Bloomer encouraged attendees to stay intentional about key meetings and sessions while still leaving room for spontaneous networking opportunities throughout Valletta.
NEXT Summit Malta Keeps Expanding
According to Bloomer, NEXT Malta has evolved far beyond a traditional industry conference. She described the event as a “full-blown festival week” built around operators, founders, investors, affiliates, startups, and executives spread across multiple focused events. “We’ve got thousands of delegates coming into Valletta, huge operator presence, side events running throughout the week, and important conversations happening everywhere,” Bloomer said.
The prediction markets focus day joins several other vertical-specific events this year, including crypto, startup, affiliate, and investor tracks. NEXT.io says the goal is to foster more meaningful discussions around fast-growing sectors rather than simply building a single large general conference. Bloomer also believes the atmosphere in Malta itself changes how the event feels compared to other conferences throughout the year.
Prediction Markets Continue Moving Into the Mainstream
The timing around NEXT.io’s prediction markets push is notable because the broader industry conversation has accelerated rapidly in 2026. Major gaming companies, sports operators, financial firms, regulators, and lawmakers are all now publicly discussing the category. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket continue expanding aggressively across sports, politics, finance, and global events.
Prediction markets are also becoming a growing topic in regulatory circles, both in the United States and internationally, as governments try to determine how these platforms should operate in the long term.
NEXT.io clearly sees that momentum continuing. “There’s this feeling right now that the category is crossing over into the mainstream,” Bloomer said. “The smartest people in the space want to be in the room while it happens.”
Trade Handle Will Be Covering NEXT Malta Live On Site
Trade Handle will also be on the ground in Valletta throughout the week, covering NEXT Summit Malta live as the conversation around prediction markets continues to grow across the industry. Our team will attend the prediction markets focus day, main conference sessions, networking events, and side meetings, while bringing readers interviews, live reactions, and behind-the-scenes coverage directly from Malta.
One thing that already stands out heading into the event is just how much interest there is around prediction markets compared to even a year ago. Through the NEXT app alone, we have already connected with operators, founders, affiliates, platforms, and startups across multiple areas of the industry before even stepping on the plane.
We also expect a major focus throughout the week to center on regulation, platform expansion, affiliate opportunities, and how prediction markets continue to intersect with traditional gaming and financial products. Malta has long been one of the most important hubs in global iGaming, so having prediction markets become such a visible part of the conversation feels significant for where the category may be heading next.
The Trade Handle Prediction Markets Take
The biggest takeaway from our conversation with NEXT.io is how quickly prediction markets have become part of larger industry discussions. A dedicated prediction markets summit attached to one of the largest iGaming events in the world would have felt far-fetched not very long ago.
We also think Malta is becoming one of the most important places for those conversations to happen. Between operators, affiliates, regulators, investors, and startups all gathering in one place, NEXT Summit Valletta feels positioned to become one of the defining events shaping where prediction markets go next.