The FIRST.bet Founder and CEO joins the 2026 list of influential leaders shaping the global gaming industry
Tom Light, Founder and CEO of FIRST.bet, has been named a member of the Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40 Class of 2026. Presented by The Innovation Group in partnership with Global Gaming Business and iGB, the program recognizes professionals under 40 who are making a significant impact on the global gaming industry.
The professionals recognized were selected from a record field of more than 250 nominations from around the world. Tom Light is also featured in a profile published by Global Gaming Business magazine as part of the Class of 2026. The recognition follows his 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,” said Tom Light, Founder and CEO of FIRST.bet.
Building FIRST.bet with one clear focus
Born and raised in Israel, Tom Light moved to Bulgaria in 2013. Over more than a decade, he has built sportsbook and trading platforms used by some of the largest betting operators in the world. He was part of the early evolution of live betting and helped shape many of the core mechanics that are now standard across the industry.
Under Tom Light’s leadership, FIRST.bet has grown to more than 500 employees, with major operations in Sofia and Plovdiv, two of Bulgaria’s largest cities. The company delivers a full sportsbook engine built for speed, scalability, real-time performance, dynamic pricing and efficient risk management.
“Today we are talking about thousands of events per day and hundreds of markets,” said Tom Light. “We focus on speed, scalability and real time performance.”
Product leadership through focus
FIRST.bet covers a broad range of global and local sports while adapting its product to real player behavior in each market. In Brazil, for example, the company offers vaquejada, a traditional local sport that ranks among the most popular betting categories in certain regions.
The company continues to develop areas including bet builders, automation, data driven pricing and personalization, giving operators more flexibility and stronger tools to compete.
“This reflects our approach. We adapt to real market demand and local player behavior,” said Tom Light.
Looking ahead
Tom Light expects the industry to become increasingly sophisticated as regulation expands and operators demand stronger products, faster execution and better compliance.
“In this industry, product quality and speed of execution are what ultimately determine success,” said Tom Light. “Unlike many providers, we are fully dedicated to sportsbook. That focus allows us to move faster and deliver a stronger product to our partners.”
