Tom Light, founder and CEO of FIRST.bet, has been named to the Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40 Class of 2026. The program, presented by The Innovation Group in partnership with Global Gaming Business and iGB, recognizes professionals under 40 who drive significant change in the global gaming industry.
The selection committee evaluated a record field of over 250 nominations to determine the final list. This honor follows Light’s Individual Achievement Award at the EGR Awards 2026, where FIRST.bet was simultaneously named Sports Betting Supplier of the Year.
Engineering and Market Adaptation
Born in Israel, Light moved to Bulgaria in 2013 and has spent more than a decade building sportsbook platforms for leading betting operators. FIRST.bet currently employs over 500 staff members in Sofia and Plovdiv. The company focuses on delivering a scalable sportsbook engine capable of handling thousands of daily events with dynamic pricing and automated risk management.
"Today we are talking about thousands of events per day and hundreds of markets. We focus on speed, scalability and real-time performance," Light said. He emphasized that the company tailors its product to specific regional behaviors, such as offering vaquejada betting in Brazil.
Looking toward the future, Light expects the industry to demand faster execution and stricter compliance. "In this industry, product quality and speed of execution are what ultimately determine success," he noted. "Unlike many providers, we are fully dedicated to sportsbook.
That focus allows us to move faster and deliver a stronger product to our partners."