Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas 2020 Shortlist

SHORTLIST

Honoring leading companies, breakthrough up-and-comers and the most dynamic individuals, and how they made their mark in the global gaming industry over the past year

Lead Partner

EVENT MANAGER Mariya Savova COO, EDITOR IN CHIEF Julian Perry EDITOR Carl Friedmann Carl.Friedmann@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0) 207 739 9908 SENIOR STAFF WRITER Tim Poole Tim.Poole@gamblinginsider.com STAFF WRITERS Owain Flanders Owain.Flanders@gamblinginsider.com Iqbal Johal Iqbal.Johal@gamblinginsider.com Ezra Amacher Ezra.Amacher@gamingamerica.com LEAD DESIGNER Laura Fogar DESIGNERS Rebecca Lydamore, Olesya Adamska DESIGN ASSISTANTS Radostina Mihaylova, Aimee Matthews FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT Dalia Ambrazaite DIGITAL ASSETS Tom Powling COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR Deepak Malkani Deepak.Malkani@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7729 6279 EVENTS SALES MANAGER Ryan Horwood Ryan@globalgamingawards.com +44 (0) 208 638 7610 SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER William Aderele William.Aderele@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7739 2062 ACCOUNT MANAGERS Michael Juqula Michael.Juqula@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 3487 0498 Clive Waite Clive.Waite@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7729 0643 Richard Carr Richard.Carr@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0) 203 435 5624 Nitesh Patel Nitesh.Patel@gamblinginsider.com Tel: +44 (0) 207 739 5768 US BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Aaron Harvey Aaron.Harvey@playerspublishing.com Tel: +1 702 425 7818 US ACCOUNT MANAGER Erica Clark Erica.Clark@playerspublishing.com Tel: +1 702 430 1912 CREDIT MANAGER Rachel Voit Gambling Insider magazine ISSN 2043-9466 Produced and published

by Players Publishing Ltd All material is strictly copyrighted and all rights reserved.

Reproduction without permission is forbidden. Every care is taken in compiling the contents of Gambling Insider but we assume no responsibility for the effects arising therefrom.

The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.

A WORD FROM YOUR HOST Once again, we welcome you to the Global Gaming Awards Shortlist magazine, returning this year for its seventh installment.

Seven has always been considered a lucky number, especially in the gambling world. This year, however, that luck has been tested like never before. About this time, we’d be usually counting down the days until we all meet in Las Vegas in early October for G2E, in eager anticipation of the prestigious Awards ceremony held at the Sands Expo Convention Center.

But considering the upended state of the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve had to build a plan B from the ground up, in a virtual sense.

It would be easy to throw in the towel and just focus on next year, but we’ve worked hard over the years to make these Awards the most trusted and respected in the gaming industry, and a pandemic was by no means an excuse to cancel the event and, more importantly, fail to acknowledge the efforts made across the value chain to keep businesses going.

There’s been some bust amid the boom, but what we’ve learned is that the industry on the whole is more aligned and cohesive than ever, so when normalcy returns, we’ll all be ready to excel beyond expectations. What that normalcy will look like at this point, your guess is as good as mine.

Of course, the trajectory of 2020, based on the success of 2019, was something to celebrate, especially in the US with sportsbetting gaining momentum in several states. But despite the difficulties that befell us in the spring, this year’s Awards are just as important and relevant as previous years since land-based operators have had to think outside the brick-and-mortar box, and online products experienced unexpected windfalls. How to manage both became true tests of long-term strategizing, moral grounding and competitive fortitude. So the 2020 Awards will reflect the unique position the industry was put in, fostering an even more heightened sense of anticipation.

Once again, KPMG Isle of Man will be the independent adjudicator for the Awards and we can certainly attribute the exponential success of the event through the years due to this because of the openness and transparency of the process—a process that begins with self-nominations and recommendations before the editorial teams from Gambling Insider and Gaming America narrow down the final nominees across all 12 categories to create the Shortlist, who are then invited to provide a supporting statement to our esteemed Judging Panel.

Like the industry itself, the success of these Awards is possible due to a collective effort, and on behalf of lead partner BetConstruct, all Awards sponsors, Judging and Nomination Panels, the teams at GI and GA, KPMG Isle of Man, and last but not least the attendees�in a virtual format this year�we want to thank you all for helping to not just maintain but build on the integrity of the Awards. And by virtue of that, the industry as a whole will strengthen as well.

We wish the best of luck to the shortlisted nominees and look forward to this year’s ceremony.

Gary Roudette CEO, Players Publishing and host of the Global Gaming Awards, Las Vegas 2020

It is a pleasure to welcome you to the Global Gaming Awards’ Shortlist magazine.

We are delighted to once again have the Global Gaming Awards coincide with the Global Gaming Expo (G2E), as we continue our longstanding partnership with Gambling Insider and Gaming America.

While we may find ourselves spread out across different cities, states, countries and continents for this year’s G2E, we remain united in our anticipation of these heralded Awards. The format this year is different, but the Global Gaming Awards continue to recognize the best and the brightest in the gaming industry.

It is exciting to witness the advancement in innovation and the leadership that continues to propel the products and services offered each year to new levels. All of us coming together to celebrate these achievements is important as we continue to move forward to brighter days.

I wish each nominee the best of luck.

Thank you for your continued contributions to the gaming industry year after year, and congratulations for making the Shortlist for the Global Gaming Awards – that’s an accolade worth celebrating.

Korbi Carrison

Event Director Global Gaming Expo (G2E)

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GAMING INDUSTRY’S RECOVERY BUILT ON STRONG FOUNDATION

By Bill Miller, American Gaming Association president and CEO One doesn’t have to look farther than the companies shortlisted for the Global Gaming Awards – including several American Gaming Association (AGA) members – to see that the gaming industry continues to innovate.

As companies and communities search for ways to work, shop, dine and live safely amid COVID-19, gaming provides a leading model for how a high-touch, customer-facing business can re-engineer operations to both protect public health and fuel economic recovery.

Over the past two months, casino gaming properties have implemented rigorous health and safety plans to help manage the difficulties posed by COVID-19.

While every industry faces complex operational challenges, our industry is particularly wellpositioned to lead. Gaming’s deep-rooted culture of regulatory compliance, our strong commitment to guest service, and our close ties to local communities have enabled casinos to quickly adapt to the new operating environment.

Gaming is one of our nation’s most highly regulated industries, so gaming leaders and employees are well-accustomed to working with regulators and government agencies to meet detailed operational requirements. As a result, casinos have been able to quickly establish and efficiently implement comprehensive COVID-19 health and safety plans, vetted and approved by state regulators, that meet or exceed local laws and public health requirements.

This includes protocols for every area of operations, from food service and physical spacing to enhanced cleaning and health screening.

Putting these robust measures in place takes hard work and dedicated employees who apply these rigorous protocols to ensure customer safety. Casinos are regularly screening and testing employees for COVID-19, with robust response plans in the event of positive results.

Team members have been trained to remind guests of physical distancing or mask requirements and ensure guidelines are followed. They are proactively working with public health authorities on tracing protocols to ensure the broader health of local communities.

The pre-pandemic gaming industry was already evolving towards a more tech-enabled experience. Now, new innovations are emerging for new challenges. For example, MGM Resorts has implemented contactless mobile check-ins so guests can avoid lines. The Hard

Rock Tampa disinfects and purifies air with a special technology designed to kill virus particles. Scientific Games is introducing new technology to alert staff when a player finishes on a slot machine for cleaning needs, allowing the next customer to see the time of the last sanitization. Several casinos are using advanced thermal cameras to effectively scan guests for elevated temperatures. And the industry is working closely with state regulators to implement digital payment technologies to reduce physical interaction and cash handling on casino floors.

This is just the beginning. As we move forward, the gaming industry will continue to refine safety measures, develop new solutions, and share best practices. These ongoing efforts protect employees and customers, and play a part in supporting local efforts to reduce disease spread.

Our industry is making these significant investments in new equipment, technologies, protocols, and training because we know it is critical gaming reopens and stays open – not just for our businesses, but for our communities.

In every gaming state, casinos are economic engines driving local economies – supporting workers, small businesses and local governments. To put that in perspective, gaming’s more than two-month shutdown cost states more than $2 billion in lost gaming taxes alone. This means we all have a stake in gaming’s recovery. It’s going to take everyone doing their part by wearing masks and following social distancing measures as public health efforts continue to ramp up testing and tracing. Our success represents a critical path forward for local economies that urgently need customer-facing businesses like gaming to help restore jobs, tax revenues and economic activity.

As the CEO of the AGA, I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this remarkable industry. The Global Gaming Awards give us the opportunity to come together and celebrate our industry’s collective accomplishments and the innovation that fuels us.

As we continue to learn and adapt to the COVID-19 challenge, we will show the way forward for other industries while responsibly contributing to the recovery of local communities and the American economy. The AGA stands ready to lead the gaming industry through this time, as it has done for the past 25 years.

GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM

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BETCONSTRUCT: LEAD PARTNER GGA LAS VEGAS 2020

By Vigen Badalyan, BetConstruct CEO We are highly honoured to be the Lead Partner for the seventh edition of the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas. Though this year has so far been different for all of us, one thing is sure – we are looking forward to reconnecting with our colleagues, celebrating successful businesses and recognizing their achievements.

The novel coronavirus has adversely affected industries and entire countries. The gaming industry is not immune to the disruptions caused by the virus either. While businesses have been navigating uncertainty and looking for ways to increase operational flexibility for the future, and respond, recover and thrive, the Global Gaming Awards and Gambling Insider made efforts to reconnect everyone and celebrate the resilience and commitment across the industry – a real dedication. This dedication is what we value highly, and we join their efforts willingly.

It is a privilege to be backing this year’s Awards.

Seeing the industry address the COVID-19 challenges with such ingenuity, heart and compassion has been encouraging. How you treat your partners and team in these challenging times will be remembered for years to come. The way businesses react will have a profound effect on their reputation and customer behavior, including loyalty. This pandemic has demonstrated how important it is to accept, appreciate and

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care for our humanity, and that holds true for businesses as well.

We at BetConstruct ensure that humanity is given priority in every aspect. Like the rest of the world, we also had to experiment to weather the storm. Having gone through self-purification, we are now even stronger as we managed to adapt on time to respond to the new reality. Like the rest of the world, we are now continuing to do whatever we can to help the growth and development of partners and teams.

This year’s Awards are a great way to celebrate the hard work, commitment and success of our peers. We wish to all nominees the very best of luck and look forward to what will undoubtedly prove to be another great event, although virtual. To all winners, our congratulations on their well-deserved success. Good luck to everyone and see you soon.

KPMG: INDEPENDENT ADJUDICATOR GGA LAS VEGAS 2020

By Micky Swindale, CEO, KPMG Islands Group KPMG in the Isle of Man acts as the independent adjudicator for the Global Gaming Awards and has done so since the inaugural Awards in 2014.

The aim of external adjudication was to demonstrate that the organisers have no influence over the voting process and that the winners are therefore truly best in class in the opinion of their peers in the land-based and digital sectors.

This year, for the first time in the history of the Global Gaming Awards, those winners will not be gathering on the ground in Las Vegas in October for the Awards ceremony at G2E. Indeed, while the casinos have re-opened in Vegas and now in the UK following the last-minute postponement of their planned re-opening on 1 August, there is still further uncertainty for a sector already under huge pressure, with a number of high-profile casino closures already announced.

Naturally 2020 has also seen the cancellation of KPMG’s annual eGaming Summits in Gibraltar, Malta and the Isle of Man. We established the summit series in 2010 to discuss the topical issues and developments for the industry, and over the years the events have featured gaming regulators from Europe and the US alongside major industry players and key service providers from across the globe. The aim of the events is a dual one – both to provide a high quality, free-to-attend thought leadership and networking event for operators and their key advisers and suppliers, but also to publicly showcase KPMG’s support and commitment to the sector. The 2020 Gibraltar Summit would have been the 10th anniversary of that event so we were doubly sorry to have to cancel that one, but we’re now looking forward to 20 May 2021 for our next opportunity to gather in Gibraltar.

So a lot of change this year, but no change to our adjudication process for the Awards. We review the GGA’s system and tools for collecting votes (and ensuring judges cannot vote in categories where they have a conflict), check that the winner and runner-up in each category have been determined correctly based on votes cast, and select a random

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sample of judges whom we contact to check that the votes recorded for them in the system are a complete and accurate reflection of their voting.

When it comes to the day, we do our final checks against our own record of category winners, and we attend and participate in the Awards ceremony to ensure that the right recipient is announced and presented with each Award.

KPMG’s commitment to and involvement with this sector is, I believe, unparalleled and that is why we so welcome the opportunity to support the Global Gaming Awards. The combination of a thorough selection process, a highly distinguished panel of Judges, and the organisers’ commitment to independent verification of the Judges’ decisions means that any company or individual that makes it to the final Shortlist should be extremely proud.

And although we won’t be able to meet in person to celebrate that in 2020, the achievement is undimmed.

THE PROCESS The Global Gaming Awards are the fairest and most respected in the gaming industry, thanks to the rigorous process undertaken to find the winners. Here’s how we do it

PRESENTATION The nominees with the most votes are revealed and crowned Award winners, usually at a prestigious ceremony on the Monday of G2E but this year it will be conducted virtually for the first time

VOTES APPROVED Votes are counted, verified and approved by KPMG Isle of Man

JUDGING BEGINS The Judging Panel, comprised of 100 senior executives, votes in each category

SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED All companies nominated for an Award are contacted and asked to submit a short supporting statement, outlining why they believe they should win

NOMINATION PANEL The Nomination Panel adds its own Shortlist suggestions, and helps to narrow the number of nominees in each category

ONLINE SELF NOMINATIONS OPEN Gaming companies wishing to be considered for an Award put themselves forward

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THE NOMINATION PANEL In addition to all the panellists, here we profile four other industry experts who kindly agreed to play a part in deciding which nominees should make the coveted Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas Shortlist, and we thank them for their contributions.

Kate Lowenhar-Fisher is a leading Nevada gaming attorney who counsels many of the world’s premier gaming companies on regulatory issues in connection with mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring, reorganizations and financings. She has extensive experience advising clients on issues related to internet gaming, social gaming, fantasy sports, liquor licensing, nightclubs, restaurants, sweepstakes, contests and promotions. She regularly represents individuals and businesses before regulatory agencies, including the Nevada State Gaming Control Board, the Nevada Gaming Commission, the Clark County Liquor and Gaming Licensing Board and the Las Vegas City Council.

Mark Clayton is chair of the Global Gaming Practice and has wide-ranging experience in the gaming industry, focusing his practice on gaming operational and regulatory matters, including those related to land-based gaming, internet gaming and the manufacturing and distribution of gaming equipment. He also focuses on legislation and regulatory projects, and represents clients with gaming matters in US and international jurisdictions. Prior to joining the firm, Mark served as counsel for three casino corporations.

He is a former member of the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Frank Fantini, CEO of Fantini Research and publisher of Fantini’s Gaming Report, started his company in late 1999. He began his career as a newspaper reporter, going on to become an editor and later a publisher. He has been a life-long investor and first became attracted to the gaming industry back in 1995 when he started investing in gaming stock, beginning his long-standing career as an industry veteran. Fantini provides weekly data for GI Friday and quarterly data in Gambling Insider magazine.

Michael Corfman is CEO of Casino City and executive director of the GPWA (Gambling Portal Webmasters Association). Before co-founding Casino City’s parent company in 1990, he worked for 15 years in a variety of software development and management roles.

The Casino City website was launched in 1995 and today is the most complete and comprehensive directory of both online and gambling sites and land-based gaming facilities on the web, and one of the most well-known gaming affiliate sites in the world, with millions of visitors annually. Today, the CasinoCityTimes.com houses nearly 100,000 gaming industry news and strategy articles, the largest such archive in the world, while Casino City Press also provides monthly data for Trafficology magazine.

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KATE LOWENHAR-FISHER Gaming Chair Dickinson Wright

MARK CLAYTON Chair of the Global Gaming Practice Greenberg Traurig LLP

FRANK FANTINI CEO Fantini Research

MICHAEL CORFMAN CEO Casino City Press

100 JUDGING PANEL The Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas Judging Panel has reached three figures for the second year in a row.

The total number of Judges now stands at 100 for the second year running – a clear sign of the growth of the Awards since they began in 2014, and proof of the prestige involved in joining the Judging Panel.

The Shortlist for this year’s ceremony was compiled and sent to the Judges to cast their votes, following a period of self-nominations and recommendations from the Nomination Panel, before the final Shortlist was decided by the Gambling Insider team.

During such a tough year for the industry, amid a global pandemic, members of our Judging Panel have played a key part in leading the gaming industry through these difficult times.

We are now proud to announce a comprehensive list of new names that will be taking their place on the Judging Panel this year. These include: Terry Glebocki, CEO, Ocean Casino Resort; Johnny Aitken, CEO, PointsBet USA; Adam Greenblatt, CEO, Roar Digital; and Chris Dimitriadis, group CEO, Intralot.

Gambling Insider COO Julian Perry said: “It is fantastic to have so many esteemed members of our Judging Panel this year, especially for the second year in a row as it shows the consistency of our Awards ceremony.

“Despite it being such a difficult year for the sector, especially land-based, our Awards are not going anywhere; and this is shown by the number of Judges we have yet again been able to accumulate – as well as the strength of reputation our Panel possesses.”

The new Judges join what is already a stellar Judging cast, which includes: Barry Cottle, president and CEO, Scientific Games; Renato Ascoli, CEO, Global Gaming, IGT; Trevor Croker, CEO, Aristocrat; Joe Asher, CEO, William Hill US; Anna Sainsbury, chairman & founder, GeoComply; and Christian Stuart, head of Caesars Sports & Online Gaming, Caesars Entertainment.

All nominees have been given the opportunity to submit a supporting statement to the Judges, who will put forward their first and second-choice votes in all categories.

ADAM GREENBLATT

TODD CRAVENS

CEO Roar Digital

President & CEO Galaxy Gaming

PAUL STEELMAN

ANN HOFF

SHAY SEGEV

RICHARD CAMMEGH

CEO Steelman Partners

CMO MGM Resorts International

CEO GVC Holdings

Managing Director Cammegh

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JOHNNY AITKEN

LUKE ORCHARD

GREG CARLIN

HENRY VALENTINO

CEO PointsBet USA

President AGEM

Co-Funder & CEO Rush Street Gaming

President & CEO EConnect

CHAD HOEHNE

ADAM PLISKA

MICHAEL TOBIN

PETER CAUSLEY

President & CEO Table Trac

President & CEO World Poker Tour

Co-Founder & CEO Continent 8 Technologies

MD & Co-Founder Lightning Box Games

RICHARD SCHWARTZ

PATRICK DUGGAN

BLAINE GRABOYES

JOE ASHER

President Rush Street Interactive

Senior Director of Gaming Churchill Downs

CEO GameCo

CEO William Hill US

JIM RYAN

SETH SCHORR

ANGELA SHEFVELAND

CHRIS DIMITRIADIS

CEO Pala Interactive

Chairman Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino

Gaming Operations Manager Treasure Island Resort & Casino

Group CEO Intralot

GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 17

AKIKO TAKAHASHI

STANISLAV SILIN

GARY PALMER

SHEILA MORAGO

EVP, Chief Officer, HR/Corporate Social Responsibility Melco Resorts & Entertainment

CEO Altenar

President & CEO Prairie Meadows Casino, Racetrack & Hotel

Executive Director Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association

MARINA BOGARD

MICHAEL D. RUMBOLZ

DAVID LOPEZ

DEBRA NUTTON

CEO Playport Gaming Systems

President & CEO Everi Holdings

President & CEO AGS

Executive Coach and Gaming Consultant Resorts World Las Vegas

CARSTEN KOERL

SEBASTIAN SALAT

JERRY ALLEN CEO 7 Cedars Resort

ANTHONY RABITO

CEO & Founder Sportradar

CEO Zitro

EVE KOLAKOWSKI

SONNY JOHNSON

KENT YOUNG

MANUEL STAN

COO & President Rymax

CEO Pearl River Resort

CEO & Founder Spin Games

SVP USA Kindred Group

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President & CEO FABICash

GEORG WASHINGTON

TONY TAEUBEL

THERESE HILLMAN

CEO Synergy Blue

SVP & General Manager Boyd Gaming Corporation

CEO NetEnt

SERGE MUKHANOV CEO Connective Games

TOM GREGORY Consultant Gaming Industry Payments

ELAINE HODGSON

VALERIE SPICER

VIGEN BADALYAN

CEO & President Incredible Technologies

Founding Partner Trilogy Group

CEO BetConstruct

JENNIFER INNES

JOHN CONNELLY

Managing Director Betting Jobs

CEO Interblock Gaming

SIM BIELAK President of Global Gaming & Amusement SuzoHapp

RAY PINEAULT

KRESIMIR SPAJIC

COO Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment

SVP & MD, Online Gaming & Sports Betting Hard Rock International

JORDAN LEVIN

PAUL LIBERMAN

TINO MAGNATTA

CEO SG Digital

President, Global Production & Technology DraftKings

Founder GT Advertising

GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 19

ROBIN LE PREVOST

CHRISTOPHER JUSTICE

SUREN KHACHATRYAN

DANIEL KUSTELSKI

CEO Le Prevost Consultancy

President Global Payments Gaming Solutions

CEO Digitain

CEO & Co Founder Chalkline Sports

BRYAN BENNETT

ERIC FISHER

COO Betfred USA

President, Gaming Crane Payments Innovation

TRISTAN SJOBERG

MARTIN CARLESUND

Executive Chairman TCSJohnHuxley

CEO Evolution Gaming

VLADIMIR DOKOV

WARREN JACOBS

MICHAEL DEJONG

DAVE KUBAJAK

Managing Director EGT

Managing Director & Partner ActiveWin

SVP of Slot Ops & Marketing Wynn Las Vegas

SVP JCM Global

DAVID FARAHI

MICHAEL SOLL

MICHELE CIAVARELLA

COO Monarch Casino & Resort

President Innovation Group

CEO Newgioco Group

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STEPHEN WARNER COO & Founder ACS PlayOn

BARRY COTTLE CEO & President Scientific Games

JOHN DOMINELLI Founder & CEO NRT Technology

RENATO ASCOLI

BERNARD MARANTELLI

CEO Global Gaming IGT

CEO & Founder Colossus Bets

ITAI PAZNER

TERRY GLEBOCKI

TIM MINARD

RICKY TROMP

CEO 888 Holdings

CEO Ocean Casino Resort

CEO Eclipse Gaming

Director of Casino Operations Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa & Casino

KIMBERLY VAN AMBURG

DAVID COLVIN

ASHLEY LANG

BYRON BIGHORSE

CEO Casino del Sol

CEO Gaming Arts

CEO Pragmatic Solutions

CEO Osage Casinos

ALESSANDRO FRIED

MICHAEL WARD

TREVOR CROKER

JOEL LEONOFF

Chairman BtoBet

Sr. Director of Corporate Gaming Cherokee Nation Entertainment

CEO & Managing Director Aristocrat Technologies

CEO & President Paysafe Group PLC

GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 21

BROOKS PIERCE

ANDREA BORATTO

ANNA SAINSBURY

BEN LEE

President & COO Inspired Entertainment

CEO World Match

Chairman & Founder GeoComply

Managing Partner iGamiX

BILL LERNER

Dr LAILA MINTAS

Principal Union Gaming Group

RICK MEITZLER

CEO & Board Director PlayUp

CEO Novomatic Americas

ERNIE STEVENS Chairman National Indian Gaming Association

KRISTIAN NYLÉN CEO Kambi

ANDREW CARDNO

MOR WEIZER

CHRIS HARRISON

CEO & Founder Game Changing Technologies

CEO Playtech

Industry Head Google

ALAN FELDMAN

DARIO JURCIC

ROBERT ZIEMS

CHRISTIAN STUART

Distinguished Fellow Responsible Gaming, UNLV

Co-CEO NSoft

President, Secretary, Global Chief Legal Officer Aruze Gaming America

Head of Caesars Sports & Online Gaming Caesars Entertainment

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GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS, LAS VEGAS, OVER THE YEARS Gambling Insider looks back at the winners from the past six editions of the Global Gaming Awards, Las Vegas. Look closely and you’ll see some surprising-and not so surprising-trends.

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GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 25

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THE MEANING OF SUCCESS

Being among the nominees and winners at the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas is one of the ďŹ nest accolades any gaming industry company can receive. Here is what past nominees and victorious companies had to say when asked what it means to them.

ALL 2019 WINNERS 26 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM

“To tell you the truth, being nominated for Property of the Year for a second year in a row is amazing. It really was an honor to be nominated last year, but the second nomination in a row speaks to the commitment that our team members take in the upkeep of our property and their passion to consistently deliver the experience that our guests have come to expect when they visit Casino Del Sol. We are honored to be included among the best casino operators in the industry and this nomination is confirmation that all the hard work that our team puts in on a daily basis is recognized.”

“DraftKings was thrilled to be recognized as GGA’s Digital Operator of the Year in 2019.

Judged by industry-leading figures from around the globe, we are honored to be listed as part of two shortlist categories from a trusted and respected organization and look forward to the Global Gaming Awards’ digital ceremony this year.”

“Winning this prestigious accolade, in an industry which boasts so many exceptional properties, is extremely gratifying for each and every one of our team members who work hard to offer guests unparalleled experiences.

We are grateful to Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas for this recognition and intend to continue striving for excellence.”

“IGT is pleased to be shortlisted in six categories for the 2020 Global Gaming Awards. We applaud the organizers of this annual event for quickly implementing a virtual method for executing the Awards ceremony and preserving this showcase of gaming industry excellence.”

GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 27

“Winning the Award for Responsible Company of the Year really highlighted the impact that a smaller-sized company can have on a huge industry. The recognition we received from our partners and customers because of the Award was gratifying and a catalyst to ensuring we continue our growth with these ideals in mind, as can be seen in our most recent nomination.”

“It’s an affirmation that we’re doing the right thing, that our customers really do appreciate what we’re doing. Winning the Award means a tremendous amount to me and my staff, you have no idea.

We work so hard and sometimes it’s like you put stuff out there and you don’t know exactly how it’s being received.

We get the bottom line of course but we look at other gaming companies such as Scientific Games, which sells 30 times more than we do because they’ve been doing it longer. But considering our size, to be on a list of Awards versus awesome competitors means a lot to us, that we’re being appreciated.”

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“Remarkable times calls for remarkable thinking. The year came in roaring for many global industries and was quickly sideswiped by a crisis brought on by global pandemic that affected every corner of the world. It’s in these remarkable times when true leaders stand out of the crowd.

Newgioco is honored to have our Elys Gameboard Betting Technology by Odissea recognized and judged by gaming industry peers and specialists as a shortlisted finalist in the category of Digital Product of the Year at the 2020 Global Gaming Awards in Las Vegas. Innovative thinking gave birth to Elys, and innovative planning by the organizers of G2E and Gambling Insider has given our industry this opportunity to judge the many remarkable producers at this year’s virtual awards ceremony. Newgioco is proud to be included in a prestigious Judging Panel to decide this year’s award recipients.”

“I thought it was an April Fool’s joke at a different time of year! I think these Awards are less a reflection on the individual executive and it’s more a reflection of who we are as a company; it’s a reflection of HR, our marketing team and who we are, not David Lopez as an individual. It’s a super cool honor to be the guy who holds the hardware, but it’s really a big reflection on the team and the company as a whole.”

LAND-BASED OPERATOR

Seminole Gaming MGM Resorts International

Las Vegas Sands

Caesars Entertainment

Boyd Gaming

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AWARD SPONSOR A consistent nominee and previous winner at the Global Gaming Awards, IGT is a global leader in gaming. The supplier is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and employs more than 12,000 members of staff across the globe.

William Hill US Cherokee Nation Entertainment

Galaxy Entertainment Group

Churchill Downs

Twin River Worldwide Holdings GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 31

Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for the Land-Based Operator of the Year Award.

It’s fair to say land-based operators have experienced a turbulent time over the past year. The impact of COVID-19 has decreased revenue streams and increased losses across the industry. Unfortunately, land-based operators have been one of the worst affected by this, with gambling properties unable to welcome regular players through their doors.

That being said, the pandemic has also pushed operators to come up with innovative solutions to new challenges. The pandemic necessitated the introduction of cost-saving measures and mitigation strategies with varied success. We have also seen landbased properties introduce a string of COVID-19 health and safety measures as they reopen. In most cases, this included the retraining of thousands of staff and investment in new equipment.

If there is anything the ‘new normal’ has shown us, it is how resilient land-based operators can be when the going gets tough. The Global Gaming Awards hope to honor this by celebrating the achievements of this year’s 10 incredible nominees.

First up, we have Seminole Gaming. The Seminole Tribe has long been recognized for innovation in gaming after it opened the first high-stakes bingo hall and casino in the US in 1979. Today’s Seminole Tribe operates one of the most profitable gaming enterprises in the world. After being permitted to reopen its casino doors across the US, the operator introduced strict health and safety measures to ensure customer and employee safety.

Our next nominee is MGM Resorts International.

MGM Resorts’ clear strategies for its property portfolio, cost savings and digital investment continue to bear fruit. Pre-pandemic, for the full-year 2019, MGM Resorts’ net revenue grew 10% year-on-year to $12.9bn while adjusted EBITDAR increased 6%. MGM Resorts operates 29 properties across the world and has partnered with many major sports leagues, leading the Las Vegas gaming community in its navigation of the pandemic.

Now for Caesars Entertainment (formerly Eldorado Resorts). For the first two months of 2020, Caesars Entertainment revenue was up 7% and adjusted EBITDA was up 25% year-on-year, driving strong margin growth of 390 basis points. Eldorado’s merger with Caesars Entertainment this year created the largest gambling operator in the US by number of properties. The combined company owns and operates casino hotel properties in 16 US states.

Eldorado was last year’s winner in this category.

Will the newly merged company be able to claim top spot again?

Las Vegas Sands is also among the nominees for this category, and it isn’t difficult to see why. When judged by revenue, Fortune magazine ranked Sands as the top casino company in the US. In 2019, LVS generated revenue of over $13.73bn. Revenue is generated through the operator’s five gambling venues in Macau, Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands

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and two US-based casinos, The Venetian and Palazzo.

Next we have Boyd Gaming. In 2019, Boyd Gaming posted a 27% year-on-year rise in revenue. For the full-year 2019, the operator generated revenue of $3.33bn, while net income was up to $157.6m, a rise of 37%. Founded in 1975, the operator is one of the largest casino entertainment companies in the US, operating 29 gaming properties in 10 states. Like most, the pandemic has seen the operator undergo a challenging period, but with its properties now reopen, there is no doubt the company will be back on track before long.

Our second tribal nominee is Cherokee Nation Entertainment, one of the largest and most successful tribal businesses in the US. Just last year CNE opened the new Cherokee Casino Tahlequah, which brought not just entertainment but convention options to the area thanks to its big conference center. Each year CNE generates over $660m in gaming revenue, making the operator one of Oklahoma’s top economic contributors.

Next up we have a US powerhouse in Churchill Downs. The operator’s full-year 2019 revenue increased $80.9m year-on-year. This was primarily driven by a $71.8m increase from Derby City Gaming’s continued growth. A $9.1m increase at Churchill Downs Racetrack was due to a successful Kentucky Derby and Oaks week driven by increased ticket sales for reserved seating, sponsorship growth, and record handle.

Our next nominee is William Hill US. In 2019, the operator saw a significant increase in its international revenue and, as a result, the bookmaker added $1bn in US wagering numbers over the course of the year.

According to William Hill, one in every four US sports wagers is taken through its sportsbook. Despite a lack of sports wagering during the pandemic, the operator has been able to capitalize on its digital business to mitigate some of its losses. International online revenue grew 17% for William Hill in H1 2020.

The penultimate operator is Galaxy Entertainment Group. Already one of the world’s leading resorts companies, GEG has continued to invest with $1.5bn spent on their property enhancement program in both Galaxy Macau and StarWorld Macau.

In 2019, they also introduced the new Galaxy International Convention Center and Galaxy Arena, demonstrating a desire for future development.

Finally we have Twin River Worldwide Holdings.

Over the last 12 months Twin River took steps to strategically grow and diversify the company. In April this year, Twin River acquired three casinos from Eldorado Resorts and Caesars Entertainment, including Eldorado Shreveport Resort and Casino in Louisiana, the Mont Bleu Resort Casino and Spa in Nevada, and the Bally’s Atlantic City Hotel and Casino in New Jersey. In July, the operator also purchased the Lady Luck Casino and Hotel Vicksburg, with its 25,000 sq ft gaming floor, as well as the even larger Isle of Capri Casino Kansas City.

DIGITAL OPERATOR

Rush Street Interactive Roar Digital

888 Holdings

DraftKings

Caesars Interactive Entertainment

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AWARD SPONSOR Established in 2006, Connective Games specializes in developing highly localized products and powers some of the most successful brands in the industry. Focusing mainly on online poker, Connective Games has also expanded its online casino solution in recent years, developing slots, casino and table games in-house.

Unibet Flutter Entertainment

Golden Nugget

PointsBet

Hard Rock Online Casino GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 35

As the online market becomes an increasing focus for the industry, the Digital Operator of the Year Award is more prestigious and competitive than ever. Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for the 2020 Award.

The digital market in the gaming industry continues to grow every year, but arguably no more so than in 2020. As the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly accelerates the shift from land-based to online, the need to prioritize digitally has now become a must for operators. With sports betting becoming more and more prominent in the US, and a rise in online activity, the digital operator marketplace has become a very competitive space, which places more emphasis on standing out from the crowd.

Digital-focused verticals such as virtual sports and esports saw a boom in activity during the lockdown period, forcing operators to diversify their offering or risk falling behind. The pent-up demand for sports betting during lockdowns has equally benefited firms with strong online offerings.

That’s what makes the Digital Operator of the Year Award that much more prestigious, with all 10 nominees expanding their offerings across the US and using innovation to get one up on their competitors. The Award, sponsored by Connective Games, covers the entirety of the online sector, recognizing those companies that are driving forward the dynamic and rapidly evolving online gaming industry.

In terms of this year’s nominations, first up is Rush Street Interactive, which generated profit in most markets it operates in, including New Jersey.

The operator significantly grew in 2019-20 through its BetRivers.com and PlaySugarHouse brands in Pennsylvania. The operator’s online success has been such, in fact, that it is has announced it is in talks over becoming a public corporation.

Following the $450m joint venture between GVC Holdings and MGM Resorts, Roar Digital has gone from strength-to-strength over the past 12 months.

It currently has market access in seven states, which will become 11 by the end of 2020, and its mobile sports betting app, BetMGM, first launched in New Jersey, most recently going live in Nevada and Colorado. Roar Digital has also struck major partnership deals with Yahoo Sports and is an official sports betting partner of the NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, PGA Tour golf and MLS. DraftKings will hope to retain the crown it won last year and has given itself a strong chance with another year of growth. The only vertically integrated sports betting company based in the US is now live in Colorado, the seventh state in which the operator has a presence. Following the acquisition of SBTech, DraftKings became a publicly traded company in April with a market capitalization of approximately $3.3bn. And during a period in which most operators lost revenue, DraftKings saw its Q2 2020 revenue rise 24% year-on-year, up to $70.9m.

Two-time winner of this Award, 888 Holdings saw its revenue from the Americas grow 7% year-on-year for 2019, up to $51.7m; as it expanded its US offering

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with the successful launch of the Orbit platform in New Jersey, adding an additional 129 games. 888’s US performance was also boosted by increased marketing activity, expanding 888 casino’s sponsorship deal with the New York Jets for 2019-20.

The fifth nominee, Caesars Interactive Entertainment, continues the theme of expansion over the past 12 months. A subsidiary of Caesars Entertainment, which has now fully merged with Eldorado Resorts, the operator now offers mobile sports betting in four states: Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. WSOP. com, operated by Caesars, is the only legal online poker room in the state of Nevada.

Flutter Entertainment’s acquisition of The Stars Group (TSG) in the summer of 2020 has created a merged entity worth £3.8bn ($5.1bn). Flutter Entertainment has seen its US operations continue to gain momentum as the group’s 2019 revenues exceeded expectations. FanDuel quickly became the market leader in Pennsylvania with around a 50%, share while remaining the number one operator in New Jersey.

PointsBet made its US debut in January 2019 with the launch of its sports betting product, which began operating in New Jersey as a partner of Meadowlands Racetrack. The company has expanded its US offering, providing online and mobile sports betting in Iowa and Indiana. And in May, PointsBet launched its four US sportsbooks in Colorado.

Next up is Kindred’s Unibet brand, which launched its first US online sportsbook in New Jersey last September before unveiling its online casino in Pennsylvania last November through its state gaming partner, Mohegan Sun Pocono. In February of this year, Kindred signed a deal with Caesars Entertainment, allowing Unibet to operate its sports betting and online gaming products in both Iowa and Indiana.

Golden Nugget also expanded its offering to the digital space when it launched its online sportsbook in New Jersey in February 2019, dominating the state’s total gaming revenue for online casino in the following months. In 2020, Golden Nugget extended its online gaming partnership with Scientific Games, with the supplier providing Golden Nugget its platform in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and future states through to 2024.

Our final nominee, Hard Rock Casino launched live slot games online in February, becoming the first operator in the industry to do so. In partnership with Softweave, the slots take place through streams from Hard Rock Atlantic City in New Jersey, made available to play at HardRockCasino.com. The website went live in New Jersey back in June 2018, boasting hundreds of online slots and an innovative wheel of rock system.

It’s another extremely close and competitive battle for this year’s Digital Operator of the Year category.

In a year of expansion and mergers, will DraftKings emerge with the Award again, or will we see a new operator take the crown?

LAND-BASED PRODUCT

Synergy Blue Incredible Technologies

Zitro

Aristocrat

Konami

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AWARD SPONSOR 1xBet is an operator with years of both offline and online experience. 1xBet offers high odds, videostreaming, an in-house afďŹ liate platform, 100 payment methods, a wide range of bonuses, live casino, branded slot games, a user friendly interface, a multi-language platform and 24/7 customer service.

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Interblock

Everi

EGT GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 39

No land-based casino could prosper without the right products.

Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for the Land-Based Product of the Year Award.

The Land-Based Product of the Year Award has a rich history in Las Vegas. Initially named the Casino Product of the Year Award from 2014-16, the category has over the years been won by everything from slot games to machines that help casinos ease the payments process for players. In short, any product that improves the performance of a land-based casino can be considered for this Award – and we’ve had some exceptional winning products over the years.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, any new land-based products need to account for the new norms in casinos across the US and the rest of the world. But this year’s Shortlist still retains some of the textbook products and companies that have come to make this category their own. With last year’s winner breaking a duopoly across the Land-Based and Casino Product categories, who will our judges vote to glory in 2020?

Kicking our Shortlist off in style is Synergy Blue, with its new 2600 Series Cabinet Line. Inspired by the original Atari console, Synergy Blue’s 2600 series cabinet line is built for maximum fun and flexibility.

Ergonomic, arcade-influenced design ensures comfort and increased space while crisp, high-resolution graphics draw players in. The 2600 series blends the fun of arcade gaming with wagering excitement to offer a new and immersive gambling experience.

Next up is Incredible Technologies, with the Crazy Money Double Deluxe. Incredible Technologies’ iconic Crazy Money brand has been a force on casino floors since its introduction in 2011. The 2019 debut revitalized the player favorite theme on an all-new premium cabinet, Infinity Pilot. Crazy Money Double Deluxe brings familiar gameplay to this larger-than-life cabinet, with three stunning 4K game-integrated monitors.

Last year’s winner, Interblock – Stadium enjoyed both a strong 2019 and 2020, and has therefore been nominated once more. It has since been adapted by Interblock, thanks to the “upgrade kit” it has developed for all products in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

This includes partitions between machines, cashless options and gaming machines having 1.5 meters of space, plus disinfection slots.

Winner in this category in 2018 and winner of the inaugural Casino Product of the Year Award in 2014, Aristocrat clearly knows what it takes to succeed in this area of gaming. This year, it makes the Shortlist with its MarsX Cabinet. Sleek, modern, and inventive, MarsX changed the way operators saw the casino floor, because its unique shape opened sight lines across the casino. MarsX launched with the titles Dollar Storm and Buffalo Gold Revolution, which both became instant player favorites. Its deep product catalog includes titles from across Aristocrat’s C, E and J Series.

Zitro has this year been nominated for its Bashiba Link Illusion Cabinet. Bashiba Link is a progressive

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multigame of four titles, packed with features like Free Games, Stacked Wilds and Big symbols. For the first time, Bashiba combines the multiway game mechanics with a ‘Link King Style’ bonus.

Its user-friendly ‘Link-up’ feature allows players to choose the betting amount and opt for various jackpot levels.

Joining its fellow nominees again this year is industry stalwart Konami, with its SynkConnect product. SynkConnect is a multi-channel cardless solution that helps transform how casino players connect and engage with the casino’s loyalty program. SynkConnect empowers casino players with a variety of secure methods to replace or augment a traditional player loyalty card at the EGM, including their personal mobile device, a room key, fobs and more.

Another supplier building on its US presence is Intralot, which makes the Shortlist with its Intralot Orion product. In May, Intralot deployed its new Orion sports betting platform in Montana to enable the Montana Lottery’s sports wagering self-service terminals and mobile offering. Incorporating state-of-the-art technologies and cutting-edge features, Intralot Orion supports all sports events, live horse and greyhound racing, as well as virtual and pre-recorded games for retail, online and mobile sales channels.

Our next nominee is Everi. The supplier’s Enrollment Kiosk drives new player enrollments and prints new and replacement player loyalty cards, effectively replacing casinos’ need for a player loyalty enrollment desk. This then frees up floor space for more games. The kiosk also assists with updating loyalty members’ contact information, relieving players of mundane and time-consuming tasks like waiting in line to update their details, or check on points.

The penultimate member of the Shortlist in this category is roulette wheel specialist Cammegh, nominated for its Triple Zero Roulette Wheel.

Cammegh secured a 12 triple-zero wheel order from Niagara Casino during the first day of G2E 2019.

The success of triple zero roulette with operators in Las Vegas has proven the perfect live showroom environment for Cammegh, which has a huge footprint on the famous Strip, with over 60% of roulettes now hailing from the UK-based firm.

Finally, EGT (Euro Games Technology) makes the final Shortlist with its G 55C VIP Slot Cabinet.

The cabinet combines unmatched comfort with modern aesthetics, boasting an efficient Exciter III platform, frameless 55-inch curved HD monitor with integrated touch screen and impeccable visual quality. A convenient keyboard with dynamic touch display, crystal clear stereo sound and built-in USB port for fast charging are just part of the cabinet’s advantages.

DIGITAL PRODUCT

IGT BetConstruct

Scientific Games

Inspired Entertainment

Altenar

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AWARD SPONSOR Blending the excitement of casino wagering and the traditional arcade gaming experience, Synergy Blue has already transformed casino floors across the US with its unique blend of gaming machines.

Play’n GO Sportradar

1xBet

Playport Gaming

Newgioco Group GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 43

Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees going head-to-head for the Digital Product of the Year Award.

The Digital Product category has been an important part of the Global Gaming Awards since the Awards’ inception.

Each year it sees a number of innovative and diverse products nominated from different suppliers across the industry’s many sectors. Testament to the wide range of digital products on offer and the exceptional innovation of nominees, the Award has seen four different winners over the past six years.

Now, this category is undeniably more important than ever. As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts the industry, closing land-based gambling operations in its wake, the need for digitalization has never been clearer.

For the most part, those with the means to profit from the online space during the pandemic have been able to mitigate losses. In fact, the online casino space has seen a considerable boost during lockdowns all over the world. For that reason, a number of traditionally retail-based casino and sportsbook operators have set their sights on a transition into the digital sphere.

All nominees have made incredible progress over the past year, developing industry-leading products that have captivated players across the globe. The winner of this year’s Award will be the digital product that our Judging Panel believes has the most to offer the industry in this testing time.

First up is IGT with PlaySports. IGT’s sports betting platform is a leader in the US market. The supplier has deployed more than 300 of its self-service PlaySports Kiosks and in 2019, launched the CrystalBetting Terminal, a personal VIP, multi-media betting space.

With an in-house trading and marketing offers team, IGT PlaySports is a robust, end-to-end sports betting solution designed specifically for the US market.

Next is BetConstruct’s sportsbook offering, which is designed to ensure operators are given freedom and flexibility while they manage their business. The sportsbook solution provides H2H stats for 20,000 matches of over 2,400 tournaments and 15 sports types every month. BetConstruct also gives operators maximum autonomy, enabling them to choose any event and set more competitive odds by employing its margin control functionality.

Inspired Entertainment has been nominated for its Virtual Sports range. Inspired’s latest virtuals products have been truly innovative. An estimated 4.8 million viewers tuned in to watch the Virtual Grand National 2020 created by Inspired, with £2.6m ($3.49bn) worth of profits donated by Inspired and all bookmakers’ operators to help England’s National Health Service in the fight against COVID-19. In April, Inspired also signed a deal with operator DraftKings, allowing DraftKings’ New Jersey customers to play 14 virtual sports variants, including basketball, horse racing, soccer, football and car racing.

Now for last year’s winners, Scientific Games’ OpenGaming platform is used by a number of major operators. OpenGaming includes casino platform solutions Open Platform System (OPS) and Open Gaming System (OGS), which provide stability and scalability. OpenGaming delivers exciting games on a

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global scale with one integration. SG saw an increase of 1 billion wagers placed on its OGS platforms year-on-year for Q1 2020. Can Scientific Games do the treble and take victory for the third year in a row?

Next we have Altenar’s Sportsbook product. Altenar has continued gaining ground in the sportsbook providers market. Striking a balance between being flexible and attending to clients’ needs, while standardizing its underlying technology, has made it possible for Altenar to progress with another aspect of its product strategy: further exploration of regulated markets. Altenar’s product has a strong presence in Europe, Asia and Latin America.

Our next nominee is Sportradar with its innovative OTT Solution. With more than 15 years’ experience as a sports OTT provider, the Sportradar team understands the flexibility live sport requires and offers bespoke, data-driven OTT solutions. The supplier utilizes the power of live sports data and video, as well as analyzing fan behavior, to offer personalized, targeted content to engage audiences and grow awareness around any sport or product.

Now for Playport Gaming. Playport Gaming’s 2-Go Mobile Gaming Platform is a patented real-money mobile gaming platform, using smartphone shopping technology to facilitate the purchase of new Class II bingo-based instant win and progressive games. It integrates with the property’s casino management system, POS system, cash and ticket redemption kiosks, as well as other third-party systems for a seamless user experience.

Next we have a big player in the LatAm market with Play’n GO’s Video Bingo Games. Video bingo has always been a huge pastime in the LatAm region and Play’n GO recently launched its version of the game in the market.

Last November, Play’n GO teamed up with leading Brazilian bingo video producer RCT and brought four of their original hit games into the digital age of online casino. Flex Bingo, Hot Bingo, Park Bingo and Super Bola Bingo are specifically tailored for the LatAm market and have enjoyed great success there.

Our penultimate nominee is 1xBet with 1xGames.

1xGames is one of 1xBet’s gambling products that is striving to continually add new games and update popular titles; including card games, slots, survival games, board games and more. As well as all the classic games, 1xGames hosts titles with a bit of a twist, such as Penalties, Russian Roulette and Pachinko.

Finally, we have Newgioco Group and its Elys betting platform by Odissea. This is a best-in-class solution that helps licensed operators quickly analyze risk and maximize profit. Utilizing sophisticated technologybased risk management and adaptive business intelligence, Elys aims to be a key business partner of betting operators around the world. Elys is currently being used by over 25 partner operators in 12 countries including Italy, Peru, Nigeria, Paraguay, Honduras, Colombia, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Uganda and Nicaragua. It is soon to be deployed in the US through recently signed agreements, with both tribal casino and commercial operators.

LAND-BASED INDUSTRY SUPPLIER

AGS IGT

JCM Global

Gaming Arts

Aristocrat

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AWARD SPONSOR Supplying payments technology worldwide, Global Payments provides cutting-edge software solutions for companies all the way from startups to enterprise businesses. It has been the preferred partner of leading physical and online gaming institutionsfor more than 20 years.

The company’s solutions have reached over 3.5 million businesses, supporting more than 140 payment types, while it is partnered with 1,300 leading financial instituations.

ScientiďŹ c Games Interblock

Interblock

Novomatic

SuzoHapp

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Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees battling it out for the prestigious Land-Based Industry Supplier of the Year Award.

The COVID-19 pandemic has ensured an unprecedented year for land-based industry suppliers. With all US casinos closed for a time, those that have reopened are operating at reduced capacity and with numerous social distancing measures in place. While this has affected – and in some cases halted – revenue, profit and EBITDA across the sector, it has prompted innovation and adaptation from those whom casinos rely on to provide only the best hardware and equipment throughout the US. As such, this year’s 10 nominees for the Land-Based Industry Supplier of the Year Award have been forced to do far more than usual to stand out. While the pandemic has decimated what the gaming industry used to consider the norm, putting a sudden stop to any hopes of year-on-year growth for land-based organizations, suppliers have had to swiftly respond to ensure the survival of their business. The winner of this year’s Award will therefore not just be rewarded for any strong performance pre-pandemic, but how they’ve helped casinos get back on their feet during times of crisis.

Led by last year’s American Executive of the Year, CEO David Lopez, our first nominee AGS has shown resilience and adapted itself to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. In its Q2 report, AGS said the measures it has taken during the pandemic have “positioned the company with sufficient liquidity and flexibility to emerge a more competitive organization.” The supplier has partnered with the Vegas Golden Knights, as well as with Kindred Group for online real-money games in New Jersey.

A two-time winner of this Award, IGT was victorious during the inaugural Global Gaming Awards, following that up with its second title in 2016. This year, IGT has continued to deliver growth-driving products across every segment. Through its PlaySports platform, IGT helped operators in 12 states expand their operations and reach new players through sports betting. The supplier also advanced video poker with the introduction of the PeakBarTop, while its Wheel of Fortune TRUE 4D games and games on the MegaTower cabinet topped performance charts, creating millionaires.

Casinos would hardly be able to operate without payment and billing equipment, which is where our third nominee comes in: JCM Global. Over 60% of all EGMs are equipped with a JCM bill validator and over 70% of EGMs have a JCM printer. When a currency or TITO transaction occurs on a casino gaming floor anywhere in the world today, JCM is likely involved. Operators in every global jurisdiction rely on JCM to act as the first line of defence against counterfeiters.

With a huge focus on tribal gaming, Gaming Arts continues to supply high-performing slots, bingo and keno content to the market. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the provider vowed to “attack the crisis head-on” by ramping up its R&D efforts.

Headquartered in Nevada, Gaming Arts holds licenses in approximately 120 jurisdictions and is at the forefront of casino floor innovation.

Our next nominee, Aristocrat, won the 2019 edition of this category and will be looking to defend its title.

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The supplier is constantly creating innovations for its customers, launching the new Buffalo Bar concept in February 2020, with casinos dedicating entire areas of their floor to the Buffalo brand. Independent reports confirm Aristocrat’s leadership position in game performance, leased games, for-sale games and most-anticipated games.

Another previous winner, Scientific Games has triumphed on three separate occasions – more than any other company, while it’s the only supplier to win this Award back-to-back (2017 and 2018). An industry stalwart, SG’s products and technology reimagine the player experience while enhancing operational insights.

In 2019, SG’s J43 & WAVEXL were independently ranked as the number-one and number-two portrait cabinets. To complement its slots and cabinets, SG also has a portfolio of proprietary table games with over 40,000 table game and utility units.

Continuing to deliver results through its stellar and diverse product range, Novomatic generated 2019 revenue of $2.92bn. Adjusting quickly during the COVID-19 pandemic, the firm has been in a strong position to supply the land-based casino industry’s return to business. Indeed, Novomatic has resumed operations in several European markets under strict health and safety measures, while in July it was awarded second place in the 2020 Austrian Brand Value Study.

Next up in our Shortlist, Interblock saw its Diamond Stadium continue to succeed in 2019 and 2020, while the supplier additionally signed landmark partnerships with the Playboy brand and the National Hockey League.

Displaying what it called the “future of table games” at ICE London, Interblock has since adapted key products for social distancing. In June, Interblock’s Asian division launched luxury ETG products at an entertainment complex in Hoiana, Vietnam.

Meanwhile, SuzoHapp provides a wide variety of components, consumables and hardware products to casinos. Its product lines include coin and currency handling equipment, display solutions, control devices, game operation components, environmental products and consumables. The supplier’s 700+ employees serve more than 25,000 customers worldwide, while SuzoHapp has manufacturing, engineering, distribution and service capabilities in 14 countries globally.

Completing our list, Everi believes in the values of transparency, collaboration and innovation. The supplier’s Remote Gaming Server supports a library of numerous titles, designed using state-of-the-art system architecture. Everi’s RGS also offers robust data analytics and real-time reporting, while the company has used its financial reach to stay nimble and robust during the pandemic.

So, despite the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the US retail sector, our Shortlist contains suppliers that have remained strong in the face of adversity. With such a formidable set of nominees, the eventual winner will know they defeated a list filled with first-class competitors to prevail. Will IGT, Scientific Games or Aristrocrat triumph again – or will we see a new winner this year?

DIGITAL INDUSTRY SUPPLIER

Kambi BetConstruct

IGT PlayDigital

Evolution Gaming

SBTech / DraftKings

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AWARD SPONSOR Aristocrat has a rich history of success at the Awards – most recently winning twice at the 2019 ceremony. Licensed in around 300 gaming jurisdictions, operating in over 90 countries and offering a unique blend products and services, Aristocrat is a global games powerhouse.

Continent 8 Technologies ScientiďŹ c Games

Asia Live Tech

Playtech

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Gambling Insider takes an in-depth look at the 10 nominees in contention to win the Digital Industry Supplier of the Year Award.

As activity in digital gaming rises, so too does the demand for products. That demand has never been greater, as the digital sector soars, accelerated partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Greater emphasis is therefore placed on suppliers in the gaming industry, making their job more important than ever. After all, while operators are front-of-house, suppliers are the cornerstone of the sector behind the scenes, providing fresh products and innovation to keep the sector growing.

Since sports betting became legalized in the US in 2018, the demand for product and innovation has grown significantly each year, with online casino also growing gradually in the US. The digital industry has seen so much growth in this time, demonstrated by the amount of expansion the Digital Industry Supplier of the Year nominees have made during the past 12 months.

The category, sponsored by Aristocrat, focuses on the providers the industry is relying on most to take digital gaming forward. In an age where the digital space is growing and changing constantly, these suppliers are the driving forces behind this evolution, and the Award recognizes the role these companies play.

Starting with last year’s winner, Kambi’s 2019 revenue grew 21% year-on-year to €92.3m ($103.6m), with overall operator handle rising 37%. The supplier provides its sportsbook service in 11 US states, processing the first legal wagers in New York, New Jersey and Michigan among others. Among Kambi’s high-profile partners are Rush Street Interactive, Penn National and DraftKings as the supplier continues to grow in the US. BetConstruct has focused on the US market in the past year, launching its mobile social casino system in Oklahoma and offering its online solution to operators to live stream casino games. BetConstruct also expanded its offering by striking a deal with Parimatch to offer live casino games.

Evolution Gaming, whose market share will significantly rise once it completes the process of acquiring NetEnt, saw its operating revenue rise 45% year-on-year for Q1 2020 as the demand for live casino grew, with stakes amounting to €8.7bn ($9.8bn). In the last year, Evolution has created 12 new games, introducing a mixture of titles in the live game shows and casino classic categories.

IGT PlayDigital offers sports betting for US operators in 12 states through its IGT Playsports brand, including FanDuel sportsbooks in multiple locations. The supplier’s digital casino content is available on every regulated online casino in the US and Canada, with its digital

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content library including more than 180 themes.

The next nomination is SBTech, which was recently acquired by DraftKings to create market capitalization of approximately $3.3bn, with valuations rising to $12bn since.

In the past year, SBTech has expanded its sports betting technology by launching in Indiana, Oregon and Pennsylvania. The launch of its partnership with the Oregon state lottery was the largest sportsbook deal to date, and from launch until March, led to revenue growth of 80%.

Scientific Games has expanded its offering with several high-profile partnerships over the past 12 months, including its sports betting partnership with Betfred to roll out its digital solutions in Colorado. It also launched new online casino content with Golden Nugget in New Jersey, further cementing its US offering.

The supplier’s Open Platform System has also been successful, now live with 145 operators and 384 brands.

Over the past year, 2016 winner Playtech has partnered with PokerStars to launch an exclusive new roulette variant, and extended its long-term partnership with Betfred for another four years. Playtech’s poker offering also expanded, with Red Star Poker joining the supplier’s online poker network.

Nominee number eight, Continent 8 opened its Atlantic City Data Center in September, while its partnership with Iforium expanded the supplier’s offering throughout the online market in the US. Continent 8’s multi-state capacity includes facilities in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and New York, and plans to offer online gaming in 13 states by the end of 2020.

During the past year, Asia Live Tech has increased its white label gaming platforms in addition to offering its own games. The innovative supplier has incorporated new technologies such as the in-play casino concept, adding crypto-currencies to become the first Bitcoin-enabled online gaming provider in Asia.

Completing the list of nominations is Connective Games, which has seen a boom in online poker activity in 2020 and established itself as the third-largest poker liquidity network by powering six of the world’s top independent poker rooms. As of March, Connective Games’ combined seven-day average cash game traffic was up 39% from 2019, with new partners signed up in the Indian and Asian markets.

This category is extremely competitive once again, but which of the 10 will be crowned Digital Industry Supplier of the Year in what has been such a significant 12 months?

CUSTOMER LOYALTY PROGRAM

Caesars Entertainment Rush Street Interactive

Rymax

MGM Resorts International

Mohegan Sun

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AWARD SPONSOR Interblock is a premium electronic table games company with over 29 years of innovation. Casino operators worldwide know Interblock as a leading developer and supplier of luxury electronic table gaming products.

Galaxy Entertainment Group Penn National Gaming

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Ocean Casino Resort

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The acquisition and retention of players is vital to the performance of any top casino operator, and customer loyalty programs are a vital part of this process. Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for the Customer Loyalty Program of the Year Award.

Since 2014, this Award has seen the best customer loyalty programs in the gaming industry go head to head for the top prize. After winning the first Award, MGM Resorts International’s M Life has mainly dominated the category, only beaten to the title in 2018 by Caesars Entertainment’s Caesars Rewards.

Despite this, the category has seen some exceptional nominees over the past six years, boasting a wide array of innovative programs with incredible customer rewards. Each year, casino operators and loyalty program suppliers have had to up their game to compete, and 2020 certainly looks like no exception.

Thankfully, as COVID-19 restrictions ease across the world, customers are able to once again enter land-based casinos and take advantage of the exciting rewards on offer. Loyalty programs will become more vital than ever as operators look to attract customers through casino doors. This year’s 10 nominees are considered by Gambling Insider to offer not only the most exciting loyalty programs, but also the most successful.

First up, we have the category’s 2018 winner Caesars Entertainment. With its international reach, Caesars Rewards allows members to earn and redeem Reward Credits at more than 55 resorts and casinos across the globe. The program’s app allows members easy access to their potential rewards with the ability to sort and filter offers, including room discounts in hotels, free parking and no resort fees.

Next up is Rush Street Interactive with the RSI loyalty program. This offers a unique and innovative loyalty program that gamifies rewards in exciting, fair and transparent ways. The operator is dedicated to reciprocating players’ loyalty by ensuring there are exciting benefits at each of its 10 Loyalty Levels. With a focus on accessibility, RSI enables players to easily track their loyalty and bonus progressions and give them 100% control over when and how to redeem awards.

Now we come to the category’s five-time winner, MGM Resorts International with M Life. It really isn’t difficult to see why this program has been so successful over the years. It provides members with the possibility of earning exclusive access, valuable benefits, and incredible rewards all while enjoying world-class offerings at M life Rewards Destinations nationwide. Through the program, members can earn Tier Credits for virtually all their spend to elevate and enhance their gaming experience. But will M Life claim top spot once again?

Rymax provides this category with a nominee outside of the traditional in-house casino loyalty programs, with its Experiential Events and Merchandise Rewards.

Rymax partners with high-profile casinos across the globe and creates loyalty solutions to make every player feel like a winner. Its programs are designed to motivate players through an unmatched portfolio of 450 trending

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brands, 15,000 premium merchandise rewards, one-of-a-kind interactive experiential events and quick, reliable reward fulfilment.

Our next nominee is Mohegan Sun with its innovative program, Momentum. Momentum delivers maximum excitement with fantastic rewards and benefits. The program allows members to earn Momentum Dollars to spend on world-class dining, premium brand shopping, hotel stays, spa treatments and more. Members can add the Dollars to their Momentum card, which will ultimately elevate a player’s status.

Another operator that will be looking to capitalize on the return of players is Penn National Gaming. Its loyalty program, mychoice, is a world-class program that gives players more ways to earn, redeem and gain rewards at 35 Penn National Gaming locations across the US. All player spend will count toward their mychoice status. The program offers rewards such as free slot play, dining discounts and even cruises and vacations.

Ocean Casino Resort, with its exceptional Ocean Rewards Club, is focused on creating a rewards program that is easy to use and delivers top-quality rewards for its members. Guests can earn special perks and privileges that extend beyond Ocean.

Whether it’s specialty dining, an afternoon at the spa or a four-day Caribbean cruise, Ocean has partnered with national brands, allowing members greater opportunities to take advantage of exclusive benefits.

Galaxy Entertainment has also been nominated for its GEG Privilege Club, a joint offering from Galaxy Macau and StarWorld Macau. The loyalty program offers the fastest membership upgrade in Macau, with an upgrade to platinum membership after just 10 points. Points can be redeemed for a number of valuable prizes, while the use of membership cards ensures point building is easy.

The penultimate nominee is The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas with Identity, and through this program, members can earn points by spending on both gaming and non-gaming activities. As they progress and unlock different tiers, players can enjoy free luxury dining, valet parking and even companion rooms.

As an added bonus, Identity points can be converted to Marriott Bonvoy points so members can treat themselves at nearly 3,800 hotels around the globe.

Last but by no means least we have Foxwoods Resorts Casino and its Foxwoods Rewards program. Foxwood Rewards members are able to earn points every time they play to receive the rewards they love the most.

Players redeem Foxwoods Rewards Points and can earn Tier credits to reach Gold status. Members can also play at home for rewards with Foxwoods online offers.

Exclusive Tanger Outlets offers and complimentary hotel offers are all included in the list of rewards.

PROPERTY

Casino del Sol The Guitar Hotel

Mohegan Sun

Pechanga Resort & Casino

Foxwoods Resort Casino

AWARD SPONSOR A stalwart within the gaming sector, Scientific Games supplies products across land-based, online, casino, sports betting and lottery gaming. The provider has won, and been nominated for, numerous Global Gaming Awards over the years.

The Venetian Macao The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Encore Boston Harbor

Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

Ocean Casino Resort

Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for the Property of the Year Award.

Arguably one of the toughest awards to win at GGA Las Vegas, the Property of the Year Award needs the victor to meet several outstanding requirements. Now into its third year, the Award is a celebration of the most renowned, well-designed and bestaccommodating property the region has to offer. Size and gaming machines alone won’t win the Award, although they can help.

Unfortunately, the world-class casino venues nominated, along with the majority worldwide, were closed for several months from March, as the world came to terms with the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers were robbed of experiencing some of the best entertainment any industry has to offer. Despite restrictions that have been since implemented to ensure safety, the majority if not all of these properties are now open for the masses to once again enjoy, albeit in a different way.

This Award, sponsored by Scientific Games, therefore recognizes the properties that continue to evolve and adapt to an increasingly changing customer base, and who push the boundaries to deliver experiences that continue to keep patrons coming back.

The first nomination for this Award is Casino del Sol. The Tucson venue consolidated itself as an entertainment hub with the opening of its new hotel last November, allowing it to accommodate more guests to sample the array of activities for guests, including Vegas-style gaming. The casino’s Party Pit allows guests to play blackjack as they listen to live music or watch sports. It also celebrated its 25-year anniversary in 2019.

When you talk about pushing boundaries, The Guitar Hotel does exactly that. The world’s first guitar-shaped hotel opened last November, standing 450 feet tall, with 638 rooms. The $1.5bn expansion on the existing entertainment complex in Hollywood, Florida, has 36 stories and is fast becoming the landmark venue for the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, after taking nearly 10 years to design and build.

Native American property Pechanga Resort & Casino is the largest casino in California, with more than 5,000 slot machines and 158 table games. Pechanga recently underwent a $300m renovation to expand its offering, and was named as the official California casino partner of the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, as well as for the SoFI and Hollywood Park stadiums.

Next up is Mohegan Sun, the Connecticut-based casino which is operated by the Mohegan Tribe.

It boasts a state-of-the-art poker room as well as three major entertainment venues, which seat up to 10,000, and saw WWE Raw perform

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at the Sun Arena in March. In February, the Mohegan Sun was named in the top 10 best workplaces for diversity by Fortune magazine.

The Foxwoods Resort Casino is home to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Connecticut, and the complex now offers an array of gaming in seven casinos, making it one of the largest gaming resort destinations in North America. December slot revenue was $33.6m, and in February this year, the casino marked its 28th anniversary. Plus, in mid-June, it announced an expanded property reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas luxury resort casino will celebrate a decade of operations in December 2020 and the casino makes use of its technology, offering slots and video poker to modernize everyone’s favorite classic Las Vegas table games. The cutting edge casino also features a state-of-the-art sportsbook at Boulevard Tower and has been firmly back up and running since June.

The inaugural winner of the Property of the Year Award in 2018, Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa boasts the largest hotel in Atlantic City, as well as being the top-grossing casino in the state. The New Jersey-based casino operated

by MGM Resorts opened a sportsbook last summer, adding more than $11m in development to the resort. In November, it accepted the first legal esports wager in New Jersey.

Defending its 2019 award, the Venetian Macao, owned by Las Vegas Sands, is the largest casino in the world, and biggest single structure hotel building in Asia. Its restaurants have been awarded Michelin stars, while its parent company has been at the forefront of the COVID-19 recovery effort in Macao, launching a SafeStay program and donating MOP 1m ($125,381).

The Encore Boston Harbor, located in Everett, Massachusetts, and owned by Wynn Resorts, was opened in June 2019 at a total cost of $2.6bn, the country’s most expensive resort development of 2019. It features a 210,000-square-foot casino, and in September, was announced the official hotel of six-time Super Bowl champions the New England Patriots, with its modern decor on display.

The final nominee for this prestigious Award is Ocean Casino Resort. Formerly Revel Casino Hotel, the New Jersey-based Ocean Casino Resort reopened in June 2018 and has strengthened since Terry Glebocki took over as CEO in August 2019.

In November, casino winnings came in at $19.5m, a 67% year-on-year rise, while total gaming revenue was up to $22.6m, the casino’s sixth profitable month in a row.

PRODUCT INNOVATION

IGT Incredible Technologies

CasinoTrac

Scientific Games

Evolution Gaming

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AWARD SPONSOR Sponsor Newgioco has made a name for itself globally for sports betting, virtuals and many other solutions, while it is also becoming a growing force within the US. The company is now public following its IPO.

Golden Race Global Payments Gaming Solutions

Game Changing Technologies

GameCo

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Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for Product Innovation of the Year Award.

The product innovation category is one of the more recent additions to the Global Gaming Awards’ lineup. Added in 2018, it combines the land-based gaming innovation and digital gaming innovation categories. Since then, it has seen a number nominees compete for the top spot with some incredible products.

In its first year, Evolution Gaming managed to secure first place with its Lightning Roulette game for live casino. Last year, it was the turn of Incredible Technologies, claiming the company’s first Global Gaming Award for its Infinity V55 Edge display unit.

The current pandemic has put an even greater importance on product innovation. Faced with the challenge of adapting to the new normal, land-based properties have looked toward suppliers for assistance with health and safety adaptation. Meanwhile, online casinos and sportsbooks must consistently improve their offerings to stay ahead in competitive markets across the globe.

The Award’s past two winners have set a very high bar for innovation, but all of our 2020 nominees have met that challenge head on. From contactless gaming solutions to live casino game shows, the products showcased in this year’s list demonstrate the hard work of an industry brimming with creativity.

Our first nominee is IGT with its PeakBarTop Cabinet.

IGT’s PeakBarTop epitomizes hardware innovation that helps propel the future of the gaming industry. After conducting multiple rounds of focus group testing with operators, players and bartenders, IGT introduced the next-generation gaming machine at G2E. The cabinet boasts a curved, 23-inch display, enhanced lighting and sound, a USB charging port, a play-level indicator, improved serviceability and more.

Last year, Incredible Technologies took top spot with its Infinity V55 Edge. This year the supplier is nominated for its Infinity Pilot. The Infinity Pilot marks IT’s entrance to the gaming premium product segment. Paired with the customizable Edge displays, operators have numerous options to find the fit best for their players and floor space.

The immersive Pilot cabinet encapsulates players with 4K gameplay and eye-catching graphics, creating a unique gaming space that drives attention to one thing: the game.

Looking to solve challenges posed by the pandemic, Scientific Games has been nominated for its Contactless Gaming Solutions. Scientific Games’ Unified Wallet gives players the power to access funds to play slots and tables through a mobile app. SG’s Social Distancing Modules allow operators to effectively manage the casino floor while allowing players to enjoy their favorite games. A Dynamic Distancing feature facilitates social distancing among slot players, disabling games within close proximity once a player cards in.

Next up we have CasinoTrac and its Dynamic Auto Social Distancing Program. CasinoTrac’s social distancing product allows guests to play games while enforcing social distancing rules. It places the surrounding games out of service for other patrons, meaning casinos can maintain the diversity of game offerings for their players. Games that were in play will be disabled until a staff member marks them as clean.

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Evolution Gaming is our next nominee with Mega Ball and Crazy Time. Evolution Gaming’s two newest game shows Mega Ball and Crazy Time redefine live casino. Mega Ball, Evolution Gaming’s first lottery style game, builds player anticipation utilizing RNG technology in its one or two bonus rounds. Crazy Time mixes augmented reality, RNG, slots style elements and more bonus games than ever. It houses four bonus games all loaded with multipliers.

Global Payments Gaming Solutions is nominated for its VIP Mobility product. Global Payments Gaming Solutions’ VIP Mobility provides a seamless mobile experience for guests to purchase digital TITO tickets straight to their mobile device; as well as the ability to pair their mobile device to any slot or table games on the property by scanning a QR code. It offers casino operators the opportunity to reduce their cost while enhancing the guest experience.

Now for an entry focusing on the world of esports.

GameCo is nominated for The Multiplayer Arena. In 2019, GameCo unveiled the new Multiplayer Arena, featuring games that bring esports-style tournaments and head-to-head competitions to the casino floor in a variety of genres, including the popular fighting game, Soulcalibur II Casino Edition. Capable of hosting single player, multiplayer challenge, and 32-player bracketed tournaments, the Multiplayer Arena brings an esports solution to the casino floor.

After the pandemic saw the shutdown of most major sports competitions across the world, there was an increased need for alternatives – something our next nominee could cater for. Golden Race is nominated for its New Virtual Football. Created entirely in digital 3D for ultimate control and customization, including realistic odds and outcomes, more than 20 major leagues and tournaments are represented through full live-rendering technology. Golden Race has developed a full set of proprietary technologies that establish a major precedent in the industry, including dynamic events recorded and edited with exceptional filming techniques and motion capture technology.

Our penultimate nominee is Game Changing Technologies with its Tribal Gaming Cloud. The Tribal Gaming Cloud is a new innovation that provides Indian Gaming Operators with a shared data repository and application framework that is protected by sovereign immunity. The innovations that support the Tribal Gaming Cloud also include benefits of shared services and proven data protection, among others.

Finally, it’s Paysafe with its iGaming Payments API. Paysafe’s Q1 2019 research suggested that providing a diverse payment offering helps US operators maximize player acquisition and retention by reducing credit and debit card declines. The payment provider’s solution gives operators a comprehensive suite of payment methods and card processing, ACH, iACH and alternative methods from Paysafe and third parties through a single streamlined integration.

SLOT

Lightning Box Aristocrat

NetEnt

IGT

Eclipse Gaming

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AWARD SPONSOR FABICash® is a national cash access, Title 31 AML compliance and online sports betting company that services over 200 casinos throughout the US and Canada. In the gaming industry since 1996, FABICash provides reliable ATM, cash advance, check cashing, Title 31 AML compliance, and online sports betting services.

Aruze Gaming

Zitro

WorldMatch

Scientific Games

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Gambling Insider looks at the 10 games nominated to land the Slot of the Year Award.

A successful slot game can be the beating heart of a casino. Slots in general are a cornerstone of the gaming market and will be integral to attracting customers as gaming properties reopen during the coronavirus pandemic. With such a fiercely competitive market to operate in, however, the best slots can only stand out with the best displays, features or prize offerings.

Many companies have gone down the branded route over the years while other slots prioritize unique gameplay, with reels and jackpots galore.

In our line-up, there’s innovation on show in some cases and simple but effective designs in others.

With both approaches, though, there’s no right or wrong. Slot games of all kinds attract players to casinos and keep them playing, making it difficult for our Judges to decide exactly which slot should be number one in 2020.

Our first nominee, Lightning Box, makes the list with its Eagle Sun slot. The title, from Lightning Box’s Sydney-based studio, features an exciting re-spin bonus which occurs if the eponymous symbol falls on reel three. The 40-line game, which changes to 80 lines during the free games round, was made available exclusively to William Hill via SG Digital in May, before going live with all other operators later that month.

Next on our Shortlist is the most distinguished company in this category. Indeed, since the Award’s inception in 2018, Aristocrat has been its only winner, triumphing with its Game of Thrones slot in 2018 and defending that title with Buffalo Diamond in 2019. This year, Aristocrat has been nominated with Dollar Storm, created exclusively for the MarsX cabinet. It’s the highly anticipated evolution of Lightning Link and Dragon Link, with the added excitement of an MSP jackpot.

Players can win the MSP Super Grand Jackpot during the Hold & Spin bonus with a new MSP trigger mechanic.

Industry stalwart IGT is our third nominee, with Hexbreaker 3. Based on performance, innovation and player affinity, it warrants distinction. The spellbinding video slot topped Eilers and Krejcik’s list of top-indexing games several months in a row, significantly exceeding house averages. Featured on one of IGT’s most successful gaming machines, the CrystalCurve cabinet, Hexbreaker 3 quickly captivated players with its innovative gameplay, reel configuration and anticipation-packed bonuses.

Meanwhile, NetEnt is making more of a concerted effort to target markets in the US, while enjoying plenty of success across Latin America. The supplier’s Divine Fortune will transport you back into a mythical era.

The secret to this game’s success lies in the wealth of in-game features, including wild substitutions, falling wilds re-spins, a wild-on-wild feature, free spins and the jackpot bonus game with three different jackpots, including the progressive Mega Jackpot.

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From Eclipse Gaming, the Jackpot $pins High Roller takes wheel games in a whole new direction.

The unique horizontal prize wheel and stacked wilds, complemented by the classic casino icons, create an entertaining experience with an easy-to-play game. The Jackpot $pins High Roller prize wheel builds anticipation and excitement as it twists, and jackpots plummet into activated chutes on the reels.

Our next renowned slot is 88 Link Wild Duels from Zitro, which is a Multigame Progressive Link that comes with four game titles per machine.

Each game is packed with features such as Free Games and Extensive Wilds, providing a variety of appealing gaming experiences. Players love the bonus, triggered with only one wild symbol once the energy ball is charged with enough energy, even during free games.

A multiple Global Gaming Award winner over the years, Scientific Games will be looking to claim its first Slot of the Year Award with Dancing Drums Explosion. The dazzling imagery of Asian game theme Dancing Drums is restored with a gold explosion. Dancing Drums Explosion, featured on the Twinstar V75 cabinet, showcases the player favorite Fu Babies Bonus, which continues to award Fu Babies jackpots. The drum is sure to keep going with the Free Spins Bonus, offering an anticipative re-trigger feature for an additional three free spins.

Next up is Aruze Gaming, with Pachincoin Jackpot Circus. The slot is a unique concept that leverages Aruze’s history with the Japanese pachinko market, to create a totally new style of game. Players don’t need to be familiar with pachinko as the interface and game play are intuitive, and bet structures borrow from traditional slot play. Players can release many coins quickly, creating a wealth of activity on their screen.

Our penultimate nominee is WorldMatch with Night Vampire; the most popular video slot cabinet from Italian manufacturer Baldazzi Styl Art was re-designed by leading provider of online gaming solutions WorldMatch. Originally launched in Italy, Night Vampire quickly became an international hit as it has everything a gambler needs to perfectly suit their preferences: wild symbols, scatters, two bonus games and 15 bet ways.

Completing our Shortlist for this category is another firm enjoying strong market share in Latin America: Pragmatic Play is nominated for Great Rhino Megaways. The new game features no less than 200,704 ways to win, with increasing multipliers at every tumble. It’s a high-productionvalue video slot, with a streamlined experience that appeals to all player types. Great Rhino Megaways includes dynamic events throughout its gameplay, with a tumbling feature and a changing number of ways to win after each spin.

RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS

Gary Platt Manufacturing Hard Rock & Seminole Gaming

BMM Testlabs

BBIN

GeoComply

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AWARD SPONSOR CasinoTrac’s mission is to provide a complete casino management system for its customers, including functionality modules for guestrewards, loyalty clubs, marketing analysis,audit/accounting and many more.

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As greater emphasis in gaming falls on a sense of community during these extraordinary times, Gambling Insider previews the 10 companies nominated for the Responsible Business of the Year Award.

Responsibility is a crucial element of any gaming organization – and in more ways than one. Responsible gaming and compliance are front of mind for every legal gaming company, as the regulated market looks to protect players from the dangers of addiction and problem gambling. But gaming firms must also keep an eye on wider society. As companies grow, so too does their need for corporate social responsibility.

The Responsible Business of the Year Award therefore rewards those organizations that have gone the extra mile over the past 12 months. As greater emphasis falls on a sense of community during the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 has tested suppliers, operators, tribes, regulators and test labs, but the global pandemic has also demonstrated how far many of the industry’s corporations are prepared to go to give back to their communities.

Opening our list of nominees is supplier Gary Platt Manufacturing. Gary Platt has a proactive approach to the environment by implementing an aggressive program that recycles chairs, chair parts, fabrics, foam and packaging. When the coronavirus epidemic hit Reno, Gary Platt dedicated part of its plant to mass producing masks, the first several thousand of which were donated to the local Renown Regional Medical Center.

Next up is tribal operator Hard Rock & Seminole Gaming. Last year, Hard Rock & Seminole Gaming introduced the groundbreaking PlayersEdge responsible gambling program, addressing training for 15,000 guest-facing casino employees and player education. 2019 training was delivered with Florida Council for Compulsive Gambling’s Dr. Rory Reid.

This resulted in a greater penetration of responsible gambling education and support.

Since 2018, BBIN has been paying close attention to responsibility and social welfare through its charity, The Gaming Beat Charity. In 2020, BBIN and TGB Charity partnered with Cambodian Children’s Fund and donated to various educational projects to support vulnerable children in Cambodia. BBIN also launched events for World Water Day, to help bring safe water to families around the world.

Meanwhile, ensuring the highest standard of products through rigorous testing, BMM Testlabs has become an essential part of the gaming sector.

The longest-established and most-experienced private independent gaming testing laboratory in the world, BMM is licensed and/or recognized in over 400 jurisdictions, with 14 offices in 13 countries.

In response to the pandemic, BMM launched its cybersecurity initiative to provide effective solutions uniquely suited to the increased threats of the pandemic.

Twice the winner of this Award, in 2016 and 2018, GeoComply has become an integral part of the US online gaming market and the go-to provider for geolocation compliance solutions. It has in recent

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years evolved its products to meet the compliance requirements of states as they begin to introduce online gaming. The PinPoint on-property solution is one example, which provides operators with a way to offer on-premise mobile betting while remaining compliant.

Our next nominee is operator Las Vegas Sands.

During the pandemic, Sands donated two million medical masks and 20,000 protective suits to relief efforts in New York and Nevada. In addition to the protective gear donations in Nevada, Sands is fulfilling a pledge to give $250,000 to local organizations: Three Square, Communities in Schools and Share Village Las Vegas.

Another two-time winner in this category, winning at the inaugural Awards in 2014 then defending its title the following year, MGM Resorts International has once again been nominated in 2020. When the pandemic began, MGM Resorts donated over 250,000 meals to the communities in which it operates. In addition, the MGM Resorts Emergency Relief Fund provides employees and their immediate families with short-term relief in making payments, or to meet obligations during unexpected hardships and emergencies.

Caesars Entertainment has also remained committed to helping nearby communities in a time of need. The operator supplied approximately 208,000 meals to numerous charities across the US. Caesars has equally provided thousands of items including gloves, masks and hand sanitizer to local hospitals, first responders and local charities.

Our penultimate nominee is tribal casino San Manuel Casino. Across more than 20 years, the annual San Manuel Golf Tournament has donated in excess of $1.6m in charitable funds to 36 nonprofit organizations. This year, while the casino was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the culinary team kept working to provide meals to health carers, senior citizens and the homeless.

Completing our Shortlist in the Responsible Business category is operator Boyd Gaming. While properties remained closed, Boyd Gaming stood with its community, donating more than 35,000 face masks and 20,000 pairs of gloves to first responders and hospitals throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Thousands of pounds of fresh produce, cheese, meats and bread products were given to Three Square Food Bank to distribute throughout the Las Vegas Valley, and help those in need during these difficult times.

In this year’s category, we’re guaranteed a different winner to last year. But will we see a completely new winner, or could GeoComply or MGM Resorts claim their third Award in this category? Whoever triumphs in 2020, no nominee should be overlooked for the contribution it has made in the area of corporate social responsibility. As you can see from the many charitable actions this past year, the industry has plenty to be proud of from a responsibility point of view.

RENATO ASCOLI - IGT

HECTOR FERNANDEZ - Aristocrat

ANNA SAINSBURY - GeoComply

BROOKS PIERCE - Inspired Entertainment

ELAINE HODGSON - Incredible Technologies

SHEILA MORAGO - Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association

JIM ALLEN - Hard Rock

RICK MEITZLER - Novomatic

JASON ROBINS - DraftKings

DAVID LOPEZ - AGS

BARRY COTTLE - Scientific Games

GREG CARLIN - Rush Street Gaming

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KEITH SMITH - Boyd Gaming MELONIE JOHNSON - Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa

MIKE DREITZER - Gaming Arts

KIMBERLY VAN AMBURG - Casino del Sol

GEORG WASHINGTON - Synergy Blue

JOHN CONNELLY - Interblock

JOE ASHER - William Hill US

MICHAEL RUMBOLZ - Everi

MARTIN STORM - BMM Testlabs

TOM REEG - Caesars Entertainment

MARIO KONTOMERKOS - Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment

MATT KING - FanDuel

ERNIE STEVENS, JR - National Indian Gaming Association GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 75

The American Executive of the Year Award has been one of the most prestigious since the inaugural winner was announced in 2018. Gambling Insider previews the 25 leading nominees.

The American Executive of the Year Award has been a prestigious category at GGA Las Vegas since being introduced in 2018. Although the nomination list is longer than in other categories, the extensive search has narrowed down a final list of the best the industry has to offer, considering the scope of competition.

The way these executives have led their respective companies through arguably the toughest period in the industry’s history is testament to them and reinforces why all 25 have made the final list.

The Executive of the Year is the only category in the Awards that recognizes the individual instead of the company, hand picking the very best execs who have steered their companies through this tough period and kept them on the path to success.

Renato Ascoli kicks-off the list. Ascoli had served as the CEO for IGT’s North America & Interactive division for five years, until moving to become the CEO of Global Gaming for the supplier in July. He managed to oversee a slight increase in year-onyear revenue for the North America Gaming and Interactive segment in 2019, leaving the division well placed.

GeoComply CEO Anna Sainsbury is seen as a trailblazer in the industry, as one of the most influential women within the gaming industry.

She has overseen GeoComply since 2011, making it a global leader in geolocation technology, and joined the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) board of directors in 2019.

Another industry stalwart is Incredible Technologies CEO Elaine Hodgson, who has led the suppler since co-founding it way back in 1985.

She has transformed it from a small company operating from her basement to one of the biggest producers of casino gaming. The provider continues to innovate through its Magic Touch collection.

CEO of Seminole Gaming Jim Allen helped its acquisition of Hard Rock International in 2007.

He oversaw the $2.4bn expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood, where the world’s first guitar-shaped hotel was launched in late 2019. The Hard Rock International chairman has seen it expand its global presence from 46 to 74 countries since 2007.

DraftKings CEO Jason Robins has not let the pandemic ruin what has been an outstanding year for the operator. Not only did DraftKings see Q2 2020 revenue rise 24% year-on-year to $70.9m, but it announced the acquisition of supplier SBTech in December, worth an estimated $3.3bn in market capitalisation (valued at $12bn since).

It’s been a year of expansion for Barry Cottle and Scientific Games as well, who has been CEO of the supplier since 2015. Not only did Scientific

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Games post a 1% year-on-year rise in revenue for 2019, but its Open Platform System has been a hit, now live with 145 operators and counting.

Since Hector Fernandez was promoted to the role of Americas president, Aristocrat has gone from strength to strength. The supplier reported a revenue rise of 7% year-on-year for Q2 2020, and its US expansion included its Class III installed base growing by 9%, and Class II installed base expanding by 2%.

It’s been a standout year for Inspired Entertainment and its president and COO, Brooks Pierce, who has been in his current role since 2018. The virtual sports specialist has benefited from the boom the vertical has seen, replacing live sport during the period of its suspension. As a result, revenue for the company’s total online business across its gaming and virtual sports online channels grew by $4.9m year-on-year, on a pro forma basis.

It’s been an extremely testing time for Sheila Morgan as the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association (OIGA) executive director, but her leadership has seen the tribal gaming industry in the state stand firm against Governor Kevin Stitt. A court backed OIGA’s case against Stitt, ruling that he had overstepped his authority regarding gaming compacts, and now the association can get back to trying to push through sports betting in the state.

Rick Meitzler has been in his role as president for Novomatic Americas since 2014, overseeing a division that was established in 2012. Novomatic is now one of the leading suppliers in the US market, producing market-specific productswhich are tailormade for North American jurisdictions, including slot machines for Class III gaming and electronic table games. In May, Novomatic had its license approved in Illinois.

Next up is last year’s winner, AGS CEO David Lopez. CEO since 2014, Lopez has amassed over 20 years of experience in the gaming industry.

Despite the pandemic impacting business, it’s been 12 months of expansion for AGS with partnerships being signed, including with Kindred, to provide online and real-money games for Unibet in New Jersey.

Greg Carlin co-founded Rush Street Gaming in 2005 and has been CEO ever since. It’s been a groundbreaking year for the operator, gaining significant market share with its casinos and sportsbooks accepting the first legal sports bets in New York and Illinois.

We mentioned trailblazers earlier, and this summer Melonie Johnson became the first black woman to run a casino in Atlantic City when she was made president of the MGM Resorts-operated Borgata Hotel & Casino. She had previously been the property president for Goldstrike in Mississippi,

also operated by MGM Resorts, and MGM National Harbor, and is one of the very few black people or women in an executive role in US gaming.

Kimberly van Amburg has been CEO of Casino del Sol since 2014, overseeing the opening of its new hotel last November and its 25-year anniversary celebrations. The casino has expanded significantly under her reign, including an expansion of the RV Park and conference center, making it one of the most outstanding entertainment hubs in the US. Electronic table games (ETG) developer and supplier Interblock has grown to become a leading provider in its specialized field, under the stewardship of global CEO John Connelly. Recent expansions include the launch of luxury ETG products at an entertainment complex in Hoiana, Vietnam, in June.

Despite the pandemic impacting business, Everi has shown no signs in slowing down its expansion.

Led by CEO and president Mike Rumbolz, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry, Everi launched its high-performing slot content at Borgata online casino, BetMGM and Party Casino New Jersey, as well as slot content with Parx Casino.

Tom Reeg has been tasked with leading the new Caesars Entertainment, becoming its CEO after Eldorado Resorts’ acquisition of the operator for $17.3bn went through in July. The merger makes Caesars one of the biggest gaming operators in the US, and it was Reeg who was instrumental in spearheading the acquisition, after serving as Eldorado CEO from January 2019.

Matt King has been leading FanDuel’s continuous growth since being appointed CEO in November 2017.

In that time, the fantasy sports operator opened its first retail sportsbook in New York last year, became the first sports betting app to stream live in the US (through a deal with Sportradar) and launched its casino app in Pennsylvania in June.

With more than 30 years in the industry, Boyd Gaming president and CEO Keith Smith has led one of the largest casino operators in the US since 2008. He’s successfully navigated Boyd Gaming through the financial crisis and now the coronavirus pandemic, and saw a fruitful 2019, where revenue rose 27% year-on-year to $3.33bn.

Mike Dreitzer is the next nominee on the list and became president of Gaming Arts in February 2018.

He’s been part of the effort for the supplier’s intention to attack the pandemic head on, as Gaming Arts revealed back in March its intention to create products designed to make casinos a safe place to enter, with specialized gaming safety equipment.

Prior to becoming Synergy Blue CEO in 2009, Georg Washington founded Synergy Information Solutions, a technology provider specializing in casino and tribal gaming. He used that expertise to make his current company a leading software development firm, focusing on traditional and online casino gaming solutions.

Joe Asher will be looking to add to his 2018 Award win after helping to lead William Hill US past the worst of the pandemic. Pre-pandemic, US total net revenue rose 30% year-on-year for the first 10 weeks

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of 2020. The operator’s US CEO has overseen an expansion in the US, which sees the operator now have access to 25 states.

Established in 1981, BMM Testlabs is now recognized as one of the world’s largest and most experienced test and certification labs. It works with every regulated market in the world; CEO Marin Storm ensures the company continues to provide world-class test and certification services, despite being in the midst of a pandemic.

Mario Kontomerkos had been CFO at Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment from 2011, until making the step up to CEO in 2017, to focus on corporate diversification. The tribal operator has begun a reopening operation across the US since venues were closed in March, and its Mohegan Sun casino was recognized among the top 10 best workplaces for diversity in the US, demonstrating the modern outlook to the operator.

It’s been a testing time for the National Indian Gaming Association (NIGA) and its members, but it has helped the tribal industry come together by joining in the tribal relief funds. Chairman and national spokesperson for NIGA, Ernie Stevens Jr. has been leading that effort, and is a much-respected member of the industry, overseeing the rise of Indian gaming revenues from $11bn in 2000 to more than $37.3bn in 2017.

In the most extensive list of nominations across any of the Awards, it’ll be a major honor to come out on top among this list of world-class executives.

A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE We show you some of the images that have stood out at the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas over the years, as winners accept their prestigious Awards across six ceremonies since the Awards’ inception in 2014.

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2017

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We would like to thank everyone who has helped us continue to produce the most trusted and respected Awards ceremony in the gaming industry, especially under such different circumstances in 2020.

Each year, several months of hard work from all parties go into hosting the event, traditionally at the Sands Expo Convention Center but this year in a virtual format.

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the many respected Judges helping raise the profile and prestige of our Awards even further, as well as the time and support they have put in.

The industry knowledge held by the Nomination Panel is extremely helpful and we would not be able to run such a reliable process without our voting adjudicator, KPMG Isle of Man. Our thanks equally go to our Lead Partner, BetConstruct, all Awards sponsors and our friends at G2E. If you want to find out the winners in all 12 categories, be sure to watch the virtual ceremony – which can be accessed from anywhere in the world.

For results after the ceremony, visit GlobalGamingAwards.com/Vegas/ to see who reigned supreme.

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The Global Gaming Awards, brought to you by Gambling Insider and Gaming America in association with G2E , the American Gaming Association and Reed Exhibitions. Official voting adjudicator KPMG Isle of Man.