Commencing the ‘Industry and Growth’ track, the Audience With Dan Marino keynote is scheduled to open the second day of the leading iGaming and sports betting event in North America, taking place at the Meadowlands Exposition Center, New Jersey, from May 7th to 9th.
During his moderated Q&A keynote session, the 2005 Hall of Fame inductee will reflect on his decorated career playing for the Miami Dolphins, his work with the Dan Marino Foundation, and share his views on the wider sports industry. Marino said: “I am honored to be a keynote at the upcoming SBC Summit North America. During my time playing in the '80s and '90s, social media was nonexistent, and media publications very rarely provided personal accounts of playing in such a league.This will be a fantastic opportunity to shed light on some of the behind-the-scenes action, as well as the necessary mindset required to compete in such a competitive league.”
Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dan Marino first found sporting fame playing for his university team, the Pittsburgh Panthers, from 1979 to 1982. During his first three seasons, the team recorded 33 wins and only 3 losses and was consistently ranked within the top five college football teams in the country. Marino finished his college career amassing 8,597 passing yards, 79 touchdowns, and 69 interceptions.
After signing with the Miami Dolphins in 1983, Marino established himself as one of the most promising young athletes in the country, setting several records in his opening seasons. In his second season, Marino notably broke six NFL full-season passing records and was selected as the NFL’s most valuable player. In 1984, Marino made his only Super Bowl appearance during Super Bowl XIX against the San Francisco 49ers.
The subsequent 16 years saw Marino recognized as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the sport, earning numerous prestigious accolades, including all three major individual NFL awards. In 1996, he became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 50,000 career passing yards.
After retiring from the NFL in 2000, during which his number 13 jersey was retired by the club, Marino embarked on an illustrious career as a football analyst for CBS’s pregame show, The NFL Today, from 2002 to 2013. It was announced in 2014 that Marino would return to the Miami Dolphins as a special adviser, a role he continues to hold to this day.
Away from the field, Marino has garnered much praise for his charitable contributions, establishing the Dan Marino Foundation in 1992 to aid children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Since its inception, the foundation has distributed over $22 million to research, services, and treatment programs. In 1995, the Dan Marino Center was opened, specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of children at risk for developmental and psychological problems.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC said: “During the 2023 edition of SBC Summit Latinoamérica, we had the privilege of partnering up with the Dan Marino Foundation to host a fundraising raffle. It is amazing to be able to continue this relationship, welcoming Dan as a keynote speaker for SBC Summit North America.
“Dan is a hugely influential figure, both in the sporting world and with his charitable organization. The keynote address will no doubt provide delegates with a unique and exciting opportunity to hear personal accounts from one of the sporting greatest.”
In 2022, Dan Marino teamed up with Pixiu Gaming, a boutique games studio, and the leading North American ‘Keno’ specialists. The partnership will see a suite of Marino-branded titles hit the market from summer ‘24 including slots, keno, and a brand new innovation, Dan Marino Hail Mary. Pixiu will be donating five percent of its profits from the game to the Dan Marino Foundation.
Jenny Lu, Head of Good Things at Pixiu Gaming, said: “We are hugely thankful for the focus and effort SBC has provided to shine a light on the amazing work done by The Dan Marino Foundation. In keeping with Pixiu’s core message of Meaningful Change, we believe our industry needs to do a lot more to help those in the world who are less fortunate than ourselves. We want to challenge people in our space to do more and follow the lead of Marino, who is a sporting legend that now focuses on helping thousands of disadvantaged people lead richer lives. A true inspiration.”
