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Tom Light, founder and CEO of FIRST.bet, has been included in 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 for their contributions to the global gaming industry.
This year’s class was chosen from more than 250 nominations submitted worldwide, a record for the program. Light is featured in a companion profile published by Global Gaming Business magazine covering the Class of 2026.
The honor comes after Light received the Individual Achievement Award at the EGR Awards 2026, where FIRST.bet was also named 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.
From Israel to Bulgaria
Light was born and raised in Israel and relocated to Bulgaria in 2013. Over more than a decade, he has built sportsbook and trading platforms adopted by some of the largest betting operators worldwide. He was involved in the early development of live betting and contributed to mechanics that are now standard industry practice.
Under his leadership, FIRST.bet has grown to more than 500 employees, with operations based in Sofia and Plovdiv, two of Bulgaria’s largest cities. The company provides a sportsbook engine designed for 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 said. “We focus on speed, scalability and real-time performance.”
Adapting to local markets
FIRST.bet covers a wide range of global and local sports and adjusts its product based on player behavior in individual markets. In Brazil, for example, the company offers vaquejada, a traditional sport that ranks among the most popular betting categories in certain regions of the country.
The company also develops bet builders, automation, data-driven pricing and personalization tools intended to give operators additional flexibility.
“This reflects our approach. We adapt to real market demand and local player behavior,” Light explained.
Light said he expects the betting industry to grow more sophisticated as regulation expands and operators seek stronger products, faster execution and improved compliance.
“In this industry, product quality and speed of execution are what ultimately determine success,” Light concluded. “Unlike many providers, we are fully dedicated to sportsbook. That focus allows us to move faster and deliver a stronger product to our partners.”