GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS EMEA 2024 SHORTLIST
SHORTLIST A celebration of the leading companies and most dynamic individuals to have made their mark in the EMEA gaming industry in the past year
GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
Lead Partner
2023 was yet another strong year for the gaming industry worldwide so to say that our team is excited about this year’s Global Gaming Awards EMEA, Asia-Pacific and Americas events would be an understatement. For a while now gaming has been, and continues to be, one of the most dynamic, creative and innovative industries in the world, with constant new developments in both the online and the offline verticals. Last year was marked by Macau’s reopening and slow but steady return to form after the pandemic. The USA also received plenty of attention with the sports betting industry there continuing to break records month after month. The industry in the EMEA didn’t slow down as well – we saw the grand opening
Gary Roudette, CEO, Players Publishing
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of Europe’s first integrated resort and major plans were revealed for the UAE’s first casino. Companies serving the online sector also continued to push the boundaries with impressive new products launched, some of which have very cleverly leveraged AI’s potential. We’re kicking off the New Year by celebrating all those companies, operating across the EMEA, that continued to push the boundaries of product innovation and customer experience during the past 12 months. An exciting new addition to this year’s EMEA event is the Breakthrough Company of the Year category which will recognise ten up-and-coming companies that have shaken up the status quo in their respective fields. As always, every company and individual that has made it to this year’s Shortlist, is there for a reason, which you can read in the next pages. When we call the Global Gaming Awards the most prestigious in the industry, we mean it. We have ensured that the most deserving companies have been shortlisted and that a fair voting process is implemented. On behalf of our entire team, I would like to congratulate all of this year’s nominees. There are hundreds of companies in the industry, so to be considered one of the ten best in your field is a phenomenal achievement! The winners are once again chosen by 50 senior executives from the EMEA gaming industry. I would like to personally thank every single one of them. Your contribution is what makes these Awards so coveted. Another thank you goes to Micky Swindale and KPMG in the Crown Dependencies for adjudicating the voting process, the event’s Lead Partner, BetConstruct, for its support and to The Hippodrome Casino for giving the Global Gaming Awards EMEA a home for the seventh year. We look forward to celebrating with everyone on 5 February!
BetConstruct is delighted to participate in the Global Gaming Awards 2024, an event that brings together colleagues from across the globe to celebrate achievements and success in the gaming industry. In the wake of last year’s resonating success, the convergence of the Fastex ecosystem and our bold aspirations has set the stage for a groundbreaking move into cryptonisation within the iGaming industry. Over the past year, we have had a clear vision to improve the industry through the integration of the latest technologies and crypto. Our newly crafted offerings, products, platforms and tools are strategically designed to harness the revolutionary advantages that crypto brings to the iGaming industry. This year heralds the launch of our exhilarating “DREAM” campaign—a celebration of our extensive toolset and product potential. At BetConstruct, we champion the strength found in daring to dream. To all those aspiring to succeed in business, we declare, “Your ambitions are boundless, and so are our solutions. Together, we can achieve greatness.” The heart of our “DREAM” campaign lies in the philosophy of making dreams real. “IT’S YOUR DREAM!” is not merely a slogan; it’s a firm commitment to construct dreams and shape the future of iGaming. Your success is our paramount achievement, and we take pride in contributing to numerous success stories, transforming dreams into thriving businesses. At BetConstruct, we are dedicated to empowering your dream journey with tools, expertise, and unwavering support. The dreams of our partners are our top
priority, and we steadfastly stand by them, ensuring their journey is a triumphant one. From turning dreams into reality to crafting dreams into success stories, we specialise in dream realization. Our assortment of slogans and phrases underscores our unwavering dedication to transforming dreams into practical plans, achieving goals, and thriving within a community where dreams flourish. This year’s awards provide an excellent opportunity to recognise the hard work, commitment, and success of our peers. We extend our heartfelt best wishes to all nominees and congratulations to the winners on their well-deserved success. Best of luck to everyone, and we eagerly anticipate seeing you soon.
Vigen Badalyan, Co-Founder, BetConstruct
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Mariya Savova, Event Manager, Global Gaming Awards
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INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2023 Last year was certainly eventful for the gaming industry in the EMEA. In July, City of Dreams Mediterranean opened its doors in Limassol, Cyprus. The Melco Resorts & Entertainment-owned property brought the integrated resort concept, which is well-proven across Asia and the US, to Europe for the very first time. The United Arab Emirates is also set to welcome its first integrated resort with a gaming area – Wynn Al Marjan Island, scheduled to open in 2027. The design vision for the multi-billion-dollar project by Wynn Resorts was unveiled last year. Shortly after, the UAE announced a new regulatory body, headed by US gaming industry veterans Jim Murren and Kevin Mullally, to pave the way for a national lottery and commercial gaming in the country. And speaking of regulators, the Gambling Commission in the UK finally published its long-awaited White Paper, setting out the Government’s plan for reform of gambling regulation in the country. Many opinions have been expressed on the White Paper ever since, but what
everyone agrees on is that the industry has needed to evolve for some time. Sweden, Italy and Hungary also confirmed that by introducing amendments to their gambling regulation. Suppliers continued to push the boundaries of innovation with more companies deploying artificial intelligence in sophisticated new ways. Sportradar, for example, launched a suite of standalone AI-led solutions for in-house use by sportsbook operators to optimise the performance of their trading, risk management and marketing functions. Slot studios, such as BGaming, also used AI for some of their 2023 game releases. We also saw the launch of the industry’s first educational slot – Gerard’s Gambit by Play’n GO, designed with a teach-asyou-play approach to appeal to a new audience of online slots. Mobile games continued to enjoy huge popularity, especially in emerging markets like Africa. With customers using primarily mobile devices there, both suppliers and operators in the region have had to further optimise their products for mobile. The list of highlights can go on and on, but I will leave it here as you can find a lot more in the next pages, where we recognise what various companies from the many industry verticals achieved in 2023. WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2024 If there is one thing we can be certain of, it’s that responsible gaming will be a key focus for the industry in 2024 (and the years to come). For a while now the industry has openly been addressing the
topic. Player protection is being discussed at every single trade show throughout the year and in numerous features, published by industry media, such as Gambling Insider. Despite gaming being a highly competitive industry, we can’t deny that everyone is coming together to cohesively plan how to serve players in the best and safest way possible. The 2023 edition of the annual European Safer Gambling Week saw a record 8 million safer gambling messages shared on social media platforms across 20 European countries, and we can expect the momentum to continue this year. Another topic that’s here to stay in 2024 will most likely be artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) and how these can be applied in the gaming industry. Regulators and operators are increasingly adopting AI to support their safer gambling strategies. VR and AR in gambling are still relatively new, but knowing how quickly software developers and casinos move, it’s only a matter of time before the potential of these immersive technologies is harnessed. Last but certainly not least, 2024 is probably going to bring more M&A activity. We saw fewer mergers and acquisitions in 2023 than usual and news emerged of failed takeover bids (i.e. 888 and Playtech). Analysts say that the slowdown in M&A activity was due to the negative impact of higher interest rates on debt piles and private equity interest, as well as regulatory changes and uncertainties in various markets. If 2024 offers a better environment for
M&A activity, we will definitely see some interesting developments. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS One thing that won’t change this year is us celebrating the industry’s best companies at the Global Gaming Awards. Last October we celebrated the 10th anniversary of our flagship event in Las Vegas and we are starting this year with the seventh Global Gaming Awards EMEA to be held in London, while also planning the third instalment of the Global Gaming Awards Asia-Pacific which will be heading to the Philippines in June. It is important to acknowledge the innovation, hard work and progress made by our industry. This is exactly why the Global Gaming Awards were launched in the first place. Each company and individual are always shortlisted for a specific reason which you can read in the following pages. The Shortlist was decided through extensive research by our team, consultation with independent industry experts and review of hundreds of selfnominations, submitted by companies. To keep things fair, we have ensured that companies are only nominated once per category, meaning that if a company has multiple brands, only one of them can be shortlisted in a particular category. We have 15 company categories with an equal number of nominees –10, and 25 nominees in the Executive of the Year category – the only one recognising individuals rather than organisations. With such a limited number of
categories, it is natural that the Global Gaming Awards are so coveted. We refer to the Global Gaming Awards as the most prestigious in the industry. In part, this is because of all the rules I mentioned above. It is also because of how the winners are chosen. We invite 50 industry leaders, all with years of experience in the EMEA region, to choose the winners. They vote for a winner and a runner-up in each category and if there is a category where they have a conflict of interest, they are of course excluded from voting in it. KPMG in the Crown Dependencies independently adjudicates the voting process to ensure fairness and transparency. I would like to personally thank all executives who kindly agreed to participate in this year’s Judging Panel. Quite a few of the people you will find on the Judging Panel lead some of the biggest companies in the industry, yet they managed to find time to ensure that the best Awards in the industry will go to those that deserve them the most this year. Of course, big thank you goes to KPMG for adjudicating the voting process. I can’t wait to announce the winners soon, together with the lovely Micky Swindale, Partner at KPMG’s Global Gaming Team. To all shortlisted companies and executives this year, congratulations! You have made your mark on the industry in the past 12 months. We are looking forward to celebrating your achievements on 5 February at London’s Hippodrome Casino!
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I suspect it’s a sign of old age but I really can’t believe that the Global Gaming Awards has existed for over a decade now! My very first trip to G2Ein Vegas was in 2014 to attend the very first ceremony of the Awards. I was there to deliver in person the final element of KPMG’s engagement to act as independent adjudicator to the then newly established Awards – the final ‘on the ground’ check against our own record of category winners - and to attend the Awards ceremony to ensure that the right recipient is announced and presented with each award. I distinctly remember my rendezvous with Julian Perry & Gary Roudette in the lobby of the Venetian the day before the Awards, to check the winners list and plan for the ceremony. We were all pretty nervous and excited about what was to come, and my nerves increased several-fold when they said that they wanted me to actually come on stage and announce the winners in person. But as soon as the show got underway, and we heard and saw the delight and celebrations as each winner was announced, those nerves melted away – and so began a beautiful relationship and, I can easily say, my favourite
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client job. With the expansion of the Awards to London and now Asia, I have had the privilege of being the bearer of very good news to lots of industry legends over the years. What remains unchanged since day 1is KPMG’s approach to the voting and adjudication process - 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 & runner-up in each category has been determined correctly based on votes cast, and select a random 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. KPMG’s commitment to and involvement with this sector is, I believe, unparalleled and that is why we have so welcomed the opportunity to support the Global Gaming Awards for the past decade plus – 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. Official Adjudicator
Micky Swindale Partner, KPMG Global Gaming Team
Shirley Bassey with Simon Thomas, Executive Chairman, The Hippodrome Casino, at a recent visit
The opportunity to host the Global Gaming Awards is always one of the highlights of our year, up there with Christmas, Chinese New Year and Shirley Bassey’s birthday; we were very fortunate to recently welcome Dame Shirley to the Hippodrome for her birthday and I’ve never witnessed so many heads turn in astonishment. It’s been a very busy year with a record tally of visitors as the West
End returns to its new normal. We celebrated the 5th year of our recordbreaking show Magic Mike Live and our new Chinese restaurant Chop Chop garnered an ecstatic review from Jay Rayner which sent bookings stratospheric. So reserve a table now. We continue to work with some of the world’s pre-eminent partners in gaming, food, drink and entertainment, so to them I say a huge thank you.
And we are looking forward to meeting many luminaries from the industry at the awards ceremony. This will be the final Global Gaming Awards in the UK for a while. Good luck in Spain. It’s been a privilege to host you for the last seven years. Simon Thomas, Executive Chairman, The Hippodrome Casino
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THE JUDGES
BROOKS PIERCE
President & CEO Inspired Entertainment
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CARSTEN KOERL Group CEO Sportradar
CECILIA WACHTMEISTER CCO Kambi
CHRIS HARRISON
Industry Head Google
THE JUDGES
DANIELA JOHANSSON
ELLEN SEZERINO
GUSTAF HAGMAN
JAMES CURWEN
Deputy CEO Paf
General Counsel Jogo Global
Group CEO and Co-Founder LeoVegas
CEO Yggdrasil Gaming
HELEN WALTON
JENNIFER INNES CEO BettingJobs
MICHAL IMIOLEK
Group CEO Wazdan
MIKAEL HANSSON
PALLAVI DESHMUKH
SIMON THOMAS
SOWBHAGYA SHETTY
STANISLAV SILIN
WOLFGANG BLIEM
Founder & COO G.Games
CEO NetGaming
Executive Chairman The Hippodrome Casino
Founder & CEO Data Sports Group
TEREZA MELICHARKOVA
ARMINE SIRUNYAN
VIGEN BADALYAN
Head of Marketing Swintt
Group COO Digitain
Co-Founder SoftConstruct
CEO Enteractive
CEO Altenar
CEO Grand Casino Luzern
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THE JUDGES
RENATO ASCOLI
PASCAL CAMIA
NADÈGE TEYSSEDRE
MARIJA HAMMON
CEO Global Gaming IGT
Chief International Development Officer Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer
EMEA Sales Director Zitro
Marketing Director Relax Gaming
FABÍOLA JAEGER
OREN COHEN SHWARTZ
YARED GABRETENSAYE General Manager Casino Cosmopol
EBBA ARNRED
Co-Founder & CMO Play'n GO
SAM SADI
CEO LiveScore Group
RICKARD VIKSTRÖM
CEO Internet Vikings
VALENTINA BAGNIYA CMO SOFTSWISS
KAROLINA PELC
Founder & CEO BeyondPlay
CRISTINA ROMERO DE ALBA
JOHN CONNELLY
LUKE ADEBIYI
ARAKSI SARGSYAN
Co-Founder & CEO Caleta Gaming
Partner Loyra Abogados
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CEO Delasport
Global CEO Interblock Gaming
Director Exchange Capital Partners Limited
Head of Business Development DS Virtual Gaming
THE JUDGES
LIDIA VAKULENKO
OKSANA TSYHANKOVA
TRISTAN SJOBERG
Executive Chairman TCSJOHNHUXLEY
TIM SCOFFHAM
CEO WA.Technology
CHRISTINA MURATKINA CEO Onlyplay
Head of Partnerships SoftGamings
PIETER BOERS
EVGEN BELOUSOV CEO GR8 Tech
EBBE GROES
Founder & Group CEO EveryMatrix
JESPER SVENSSON
CEO Betsson Group
MICHAEL BAUER
AISTE GARNEVICIENE
WALTER BUGNO
ROSSI MCKEE
COO Atlas-IAC
Vice President Gaming & Services Holland Casino
Chief Games Officer Greentube
COO Soft2Bet
COO BetGames
KEVIN REID
CEO 1X2 Network
CEO Games Global
PETER KORPUSENKO CEO TVBET
SVETLANA GASEL
Vice President CT Gaming
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of the year La Française des Jeux (FDJ)
ATG
Tipico
Hollywoodbets
Fortuna Entertainment Group
OPAP
Codere
Bingoal
Paddy Power
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RETAIL OPERATOR OF THE YEAR LA FRANÇAISE DES JEUX (FDJ)
With more than 30,000 points of sales in almost 11,000 municipalities, FDJ has built the largest network of French distributors, with a PoS available within 10 minutes nationwide. It also recently acquired Premier Lotteries Ireland, the operator which holds the exclusive rights to operate the Irish National Lottery until 2034. FDJ now plans to overhaul PLI’s lottery systems and revamp the 5,300 points-of-sale across its nationwide network.
TIPICO
Tipico has over 1,000 retail shops across Germany in Austria, some of it owned by the Tipico group of companies and the others - franchised. The operator boasts about 50% share of the market in Germany, according to latest available data. Tipico offers sports fans attractive odds and an exciting live betting experience for over 30 types of sport, for up to 250,000 live sporting events per year. Throughout the past year, Tipico continued to invest heavily in the continuous development of technologies that make the sports betting experience better while putting emphasis on player protection.
FORTUNA ENTERTAINMENT GROUP
ATG
ATG is the premier horseracing and one of the leading sports betting operators in Sweden, serving approximately 1.3 million customers. Its retail network consists of nearly 1,500 outlets. ATG also has a presence at trotting and thoroughbred racetracks. During the year, ATG offers approximately 20,000 races on which bets can be placed. It also offers betting on top-league games within sports such as football, ice hockey and basketball. In 2023, the operator agreed a multi-year extension to its sportsbook partnership with leading supplier Kambi. The partnership, which began in 2018, has been a very important factor in ATG’s growth and success.
HOLLYWOODBETS
Hollywoodbets has over 90 retail branches in South Africa and a couple in Mozambique. It offers betting on horseracing, football, cricket, rugby, tennis, motorsport and more. Every Hollywoodbets branch in South Africa supports a local charity, as well as a local sports team, as part of the company’s Social Responsibility Programme, commonly known as the Hollywoodbets MyCommunity Programme.
Fortuna Entertainment Group (FEG) operates around 3,500 retail shops, with a mix of own shops and partners across the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Croatia. Players can enjoy a wide range of betting products, virtual gaming, lotteries and slot machines where permitted. FEG designs, develops and operates its own Self Service Betting Terminals product which is fully integrated to the online wallet, meaning that customers can also use FEG’s SSBTs to deposit into online accounts. In 2023, FEG partnered with fellow operator in Poland, STS, for an antigrey market campaign.
OPAP
CODERE
BINGOAL
Codere’s gaming terminals can be found in leisure venues, gaming halls, hotels, bingos, casinos or racetracks in Europe and LatAm. In Spain, Codere is the market leader in retail sports betting and slot machines and the second largest machine operator in the country. The company also manages the Canoe Bingo Hall, the largest in Spain and one of the most famous in continental Europe. Codere also has a retail presence in Italy and is one of the leading players in the bingo sector there.
PADDY POWER
Paddy Power is a central brand within Flutter Entertainment’s UK & Ireland division, known globally for its mischievous marketing campaigns. Paddy Power has one of the most vibrant retail estates in the sector with over 600 shops across UK&I, and is Ireland’s #1 bookmaker. In the past year, Paddy Power extended a number of deals with partners that have been key to its retail success: with Playtech for the provision of Self Service Betting Terminals, with Inspired Entertainment - for the provision of virtual sports products and with SIS - for access to global greyhound and horseracing content.
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OPAP, part of the Allwyn Group, is the leading operator in Greece and one of the most renowned in its sector globally. As part of its business strategy, the company is seeking to develop a thrilling retail betting proposition. The company saw an improvement in its retail segment throughout 2023. Recently, it announced an extended deal with leading supplier OpenBet, which saw the launch of a new betting platform across OPAP’s retail estate of more than 3,000 stores and enabled the operator to significantly enhance customers’ entertainment experience. Bingoal is a family-owned company with more than 30 years’ experience in offering online and offline sports betting and casino games. It is now a well-established operator in Belgium and the Netherlands with a retail network of 350 betting outlets. The company recently announced a deal with top-tier supplier Kambi which will result in a new and improved sportsbook and sports betting experience for customers.
MERIDIANBET
Meridianbet is one of the largest sports betting groups, operating in over 20 EMEA markets. Over the course of the last three years, the company’s revenue increased by 20%. Meridianbet operates more than 700 shops across four continents. In early 2023, the operator continued investing in new and exciting betting options and launched Empty Bet - a unique feature allowing both retail and online customers to submit their own original wager ideas, unlike standard bet builders that let users aggregate multiple picks from various events or markets within a game into one single bet.
of the year bet365
betPawa
Betsson
LiveScore Bet
888Africa
Betway
Kaizen Gaming
Sky Bet
Sportsbet.io
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ONLINE SPORTS BETTING OPERATOR OF THE YEAR BET365
bet365 is one of the world’s leading online gambling operators. With over 90 million registered players across the globe, bet365 prides itself in offering first class tailored services in over 150 countries, supporting 22 different languages. It streams hundreds of thousands of live events each year through its self-proprietary built sportsbook, trading thousands of pre-match and In-Play markets throughout the year along with Fantasy Sports and Free to Play games. The company has been proactive in sustaining RG practices. In July 2023, it extended its partnership with technology Rightlander to ensure it provides a secure and fair environment for all customers.
BETSSON
Betsson Group, which in 2023 celebrated its 60th anniversary, now operates 20+ brands in over 14 countries and has a presence in 21 jurisdictions around the world. The company’s sportsbook gross turnover increased by 24% to €1.3bn in Q3 2023. Betsson also obtained a licence to offer sports betting in the French market. In the past 12 months, the company continued to demonstrate its commitment to invest in sports by signing a three-year partnership with The Hellenic Football Federation for the Greek Cup. It also announced its debut sponsorship in handball after a deal with the Women’s Handball World Championship 2023.
888AFRICA
888Africa, the joint venture part-owned by 888 Holdings and a number of industry veterans, officially launched 888bet in four African markets - Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia, towards the end of 2022. It offers a unique betting experience for players, combining 888’s innovative and exciting brand with locally relevant product features. The operator registered more than one million players across the four African markets in less than 12 months after launching. In August 2023, 888Africa continued its expansion by acquiring BetLion, a regulated and licensed gaming operator in Kenya, Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 3 million registered customers.
KAIZEN GAMING
Kaizen Gaming, the owner of Betano and Stoiximan brands, is one of the fastest growing operators across Europe, with over seven million registered customers across 14 markets. The Betano brand in particular has seen remarkable growth. Betano became FIFA’s first-ever betting sponsor at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Later on, in 2023, Betano joined as an official supporter for South America and Europe for the FIFA Club World Cup tournament that kicked off in Morocco in February. And most recently, it announced an exclusive partnership with UEFA Euro 2024. Betano also recently unveiled its first-ever global brand ambassador - two-time NBA MVP and 2021 NBA Champion Giannis Antetokounmpo.
SPORTSBET.IO
Sportsbet.io, owned by Yolo Group, has built an impressive product offering, securing its standing as a leading crypto-focused sports betting brand. High profile partnerships with the likes of Southampton and Newcastle football clubs have helped it bring crypto betting into the mainstream. For the year ending June 30, 2023, operator Yolo Group reported a GGR in excess of 200 million euros, with an all-time high record active player base, averaging around 80,000 users per month.
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BETPAWA
betPawa is a well-respected and trusted online sports betting provider licensed in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Tanzania, Cameroon, Rwanda, Malawi, DR Congo and Benin. Its service has been focused on each local market in Africa with easy mobile money payment methods and simple to understand mobile betting interface. As a result, betPawa is proud to support over 1.7 million active monthly players. In June 2023, betPawa became the official sponsor of the Rwandan national basketball league.
LIVESCORE BET
LiveScore Bet serves sports bettors in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria and the Netherlands, offering a new and improved betting experience within the LiveScore ecosystem. The operator seeks to deliver a best-in-class product and is the fastest-growing sportsbook in the UK. The operator recently announced that it will begin using the sportsbook platform and a range of managed services and products of leading supplier Kambi, which will create a unique user experience for LiveScore’s user base.
BETWAY
Super Group-owned Betway offers first-class sports betting entertainment to millions of customers. It holds licences throughout Europe, the Americas and Africa, with 60+ brand partnerships with teams and leagues worldwide. In 2023, Betway announced a multi-year deal to become the Official Global Betting Partner of English Premier League club, Arsenal. And in December 2022, SA20 joined Betway’s sponsorship portfolio that includes agreements with Cricket South Africa and Cricket West Indies. Betway became the title sponsor of the inaugural SA20 as it continues to position itself as a market leader with its cricket offering on its sportsbook.
SKY BET
Sky Bet, part of Flutter Entertainment’s UK&I division, delivers superb sports betting experience to millions of bettors across the UK and is one of the leaders in the market. In 2023, Sky Bet extended its partnership with former footballer Gary Neville with the launch of a new weekly football series, “Stick To Football.” It also agreed a record five-year partnership extension with the English Football League (EFL) that will see the operator continue as the League’s title partner until the end of the 2028/29 campaign.
GG.BET
GG.BET was developed by esports enthusiasts and professionals with the aim to create an intuitive and convenient platform for betting on all major esports events in the world. The company now provides an outstanding esports betting product, as well as sports betting and virtual sports betting. The brand achieved impressive growth in Europe. Average number of bets per month grew 28%, the number of total bets placed was up 27%, conversion rate was up 26%, new registrations grew 55%, and the number of active users increased by 40%. Additionally, the operators GGR grew by 19%.
of the year Kambi
Digitain
OpenBet
Oddin.gg
Altenar
DS Virtual Gaming
BetConstruct
Betby
Sportradar
Delasport
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Sports Betting Supplier of the year KAMBI
The trusted partner to over 40 operators on six continents, Kambi provides the sports betting technology and expertise required to outcompete the market. Kambi’s commercial momentum continued in 2023 as it signed landmark partnerships with Svenska Spel and LiveScore. It also powered the international launch of BetMGM in the UK with LeoVegas. Kambi’s AI-powered trading division Tzeract processed 300m bets since launching in 2022, and the company’s subsidiary, Shape Games, also made significant strides, after signing deals with Dutch operator BetCity, and South Africa’s Sun Bet, to name a few.
OPENBET
During the past year, OpenBet partnered with 17 WLA member lotteries, more than any other sports betting provider. It also celebrated 50+ launches over the past 12 months and 120+ sportsbooks deployed SportCast’s BetBuilder product. Highlights for OpenBet across key international sporting events include: processing 500+ million transactions during the 2023 Cheltenham Festival, taking a record 13.6 million bets during the Super Bowl LVII, and achieving 100% uptime at all major sporting events. OpenBet’s platform was recently deployed across a retail estate of more than 3,000 OPAP stores in Greece, following a successful online launch at the beginning of 2023.
ALTENAR
With Altenar’s sportsbook, operators have the ability to manage their player base by country, ensuring compliance with local regulations. Moreover, the sportsbook features a built-in risk management and fraud prevention tool, and also provides a range of customisation options, including language and currency support, localised content, and a bonus tool that allows operators to promote their brands while targeting different GEOs and player clusters simultaneously. In the past year, Altenar made its debut in Bulgaria following a deal with BetMarket. It was also granted a Swedish licence.
BETCONSTRUCT
BetConstruct delivers an engaging betting experience with over 140,000 pre-match and 70,000 live events monthly across 120+ sports. In addition, the company’s esports offering allows operators to offer their players a unique chance to bet on exclusive eSports content even during the quiet hours in the schedule to increase sportsbook engagement. Moreover, BetConstruct offers 9 virtual sports. In 2023, the company obtained a Dutch sports betting licence. It also introduced Bet on League - a comprehensive sports betting product seamlessly combining sportsbooks and statistics.
SPORTRADAR
Sportradar’s intelligence-driven technology, underpinned by AI and coupled with the company’s deep understanding of the sports industry, supports global top tier operators in attracting new customers and engaging existing ones. Sportradar’s comprehensive ecosystem empowers bookmakers, covering the entire betting value chain and fostering growth. Highlights include: 890,000+ events across 90+ sports, and a videostreaming portfolio of 400,000+ live sport events. In 2022, Sportradar’s marketing retention services achieved 118% sales growth, its acquisition services grew by 134%, and Managed Trading Services, processing 5 billion tickets, is the leading risk and trading management service, managing 45 billion selections.
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DIGITAIN
Being focused on user retention and acquisition, Digitain’s sportsbook features an Al-powered personalised event recommendation engine based on player’s behaviour. The company continued to expand the number of new sportsbook integrations in the past 12 months. It now has 151 partner operators on its network, an increase of 35% over the previous year. The latest operators to use Digitain’s sportsbook are Romania’s Winner and Portugal’s LeBull. GGR from Digitain’s B2B network has also achieved a stellar growth of 92% over the past year. The number of active users across the network has risen by 22% on a like-for-like basis. As well as revenues, sportsbook customer value has also increased by 20% over last year.
ODDIN.GG
B2B esports betting solutions provider Oddin.gg boasts an uptime of over 80% and manages over €100m monthly, delivering industry top average margin. Its offerings include esports odds feed, comprehensive risk management, and a one-stop-shop iFrame betting solution. Metrics include 35,000+ live and 40,000+ pre-match maps annually, 45,000+ for esims, and 15+ in-play markets per game. Oddin.gg is trusted by 250+ clients, including global brands like Stake, and Betway. In the past 12 months, the supplier agreed to power the esports betting experience of Balkan Bet and Merkur XTIP in Serbia, Olimpbet in Kazakhstan, to name a few.
DS VIRTUAL GAMING
DS Virtual Gaming is the comprehensive service provider in the field of virtual sports betting, working with both retail and online operators. In the past 12 months the company launched its newest solution, the “Order Ticket System“. Now players can bet and manage everything in the betting shops by using their own mobile phones. They only need to pay for the tickets at the cash desk. Since the introduction this summer, the turnover of the company’s major clients has increased by 34.7% on average.
BETBY
Betby powers several high-profile brands amongst which are Rollbit, BC.Game, Slotegrator, Advabet, Gamingtec, 500 Casino and Roobet. The growth in partner portfolio has resulted in the total bets per month exceeding the 10 million mark, and the average players per month exceeding the 400k mark. This results in the total number of bets increasing by 97% with players also increasing by 94% year-on-year throughout the past 12 months, with the GGR growing by 184%.
DELASPORT
Delasport’s comprehensive sportsbook solution covers 100,000+ pre-match and 70,000+ live events monthly, all spread across hundreds of markets on over 125 popular sports, including esports and virtual sports. In 2023 Delasport’s sportsbook proved itself as a credible and profitable solution for its partners and was chosen by EEG, Videoslots, Bejoynd, Campeon Gaming, to name a few. In addition, the company successfully launched its personalisation suite - My Era, consisting of My Sportsbook, My Event Builder and If Bet.
Upgrade your business with an all-in sportsbook solution that provides an immersive betting experience for your customers. Unmatched platform services. Limitless content. And unrivalled flexibility.
The result? More engagement, more customers, more revenue. Visit us at ICE London, Stand S1-140
of the year The Hippodrome Casino
Casino FlaminGO Hotel
Le Casino de Monte-Carlo
Carnival City Casino
City of Dreams Mediterranean
Emerald Resort & Casino
Casino Baden
Holland Casino Amsterdam Center
Pasino GRAND Aix en Provence
Ramses Casino Cairo
Sponsored by:
SPRIBE, an acclaimed game provider established in 2018, revolutionized the iGaming industry with innovative game vertical - crash games. With exponential growth, SPRIBE's games are now featured across 4,000+ operators worldwide. The company flagship “Aviator” game gained popularity among Gen Y and Z, boasting a whopping 10+ million monthly active players. The revolutionary "Aviator" remains a #1 crash game choice for casino operators. Alongside Aviator, SPRIBE is devoted to constantly extending its portfolio through novelty games, including turbo games, poker, and slots, as well as developing new iGaming products. All of them inhibit innovative features, robust quality, and compelling designs. 28 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
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CASINO OF THE YEAR THE HIPPODROME CASINO
With a total of four floors of gaming, the Hippodrome hosts an array of world-class table games (including roulette, blackjack, baccarat & three-card poker), electronic games, slots and the PokerStars™ Live lounge. Evolution’s Lightning Roulette, one of the world’s biggest online games, is also available to play live exclusively at The Hippodrome. Dream Catcher and DigiWheel are also part of the Evolution experience at The Hippodrome. The property also offers entertainment beyond gaming - it is the home of the successful Magic Mike Show, the innovative evening concept of “Crêpes & Cocktails”, exclusive to CrêpeAffaire at The Hippodrome, and a selection of other bars and restaurants.
LE CASINO DE MONTE-CARLO
Le Casino de Monte-Carlo is not just one of Europe’s but one of the world’s premier gaming and entertainment destinations. The resort offers 7 Michelin stars, 4 hotels, nightclubs and shows, 35 restaurants, 2 casinos. It achieved remarkable performances in 2023, by offering constant thrills to the player. The main casino offers an exceptional selection of slots, and table games including French roulette, baccarat, blackjack, craps and poker. The gaming tables are crafted by artisans in the Société des Bains de Mer’s own workshops. Players can also take advantage of the My Monte-Carlo loyalty programme and earn points while they play.
CITY OF DREAMS MEDITERRANEAN
City of Dreams Mediterranean officially opened its doors in summer 2023. Located in Cyprus, this is Europe’s first integrated resort. It features a fourteen-storey luxury hotel with 500 guest rooms and suites, over 8,000 square metres of MICE space, an outdoor amphitheatre, a family adventure park, and a variety of premium dining outlets and luxury retail. The property also boasts a 7,500 sq. metre casino packed with table games, a designated Poker area, slot machines, and live entertainment. In addition to the stylish open gaming floor, the VIP member’s only Platinum Club offers guests another level of distinctive service.
CASINO BADEN
Casinos Austria's Casino Baden is one of the largest in Europe. It offers over 240 slot machines on two levels, roulette, blackjack and poker (including weekly poker tournaments) as well as a range of games that has continuously expanded its guest and fan base in recent years thanks to digitalisation. The casino offers its guests even more gaming fun and excitement in the Xperience Zone, which is open on Fridays and Saturdays. In the Xperience Zone, guests can enjoy a relaxed party atmosphere with live games, music and drinks.
PASINO GRAND AIX EN PROVENCE
The Groupe Partouche-owned property is one of France’s most modern and innovative casinos. The casino was recently renovated, a new electronic gaming area was added, as well as a new Poker room where some of the biggest poker tournaments in France are held. A number of new games also arrived in the casino over the past year. The property reported significant improvement in operating income for H12023, reaching €2.1m. A unique feature of Pasino GRAND is its ongoing partnership with Moment Factory which enhances the guest experience with four interactive multimedia installations.
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CASINO FLAMINGO HOTEL
North Macedonia’s Casino FlaminGO Hotel complex is located in the south of the country, directly on the Greek border, and creates a new entertainment attraction for the region: with a live casino gaming offering, a 5-star hotel and wellness centre as well as restaurants, bars, a night club and a live event stage. The casino boasts 22 tables (blackjack, roulette and poker), 960 slot machines of the most popular international brands, such as NOVOMATIC, Aristocrat, Apex, EGT, IGT Amatic, spread over two floors. The property hosts regular poker tournaments and live performances by popular artists from the region.
CARNIVAL CITY CASINO
Sun International-owned Carnival City Casino, located near Johannesburg, is a festival fairground of non-stop fun. The property’s unique decor captures the colourful glamour of the circus spirit in roller-coaster models, clown murals, and more. The gaming floor features nearly 2,000 slot machines and 57 tables (American Roulette, Poker, Blackjack and Baccarat), spread throughout the smoking and non-smoking areas. Carnival City also boasts the exclusive, freshly revamped and more spacious Club Privé - an exciting gaming area reserved for Sun MVG loyalty programme members who hold Diamond or Platinum status.
EMERALD RESORT & CASINO
Set in a magnificent private estate on the lush banks of the Vaal River, Emerald Resort & Casino is one of South Africa’s premier leisure and gaming destinations. The Tsogo Sun-owned property boasts a casino with over 380 slots and 22 tables (Roulette, Blackjack, Poker, and Baccarat) with some of the highest betting limits in the country. Players who sign up to the Emerald Rewards loyalty programme and move up the tiers can enjoy access to exclusive gaming events, complimentary accommodation and river cruises, to name a few.
HOLLAND CASINO AMSTERDAM CENTER
Located in the heart of Amsterdam, this Holland Casino property has the largest selection of table games in the Netherlands, including American Roulette, Black Jack, Punto Banco, and Poker. The casino also offers live bingo and boasts a wide variety of reel and video slot machines, as well as roulette, bingo and poker machines. The casino is home of the most renowned poker tournament in the Netherlands - the MasterClassics of Poker. In March 2023 it also welcomed thousands of poker players from across Europe and beyond for the WPT Prime tour.
RAMSES CASINO CAIRO
Conveniently located in the Ramses Hilton Hotel on the banks of the River Nile, the Ramses Casino is a stunning destination in the heart of one of the world’s most ancient cities. Owned by Metropolitan Gaming, this luxurious casino is open 24 hours to international passport holders only. The 2,700 square feet gaming space includes a wide variety of slot machines, an eight-player electronic roulette terminal, numerous video poker machines, 15 table games (Roulette, Blackjack, Poker) and an intimate bar to soak up the atmosphere. Slots players can win up to $250,000 the highest Slots jackpot in Cairo. There is also an elegant private room for VIP customers.
of the year IGT
NOVOMATIC
Zitro
SUZOHAPP
Light & Wonder
Interblock Gaming
Euro Games Technology (EGT)
TCSJOHNHUXLEY
CT Gaming
Aristocrat Gaming Sponsored by:
Galaxsys is a rising star in the gaming industry, delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences to our partners and players worldwide. In our diverse portfolio of over 30 games, which includes instant, crash, mines, skill, and Plinko games, we prioritize innovation, playercentric design, and player engagement. Founded on the principles of innovation and quality, our games are seamlessly integrated and enjoyed in various parts of the world, having received recognition with six notable awards in the iGaming industry.
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CASINO SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR IGT
IGT is a leading end-to-end casino supplier with highly engaging products and solutions that maximise profits for operators. IGT’s performance-tested MLP games like Prosperity Link and Mystery of the Lamp have produced chart-topping ratings and its ‘Peak’ family of cabinets are a standout on the gaming floor. IGT’s USwitch multi-game packs continue to drive play in Eastern Europe. In the past 12 months IGT installed a number of its hit games in casinos in Sweden, Slovenia, France, Greece, to name a few countries. Furthermore, IGT Advantage Casino Management System was chosen by South Africa’s Tsogo Sun for its Emerald Resort & Casino.
ZITRO
Zitro offers diverse cabinets and a dynamic game library, which has achieved global recognition. Some of the supplier’s top performing products across EMEA are Mighty Hammer, Boost Link King, Boost Link Me, 88 Link – Lucky Charms, 88 Link – Wild Duels and Bashiba Link. In the past year these (and other) titles were installed in a number of casinos throughout Spain and Portugal. Zitro also introduced its Mega Lounge - cutting-edge system that seamlessly connects all the cabinets and games, contributing to a common jackpot and providing a communal, immersive experience, enhanced by premium sound effects and vibrant graphics.
LIGHT & WONDER
Light & Wonder’s hardware, industry-leading systems, games and proprietary table game products provide an unmatched experience that keeps players coming back for more. In the past 12 months the company announced a new agreement with Holland Casino to install the CoolSign systems product as their Narrowcasting Multimedia solution across all 14 locations of Holland Casino. Light & Wonder also made its entry into the Georgia Coin Operated Amusement Machine (COAM) market with eight exciting game titles created specifically for Georgia COAM players such as Gold Fish Feeding Time® Treasure, Bier Haus® and The Green Machine®.
EURO GAMES TECHNOLOGY (EGT)
EGT is a global supplier of gaming products and is one of the fastest growing companies in the global gaming industry. The company’s games are present in casino floors across EMEA and the Americas. In the past 12 months, EGT made a lot of installations of its equipment, particularly of its best-selling jackpot Bell Link, in numerous jurisdictions around the world. The company made a large-scale installation of 60 slot machines and its Spider CMS at Cameroon’s brand-new ultra-modern Grand Palace Casino. EGT’s games also graced the casino floors of Lucky Star Casino in Cairo and Casinò di Venezia Ca`Noghera, to name a few.
CT GAMING
CT Gaming has presence in 50+ jurisdictions and has become synonymous with performance, reliability and innovation. In the past 12 months the company’s latest multigame, Diamond King 3, was certified for installations in the Bulgarian, Serbian and Romanian markets. CT Gaming also presented its NEXT Premium slot cabinet, equipped with two 32” UHD monitors and supporting a wide range of multigames. It also updated its CMS with a multi-currency system, an Interactive Bonus Wheel for loyal customers, a second Happy Hour, personalised reports, a jackpot specifically designed for a live game table and a new module for sending notifications.
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NOVOMATIC
NOVOMATIC is a full-service provider for the global gaming industry and Europe’s largest VLT supplier. The company is fully active in all segments of the gaming industry - it offers games and cabinets, ETGs, casino management systems including biometric technologies for modern access solutions and secure cash handling solutions, as well as sports betting solutions. The company continues to develop its leading portfolio for international markets. In 2023, it launched its new V.I.P. X cabinet series, targeting the premium segment with an exceptional topclass gaming entertainment experience.
SUZOHAPP
SUZOHAPP has served the gaming industry as a trusted hardware provider for over 60 years by supporting casino operators and gaming OEM’s with a vast portfolio of components available for immediate distribution and for developing design solutions. SUZOHAPP aims to simplify sourcing challenges and helps operators keep their businesses running smoothly with everything from replacement components, consumables, and upgrades for their operations to full scale solutions. Amongst the company’s most popular products are the Elo Touch and Vision Pro monitors, custom printers, the CashIO cash redemption terminals.
INTERBLOCK GAMING
Interblock stands as the premier global developer and supplier of luxury electronic table gaming products, boasting a legacy of three decades marked by innovation and craftsmanship. Its multi-player gaming devices set industry standards and provide the ultimate in luxury interactive experiences. Interblock’s exclusive collection of gaming products delivers superior product performance, innovative features, and unprecedented entertainment. In 2023, Interblock revolutionised the live table game segment of the industry once again with the introduction of the Smart Pit.
TCSJOHNHUXLEY
For 50 years, TCSJOHNHUXLEY has been solving challenges for land-based operators across the globe. A particular highlight for the company from the past year is being chosen by Melco Resorts to supply the brand new City of Dreams Mediterranean integrated resort in Cyprus with 125 custom designed Gaming Tables, Chipper Champ chipping machines, SaturnTM Roulette Wheels, Ora Grande Winning Number Displays with the new Dynamic Display System (DDS) software, table game accessories and Matsui poker tournament chips.
ARISTOCRAT GAMING
Aristocrat Gaming leads the industry with unmatched investment in game design and development, revolutionary mechanics, and unique licensing partnerships. Game performance is paramount, with Dragon Link holding 4 of top 5 Top Indexing Games, the top 3 premium overall games and the first 6 Top Indexing Games – Omni-Region. Coin Trio – Fortune Trails is #1 on the Top Indexing Core Games, and Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Red & Blue is 4 & 5 on the Top Indexing Games.
of the year LeoVegas
LuckyCasino
NetBet
Paf
Campeón Gaming
Casumo
Mr Green
Betsson
PokerStars
Bitcasino Sponsored by:
Bragg Gaming Group (NASDAQ: BRAG, TSX: BRAG) is a content-driven iGaming technology provider, serving online and land-based gaming operators with its proprietary and exclusive content, and its cutting-edge technology. Bragg Studios offer high-performing casino gaming titles from in-house brands Wild Streak Gaming, Spin Games, Atomic Slot Lab, Indigo Magic and Oryx Gaming. Its proprietary content portfolio is complemented by a range of exclusive titles from carefully selected studio partners. Bragg’s flexible Player Account Management platform powers multiple leading iCasino and sportsbook brands and is supported by expert in-house managed operational and marketing services. All content delivered via the Bragg Hub is managed from a single back-office and is supported by powerful data analytics tools, as well as Bragg’s Fuze™ player engagement toolset. Bragg is licensed and operational in multiple regulated markets globally, including in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ontario, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Spain, Malta and Colombia. 36 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
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ONLINE CASINO OF THE YEAR LEOVEGAS
As the innovation leader in mobile gaming, LeoVegas regularly delivers new and exciting features to improve the player experience on mobile devices. The operator’s primary aim is to be the King of Casino, and in order to do that, it gives players access to the biggest, brightest and most innovative online slots and live casino games available in the industry. In 2023, LeoVegas continued its expansion by launching in the Netherlands. It was also granted a new gaming licence in Germany.
NETBET
LUCKYCASINO
LuckyCasino, powered by Glitnor Group, has established itself as one of the most sought-after casinos on the market. With its forward-thinking and innovative acquisition and retention methods, it has become the fastest growing online casino in Sweden and is now one of the top 8 brands in the country, according to data from the Swedish Gambling Authority (SGA). Players can wager on anything from casino classics such as roulette and blackjack to all the latest slots and HD streamed live casino from the industry’s best providers.
For 20 years, NetBet has delivered the ultimate online casino experience to players across the globe. With access to multiple languages across all its registered markets, thousands of industryleading casino games and live casino games, NetBet has evolved into a player-favourite online gaming destination. It operates in various key European markets, such as the UK, Italy, Romania and Greece. In the past 12 months, the operator signed a number of deals with suppliers such as Stakelogic, Red Tiger, IGT PlayDigital, ELK Studios, Wazdan and many more, thus significantly expanding its games and live casino games offering.
PAF
CAMPEÓN GAMING
CASUMO
MR GREEN
BETSSON
Campeón Gaming operates 30 online casino brands in Europe, including Campeonbet, Svenbet, 21bet, Betsamigo and LiveBet. The company’s acquisition and retention strategies play a pivotal role in driving the brand’s growth. Comparing YTD 2023 with 2022, Campeón Gaming achieved: 59.4% increase in monthly casino actives, 31.2% increase in the average monthly casino GGR per player, 24.3% increase in the average monthly deposits per player, casino players MoM retention increased by 22pts, 5,000+ casino games were added. Mr Green is a leading online casino brand across Europe, offering players access to over 1,000 slots and live casino games, some which are exclusive to the operator. Its pioneering Green Gaming tools ensure that players always have the ability to manage their own gameplay. 2023 saw Mr Green’s launch in the German market, powered by 888’s proprietary technology platform.
POKERSTARS
PokerStars is the largest real money online poker site in the world with 850K hands of poker dealt on average per hour and millions of registered players across the globe. It also runs the world’s most prestigious online series and live tournaments, including the European Poker Tour, the World Championship of Online Poker, the Spring Championship of Online Poker, and the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure. It offers entertainment beyond poker with thousands of online games (many of which are exclusive to the operator), as well as live casino games. Last year, PokerStars extended its partnership with Oracle Red Bull Racing, thanks to which it has been able to reward some players with money-can’tbuy experiences.
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The Nordic gaming company is licensed in several key European markets. It offers an impressive selection of games, many of which are exclusive to Paf and developed by its in-house Games Studio. The company is well-known for its investment in RG - in 2023, it once again lowered the mandatory loss limit for customers and introduced a new loss limit for young people aged 18–19. Another notable achievement for Paf from the past year was acquiring 888 Holdings’ Latvian operations, thus becoming the third largest gaming company in the market. Casumo is one of the most distinctive and innovative online casino operators in Europe, operating in Sweden, the UK and other emerging markets. It offers more than 3,500 slots, classic casino games and a Live Casino. It is famous for its Reel Races - daily tournaments where players get to compete against each other in real time slots races for a chance to win cash prizes (about £1.3m worth of prizes are awarded yearly). In 2023, Casumo expanded its partnership with Neccton, enhancing its RG and AML capabilities in highly regulated markets. In Q2 2023, Betsson’s casino revenue reached €165.1m while turnover hit an all-time high of €8.36bn. The company’s casino business continued to grow in Q3 when casino revenue reached a record €172.1m in Q3 and turnover €8.29m. In September, Betsson announced it has acquired a licence for the locally regulated market in Serbia, marking a significant milestone in the company’s strategic growth initiative. Another highlight from the past 12 months for the company was partnering with Groupe Partouche to launch an online casino offering on the Belgian market.
BITCASINO
Yolo Group-owned Bitcasino leads the way for crypto casinos around the world. Players can enjoy 4,962 slot games, 72 live baccarat games, a Metaverse casino, 40 live blackjack games, 40 live roulette games and more. Bitcasino is also home of the Bombay Club - an innovative new multi-channel live casino concept. For the year ending June 30, 2023, operator Yolo Group reported a GGR in excess of €200m, with an all-time high record active player base, averaging around 80,000 users per month.
Playing to Win!
of the year Evolution
Bragg Gaming
Pragmatic Play
Amusnet
Wizard Games
EGT Digital
Relax Gaming
Play n’ GO
IGT PlayDigital
Light & Wonder Sponsored by:
Digitain is a sportsbook and casino platform provider offering best-of-breed turnkey and API solutions. With over 20 years of demonstrable experience, Digitain continues to expand its technological solutions across continental Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The business continues to grow due to the trust earned and placed in the company by its partners, suppliers, and industry peers. It has been awarded over 30 iGaming industry awards for its leading status as a significant industry platform and solutions provider. Digitain employs 3,000+ of the brightest minds, including 1,000+ traders in the gaming industry, to provide a one-stop shop for its global partners. 40 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
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ONLINE CASINO SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR EVOLUTION
Evolution is a leader in live casino, working with more top-tier operators than any other provider, the latest one being Sky Betting & Gaming which signed an agreement for Evolution’s complete live casino portfolio in February 2023. A highlight for Evolution from the past year is the launch of Funky Time - a unique ‘70s disco-themed, bonus and multiplier-laden extravaganza, and the company’s biggest new game show since Crazy Time. Another notable launch was Extra Chilli Epic Spins™, a unique game that brings together live and slots in a live game show created around the theme of the hugely successful Extra Chilli slot title from Big Time Gaming.
BRAGG GAMING
During the past year, Bragg Gaming emerged as a leading developer and distributor of online casino content in Europe and the US. It is on track to launch 68 exclusive game titles in 2023, including 30 from its proprietary Bragg Studios, and 38 exclusive games from Powered by Bragg partners including Gamomat, King Show Games, Bluberi and Sega Sammy Creation. All games come with Fuze™ promotions as standard, offering features such as free rounds, tournaments and quests.
AMUSNET
Pragmatic Play has enjoyed another exceptional year, powered by a multi-product offering. Headline launches of immersive game shows like Treasure Island and PowerUp Roulette have been complemented by more than 80 new slot games, including a 10th Big Bass title, as well as a crash game spin-off. In addition to growing its portfolio, its commercial footprint continued to rapidly expand, with the company signing major deals with bet365, 888 Holdings and other operators across Europe, Africa, LatAm and beyond.
Amusnet’s portfolio consists of 260+ classic online slots with exciting themes, available in 31+ jurisdictions and powering 1500+ live operators. The company provides its partners with seamless API integration, ensuring system stability and reliability. Amusnet continues to enhance its product lineup, recently adding 23 new video slots in captivating themes, along with 2 new live roulette titles. In July 2023, the company achieved a significant milestone by securing a manufacture, supply, install and alter gambling software permit from the Swedish Gambling Authority. It also strengthened its presence in Spain following deals with Lowen Play and Casino777, and partnered with Slovakia’s largest operator - Tipsport.
WIZARD GAMES
EGT DIGITAL
PRAGMATIC PLAY
NeoGames-owned Wizard Games delivers value-driven iGaming experiences. In 2023 it recorded a growth of 57% in bets, 44% increase in distinct players and 38% rise in GGR across the EMEA region. Wizard Games’ 150+ titles are live in 25+ regulated jurisdictions in Europe, South Africa and the Americas. The offering includes a mix of classic and innovative content as well as localised games. In 2023 the company released 20+ new games with attractive and innovative mechanics, themes, features and maths models.
RELAX GAMING
Renowned for its extensive portfolio of hit games like Money Train and the Tumble series, Relax Gaming’s success is proven by the 108-title portfolio increase, 50+ new customers, and 12 new supplier partners. The popular Relax Apex™ framework supports reliable and compliant solutions for regulated markets. Another popular product by the company is Dream Drop Jackpots, a 5-tiered progressive jackpot, offering players the biggest musthit jackpot to date. In over a year, Dream Drop has changed the industry and created 11 millionaires. In the past year, Relax Gaming entered the Greek market, received a B2B permit in Sweden and launched its games with operator giant bet365, amongst other highlights.
IGT PLAYDIGITAL
IGT PlayDigital is a leading iGaming supplier in Europe (and beyond), offering some of the region’s most popular slot content. The company’s Engagement Platform promotional features are the most flexible in the industry, available on any game, provider, and RTP via IGT’s Aggregation platform. With recent launches in Greece and Switzerland, IGT PlayDigital’s presence in the region is growing. Operators choose IGT PlayDigital to take their player experience, promotional power, and revenue growth to the next level.
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One of EGT Digital’s most popular products is its in-house developed all-in-one betting platform X-Nave - a flexible solution with 4 main modules: CRM, Sport, Gaming and Payment Gateway which can be part of a complete solution or operate separately. EGT Digital’s top performing games such as Bell Link, High Cash, Clover Chance, are live in 40+ markets around the world with most of the deals closed during the past 12 months. Most recently EGT Digtial’s portfolio of games went live with Serbia’s Star Bet and MerkurXtip, Croatia’s PSK, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Wwin, Bulgaria’s Magic Bet, eftbet, and ELITBET, as well as with Adjarabet in Georgia and Armenia, and with Million Casino in Romania, to name a few.
PLAY N’ GO
Play’n GO extended its lead over the competition in 2023, cementing its place as a leading supplier in regulated markets. This includes rapid expansion in the US, major new commercial deals in key European markets (such as with Kindred and Sky Bet in the UK; and with Sisal in Italy) and licences in new European markets (Spain and Sweden). Play’n GO now releases around 50 slots per year, including pioneering grid slots, IP-licensed content and the world’s first educational slot (Gerard’s Gambit). Play’n GO sets an example on everything from sustainability to marketing, with a recent landmark deal with the Haas F1 team.
LIGHT & WONDER
OpenGaming from Light & Wonder is the world’s largest and most trusted iGaming ecosystem and content aggregation platform. Launching over 1000 new games, it is live in a number of regulated markets across the EMEA region. In 2023, Rich Little Piggies™ - Meal Ticket, a L&W creation, launched as its biggest UK release ever in terms of GGR. Light & Wonder delivers localised content to specific markets in addition to hosting third-party games, and has enjoyed worldwide growth in the previous year.
of the year Gerard’s Gambit
Zeus v Hades - Gods of War
Gus Goes Fishin’
Charming Lady’s Boom
Book of Shai
Olympian Fury
Cops ‘n’ RobberS Big Money™
RagnaWolves Wild Energy
Inspired Entertainment
Yggdrasil Gaming
Money Train 4
9 Coins™ Grand Diamond Edition
Play’n GO
IGT PlayDigital
Swintt
Relax Gaming
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Pragmatic Play
Greentube
WorldMatch
Wazdan
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ONLINE SLOT OF THE YEAR GERARD’S GAMBIT
ZEUS V HADES - GODS OF WAR
Gerard’s Gambit is a brand new approach to casino entertainment design, an industry-first game that combines in-depth gameplay with a strong educational focus created to appeal to players that may be intimidated by the often complex nature of online slot games. Gerard’s Gambit expands upon the same in-game universe as Book of Dead, while introducing a learning curve that takes new players through concepts such as paylines, symbols and features. Since its launch at the end of April 2023, Gerard’s Gambit has already emerged as one of Play’n GO’s best performing titles, with particularly strong results inregulated markets.
The game takes players on a journey from the highest heavens to the depths of the underworld. Two different bonuses are available for players to trigger, where they can witness a battle between the two mighty Titans. Whichever side reigns victorious, players can expect multipliers of up to 100x to be added to boost rewards. Any wild reels landed will also be held in place for subsequent spins, further boosting the chance of a max win of 15,000x on offer. The title quickly captivated players across various markets.
PLAY’N GO
GUS GOES FISHIN’ IGT PLAYDIGITAL
IGT PlayDigital’s Gold Digger series has been a perennial player favourite and one of the most successful brands in the company’s portfolio. The latest release in the series, Gus Goes Fishin’, a 5-reel, 20-line game, has seen overwhelmingly positive feedback and adoption figures across all EMEA regions, as well as high rankings on the annual launch lists in those markets. One operator’s comment says it all: “This is the best fishing game of the year!”.
BOOK OF SHAI SWINTT
Swintt stepped back in time to ancient Egypt with the release of Book of Shai, a game with an astounding maximum payout of 10,325x the bet. Book of Shai was seamlessly integrated into a staggering 200% more brands in its initial week of launch, compared to the average of all previous Swintt titles. Notably, the game’s popularity has surged to astonishing heights, showcasing an increase of 1,100% in the number of active players compared to other titles.
COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS BIG MONEY™ INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT
Since its launch across hundreds of casinos worldwide at the start of 2023, the game has been played 450 million times by a million unique players, totaling £350m in turnover and £16m in gross wins. Week in, week out, it sits comfortably among the top five. As the home of the seasonal game, Inspired also launched a Halloween version of this chart topper, Cops ‘n’ Robbers Big Money Trick or Treat™, which smashed Halloween records. Making the most of its popularity, Inspired launched a festive instalment at the end November, named Cops ‘n’ Robbers Big Money Christmas™. With its vibrant graphics and gameplay, it’s already one of the holiday season’s biggest hits.
MONEY TRAIN 4 RELAX GAMING
With Money Train 4, Relax Gaming closed the curtain on one of the industry’s most successful franchises. Classic Money Train characters such as the Collector, Payer and Sniper all return whilst brand-new characters also come into play. Relax Gaming proved its status as a leading game studio, smashing every target and expectation set for the title. Sending shockwaves throughout the industry, Money Train 4 captivated over 1 million unique players and 4 million rounds were played within a month since launching the game.
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PRAGMATIC PLAY
CHARMING LADY’S BOOM GREENTUBE
Following in the footsteps of legendary title Cash Connection™ - Charming Lady™, Charming Lady’s Boom™ has proven to be a monumental success for Greentube throughout 2023. Available to play via 133 leading operators worldwide, this vibrant 5-reel, 10 payline slot has seen over half a million players spin its reels since its launch in February. Attracting players with its lucrative ‘hold and spin’ inspired Boom Feature and four local jackpots, Charming Lady’s Boom™ has seen more than €278m staked on the game (636 rounds per player) and boasts an average GGR of €14m.
OLYMPIAN FURY WORLDMATCH
Olympian Fury quickly captivated players as it transports them to ancient Greece, where the power of the gods is omnipresent. With detailed graphics and engaging gameplay, this slot allows players to experience the thrill of gambling and the beauty of ancient deities simultaneously. Symbols on the reels include Zeus’s famous lightning bolt, Artemis’s bow and arrows, and Asclepius’ serpent. Additionally, players can enjoy free spins if matching symbols appear on the screen.
RAGNAWOLVES WILD ENERGY YGGDRASIL GAMING
This Norse mythology wolf-themed game has stunning artwork and can see players win up to 10,000x their stake by way of Free Spins, Wilds, and Yggdrasil’s latest GEM, WildEnergy. WildEnergy symbols land with four lives. If a WildEnergy symbol is present on a winning payline, respins are triggered. This symbol remains sticky for the duration of its life count which decreases after every respin. The game has two types of Wilds – The Multiplier Wild and Countdown Wilds. There’s also a Golden Bet option that allows players to pay an extra 10x their bet to guarantee a wild symbol on each spin, and players can buy 10 or 13 free spins for 100x or 500x their bet respectively.
9 COINS™ GRAND DIAMOND EDITION WAZDAN
9 Coins™ Grand Diamond Edition is a true gem in the world of slot games, and a highlight of innovation in Wazdan’s portfolio of titles. With captivating visuals, exciting gameplay, and the potential for big wins, it offers an unforgettable gaming experience. The combination of Cash Out, Chance Level™, Hold the Jackpot™, and Cash Infinity™ features proved to be a true crowd-pleaser, quickly making the game a favourite among players worldwide.
of the year bet365 Partners
Mate Affiliates
Campeón Affiliates
MioMedia
V.Partners
Boomerang Partners
PIN-UP Partners
1win Partners
Betsson Group Affiliates
GG.BET Affiliates Sponsored by:
SOFTSWISS is a global technology company offering a comprehensive product ecosystem for iGaming. Driven by a commitment to client success, SOFTSWISS facilitates the launch or enhancement of iGaming businesses with top-notch solutions, including the Online Casino Platform, the Game Aggregator, the Crypto Casino Solution, Managed Services, Affilka, Sportsbook, and the Jackpot Aggregator. The 1,700-member expert team, located across Malta, Poland, Georgia, and Belarus, brings over a decade of cryptocurrency expertise to the gambling industry. With a focus on continual innovation, the company consistently refines its product portfolio and elevates service quality. 48 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
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AFFILIATE PROGRAM OF THE YEAR BET365 PARTNERS
MATE AFFILIATES
CAMPEÓN AFFILIATES
MIOMEDIA
bet365 Partners delivered huge volume in 2022/23 with over 3.2 million depositors joining the programme. Globally, total net revenue rose by £340 million (up 57.37% YOY) with affiliatereferred existing customers, measured via logins, up to 32 million. 345 programme applications reached the company’s high standards and were approved, in a period that saw a 38% increase in applications, 10% increase in approvals and 223% growth in USA approved accounts. Campeón Affiliates proudly represents sixteen global brands targeting the EMEA region. Innovations like ‘Campeón Affiliates Direct’ resulted in a 65% increase in FTDs, while the company’s commitment to trust and growth is reflected in a 46% rise in affiliates. Key metrics include: 56% increase in registrations and a 65% surge in FTDs, underscoring the program’s success. Campeón Affiliates’ strategic initiatives, such as niche partnerships and customised commissions, further solidify its position.
V.PARTNERS
Mate Affiliates offers one of the best commission structures in the industry and focuses on mutually beneficial partnerships. Some of its affiliate partners can get up to 60% in revenue share. Highlights for Mate Affiliates from the past 12 months include: an influx of over 2,500 active partners and a substantial increase in unique player clicks; 2 new licences by ONJN and SGA for the Romanian and Swedish markets respectively; 1 new brand launched (QuickWin). During the last 12 months affiliate program MioMedia achieved impressive growth: FTDs surged by 190%, deposits by 76% and marketing costs by 147%. Success was largely due to transparent terms and captivating brands, such as MyEmpire, Neon54, and Slotspalace, known for their engaging gamification and design. Offering flexible partnership models, MioMedia provides comprehensive analytics through the ReferOn system. It plans to continue its growth and launch a new gamified sportsbook brand for the entire affiliate network soon.
V.Partners provides flexible cooperation options, including Revenue Share, CPA and Hybrid. In 2023, V.Partners experienced remarkable growth: Verde Casino launched in March and started accepting betting traffic, which saw a 127% overall growth, with Portugal leading at 128%. Later on, in September, Hit’N’Spin Casino launched and is already delivering promising results. Other highlights include: traffic surged by an astounding 212%, conversion rates improved by 4.3% in registration-to-deposit and repeat rates increased by 17%.
BOOMERANG PARTNERS
PIN-UP PARTNERS
1WIN PARTNERS
PIN-UP Partners is the affiliate program and direct advertiser of the PIN-UP Casino and PIN-UP Bet brands. From 2016 the company has been growing and developing its proprietary brand and has been helping thousands of affiliates to monetise their traffic with the assistance of a highly professional team and a variety of affiliate tools available. The programme offers affiliates CPA, up to 50% revshare and hybrid deals.
BETSSON GROUP AFFILIATES
BGA is the exclusive program which gives affiliates the opportunity to promote a number of trusted brands in various markets. Including Betsson, Betsafe, NordicBet, CasinoEuro to name a few. With commission rates up to 40%, it offers one of the most competitive rates in the industry, over a wide range of reward plans such as CPA and Hybrid Deals. In 2023 BGA experienced a sustained and encouraging trend of growth in its established markets. Recently BGA added a chat support widget on its site to ensure affiliates connect quicker to affiliate support coordinators.
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Boomerang’s affiliate program has achieved remarkable growth with its popular casino and betting products, along with appealing partner terms. Payouts accelerated from €30m in 2022 to the same amount just for September 2023, demonstrating intense growth and momentum. High conversion rates, driven by tailored affiliate strategies, have been key. Quick affiliate integration and advanced analytics equip partners to capitalise on market trends for strong, ongoing earnings. 1win Partners offers high and stable RevShare deals, individual CPA terms, and a product with high click2reg and reg2dep conversion on any traffic source. In the last year within the EMEA region, the 1win Partners network soared to 335,000 partners, adding 180,000 new partners. Its monthly FTDs surged by 70%, and deposit volumes rocketed by 120%, reflecting 1win Partners’ focus on sustained partner relations and strategic growth.
GG.BET AFFILIATES
In 2023, GG.BET Affiliates continued its active expansion in existing markets, qualitatively and quantitatively increasing its presence in 150 locales. The program increased the overall number of partners by 21%. Moreover, the total amount of deposits in 2023 exceeded the previous year by 32%, and the overall annual Net Gaming Revenue increased by 27%. Scaling casino campaigns in Austria led to a 15% increase in NGR for this geolocation alone.
of the year EveryMatrix
BetConstruct
Pragmatic Solutions
SOFTSWISS
Sportradar
Digitain
SoftGamings
Atlas-IAC
Soft2Bet
Hub88
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PLATFORM PROVIDER OF THE YEAR EVERYMATRIX
BETCONSTRUCT
PRAGMATIC SOLUTIONS
SOFTSWISS
EveryMatrix delivers software, solutions, content and services for casino, sports betting, payments, and affiliate management to global Tier 1 operators as well as to newer brands. In the past 12 months, EveryMatrix’s products and integration processes were custom-built to power the launch of bet-at-home Germany. The supplier also announced a multi-year partnership with UK tier-1 operator Matchbook to supply its CasinoEngine platform. Another highlight was being selected by the Hungarian state-owned gaming and lottery operator to provide the OddsMatrix sportsbook and platform services for its online brand TippmixPro. During the past 12 months, the Pragmatic Solutions iGaming PAM platform supported numerous online brand launches in highly regulated European markets: from the widely popular DAZN BET in the UK, Spain and Germany, to leading retail operators (as Kling Automaten in Germany) and hugely successful, innovative startups (like High Roller, WKND, Rhino Entertainment and DoubleUp). In late 2022, Pragmatic Solutions obtained a Romanian platform licence from ONJN and an ISO 27001 certification.
SPORTRADAR
Sportradar’s platform empowers bookmakers with an ecosystem that covers the entire betting value chain in-house, enabling exponential growth. With 890,000+ events, Sportradar offers the world’s most comprehensive pre-match and in-play betting services. Its streaming portfolio offers 400,000+ live sports events annually, and its ad:s marketing services experienced growth of 134%. In the past 12 months, the company undertook a range of platform initiatives including Taiwan Lottery, Betsson France amongst others.
SOFTGAMINGS
The SoftGamings platform’s scalability is one of its many impressive features, allowing for easy service expansion to meet increasing demands. Over the last 18 months, SoftGamings boosted the server capacity of its platform by 400%. This ensures that clients of any size, and with varying growth rates, can offer their players a high-quality gaming experience. As a result, the company remains a trusted provider of turnkey and white-label casino solutions in the industry.
SOFT2BET
Soft2Bet provides a comprehensive suite of casino and sportsbook solutions based on a platform that is stable, scalable and easily adapts to different regulatory requirements with highly localised and customised offers to players. In 2023 Soft2Bet expanded to new regulated markets - Greece, Romania, Sweden and Italy. A lot of the company’s success is thanks to its powerful gamification tools. At group level Soft2Bet tripled its EBITDA in the last 12 months thanks to +70% ARPU, +65% GGR vs. nongamified brands and engagement levels +60%. Group wide, player registrations are +53%, number of first time depositors is +57%, amounts deposited are +99% and NGR is up +106%.
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BetConstruct’s versatile Spring Platform provides everything needed to build a successful gaming and betting business. It offers a robust catalogue of over 10,000 games, serving as the foundation for its omnichannel product and service lineup. Tools such as CMS, backoffice, etc can also be enabled. It seamlessly integrates with third party solutions, including Sportsbook, peerto-peer games, RNG games, slots, Poker, Virtual sports, in-house developed games and more. It currently integrates with major providers, allowing operators to manage their business from a single platform. Tailored to various operational scopes and visions, the SOFTSWISS casino platform is available in three distinct forms (Crypto Solution, Turnkey Solution, White Label Solution). In addition, SOFTWISS offers a sportsbook platform with built-in gamification tools, such as industry-exclusive bonuses and jackpots, allowing operators to create a truly unique sports betting offer and gain an edge over competitors. SOFTWISS’ platform easily integrates with the company’s popular Game Aggregator (16,000 games, 200+ providers, 10 billion monthly bets) and Jackpot Aggregator (70+ live brands, 120+ launched jackpot campaigns, 20,000+ jackpot hits).
DIGITAIN
Digitain’s AI-based, GLI-certified platform, Centrivo, is a centralised hub with all the essential components, including its sportsbook, the Paydrom payment gateway, and many more features. It supports operators in Europe, Africa, Asia and LATAM. The platform’s flexible bonus engine gives operators one of the widest ranges of bonus tools in the industry. The platform also has a highly-intuitive PAM system and comes with a full range of risk management tools.
ATLAS-IAC
In 2023 Atlas-IAC experienced remarkable growth, with an 18x increase in the number of casino spins and a 3x increase in the total number of sportsbook bets placed. Meanwhile, the monthly average uptime of critical services impressively stands at 99.5%, showcasing the platform’s exceptional performance results. Among many successful projects, one launched in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May achieved an 803% month-on-month average increase in sportsbook GGR.
HUB88
Hub88 extended its 2023 product offering with a powerful Back Office with reporting and game management all in one place. This includes an intuitive dashboard where players, suppliers and markets can be monitored, and even on the go thanks to being available via a mobile app. The company also extended its Marketplace service with new partnerships with TradeArt, Betegy, Motherlink and more. Hub88 also launched a cutting edge Wallet with a firm focus on automation, transparency and speed.
of the year Odds on Compliance
mkodo
Sportradar
Enteractive
IGA Group
BettingJobs
Continent 8 Technologies
Internet Vikings
Rightlander
Fast Track Sponsored by:
WA.Technology is a B2B iGaming solutions provider offering a full spectrum of state-of-the-art, fully scalable and customisable iGaming platforms, turnkey solutions, standalone products, and expert-managed services across the casino, sports, fantasy, lottery, and poker verticals that allow operators to enter or expand into global markets quickly and easily. The company’s standout managed services provide a market-centric approach led by experts in their field that encompasses everything an operator requires for operational excellence. With a focus on seamless integration and comprehensive support, WA.Technology is a trusted partner for operators seeking reliable and knowledgeable services, solutions, products, and guidance. 56 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
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SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
ODDS ON COMPLIANCE
MKODO
SPORTRADAR
ENTERACTIVE
Odds On Compliance CEO Eric Frank has assembled a team of seasoned regulatory professionals which includes former regulators, compliance experts and AML specialists. The team is dedicated to the gaming industry’s future with cutting-edge technology supported by decades of expertise. Its strategic positioning and originality have positioned its gaming compliance and regulation technology experts for continued success. Odds on Compliance continues to grow, including its 2023 expansion into Europe. Sportradar is the largest supplier of sports related live data, odds solutions and fraud detection services. Its marketing services showcase robust growth, offering a comprehensive solution for digital marketing needs. In 2022 alone VAIX’s retention and personalization services achieved an outstanding 118% sales growth; ad:s marketing services saw a remarkable 134% revenue increase; the number of clients advertising with the company surged by 66%. Sportradar’s list of services also continues to grow. In February 2023, it launched Insight Tech Services, a suite of standalone artificial intelligence led solutions for in-house use by sportsbook operators to optimise the performance of their trading, risk management and marketing functions.
IGA GROUP
IGA Group is an established iGaming consulting firm providing corporate services across the entire spectrum of operator activities- legal, finance, operations, regulatory, taxation, compliance, accountancy, AML, payments, technical integrations, mergers & acquisitions. It specialises in online gaming, with a particular focus on gaming licence applications worldwide. The company also provides expert advice in the field of online payments and the acquisition of financial and e-money licences. With over 100 projects successfully completed in 2023 alone, IGA Group prides itself in being one of Malta’s most experienced iGaming consultancies.
CONTINENT 8 TECHNOLOGIES
Continent 8 is a managed hosting, connectivity and security services provider with 25+ years’ experience, powering iGaming’s biggest brands including Microgaming, Playtech, FanDuel, DraftKings and 888. Its network is growing rapidly with 100+ connected locations across Europe, the Americas & Asia. The company innovates and constantly evolves its solutions, including the Gaming Exchange, hyperscale partnerships (with AWS/ Microsoft) and cybersecurity.
RIGHTLANDER
Rightlander is an affiliate compliance platform that helps affiliates and operators work together for the benefit of a healthier iGaming ecosystem that promotes responsible gambling to end-users. The compliance expert helps operators enhance affiliate compliance and boost operator responsible gambling measures and allows them to identify potentially non-compliant content across different territories. It does this by scanning affiliate content. In the past year, the company partnered with Happybet (part of the Snaitech Group) and BoyleSports. It also extended its partnership with bet365.
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mkodo has over 20 years of expertise delivering the best mobile apps, websites and digital UX to sportsbook, casino and lottery operators. The company also offers expert consultancy, app management services and a geolocation product purposely built for the iGaming sector. This year, as a result of consultancy and development services mkodo took a client from 10k to 100,000k users in under 1 year. Since its official launch in January of 2023 mkodo’s GeoLocs geolocation service has gone from strength to strength. Enteractive boosts operator performance globally in sports betting and iGaming, helping to increase active players, convert registrations, and reactivate lapsed accounts. The service complements any operator’s existing CRM activities. In 2023, the company succeeded in winning back an average of 14,000 players monthly for operators, up 17% YoY, achieving an ROI of 362%, and maximising player deposits and retention. Operating in 35 markets, Enteractive has partnered with 120 brands from 50 operators.
BETTINGJOBS
Incorporated in 2003, BettingJobs has grown exponentially over the past 20 years. It served over 100 satisfied clients across 6 continents in 2023. Thousands of successful placements have been made over the years as the company continues to match candidates with their dream jobs. BettingJobs also provides various corporate services to the industry, including corporate advisory, M&A, JVs and strategic partnerships advisory, business brokerage services, interim management solutions, to name a few.
INTERNET VIKINGS
Internet Vikings is a licensed in-state cloud hosting provider for sports betting & iGaming. Its full suite of services includes, but is not limited to, cloud hosting across the most relevant jurisdictions, hosting colocation, VMware hosting, managed hosting, SEO hosting and replication servers in Malta. With data centres and offices located in several select European countries and more than 15 years of experience, Europe is Internet Vikings’ iGaming hosting home. Most recently, the company announced a partnership with Cloudflare, which will see it further anticipate and mitigate potential DDoS attacks directed at its customers with more efficiency than ever.
FAST TRACK
Fast Track is the industry’s most innovative CRM software, offering an unmatched level of flexibility and providing tailored solutions that help 100+ partners achieve remarkable success through unprecedented levels of productivity and efficiency. In January 2023 Fast Track announced the industry’s first integration of an autoregressive language AI model, enabling operators to create human-like campaigns and content based on user instructions, revolutionising the way CRM is done in the iGaming industry.
of the year Trustly
Praxis
Paysafe
FinXP
OKTO
CoinPayments
TrueLayer
Yaspa
MiFinity
Freemarket Sponsored by:
Soft2Bet is a casino and sportsbook platform provider and operator group offering casino and sports betting options. With four major licenses, Soft2Bet supports over ten projects, including CampoBet, YoyoCasino, LightCasino, ZulaBet, Cadabrus, and Betinia. The company boasts 14,000+ games from leading providers, and 220 payments providers.
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PAYMENT SOLUTION OF THE YEAR TRUSTLY
PRAXIS
PAYSAFE
FINXP
Since 2008, Trustly has been a leader in Open Banking. Today it processes account-to-account payments at a scale that’s second to none. Its flagship Pay N Play user-onboarding product combines deposit and user verification into one seamless flow and has seen huge success in Sweden, Finland and Estonia. 2023 saw Trustly’s most significant leap forward ever. The company introduced Azura, its new data engine, which has elevated Trustly’s core offering and enabled incredible payment experiences for players and operators. Azura aims to deliver a 95% conversion rate. With 25+ years’ experience, Paysafe was there at the start of global iGaming payments and continues to bring to life the industry’s transactional future. The company’s core, alternative and future payments services draw on its integrated processing business (card transactions), digital wallets (Skrill & NETELLER), and eCash solutions (paysafecard & Paysafecash). Paysafe also connects operators to 100+ other payment methods via a single point of integration and API. In 2023 Paysafe extended its partnership with iGaming platform, The Mill Adventure, to now give TMA partner casinos and their players in Germany access to a greater choice of alternative payments options, including eCash.
OKTO
Today, Praxis proudly serves a vast network of gaming merchants, connecting them with over 540 Payment Service Providers and more than 1,000 Alternative Payment Methods worldwide. Praxis has been rolling out new features in recent months that improve processing efficiency and increase approval rates throughout a range of businesses. Newly released features such as Background Dynamic Currency Conversion (BDCC), Smart Routing, Transaction Decline Recovery with Open Banking and Retry on Insufficient Funds have been proven to increase approval rates for high-volume transaction industries like iGaming. FinXP is a fintech that specialises in payments & banking solutions for the iGaming and Crypto markets, among other verticals. The company’s flagship product is IBAN4U - a dedicated Euro IBAN Account used by operators, affiliates, and service providers in iGaming. It isn’t dependent on intermediary banks, making it a safer banking solution. This year, the company added many new features such as SEPA Instant payments, SEPA Direct Debit collection, and the ability to make cross-border payouts globally via a partnership with Mastercard. IBAN4U also comes linked to a physical debit card with an accompanying mobile app.
COINPAYMENTS
OKTO strives to simplify the payments ecosystem by creating cashless payment options tailored to each operator’s demands, whether it’s OKTO.WALLET, a white-label wallet or a quick and direct payment journey facilitated by the innovative retail payment gateway, OKTO.DIRECT. Highlights for the company from the past year include bringing its cash-to-digital payment solution to the Italian market following a deal with operator Macao Win, gaining approval for its cashless solution in Madrid, getting its e-wallet solution approved by Germany’s gaming authority, and acquiring Flexia Payments.
CoinPayments is a trusted crypto payments gateway in the iGaming industry. The company’s complete crypto payment gateway allows merchants to accept over 100 cryptocurrencies and hold over 2,000+ altcoins on a single platform, accumulating a user base of 1,000,000+ accounts and 120,000+ registered merchants. CoinPayments has low fees starting at 0.5% and is both a crypto payment gateway (150+ coins supported for payments) and a crypto custodial wallet (2,000+ coins supported for wallet). CoinPayments’ robust and secure infrastructure, alongside its seamless integrations with iGaming platforms, has proven to be most attractive for iGaming operators.
TRUELAYER
YASPA
Built on the back of open banking, our payments network connects banks, people and brands across the UK and Europe. TrueLayer’s instant payouts feature builds on top of bank instant payment rails, providing a smoother experience for players by integrating directly into operators’ websites or apps. In October 2023, TrueLayer partnered with operator William Hill to enable instant pay-ins and payouts for players in the UK. The Instant Bank Transfer option allows players to quickly pay into their accounts, while also being able to transfer winnings straight into their bank account in a short space of time. Payments from TrueLayer are authenticated directly with the players’ bank, ensuring PSD2 and SCA compliance.
MIFINITY
A pioneer in the iGaming payment sector, MiFinity offers a personalised user experience in 21 languages. With the broadest geographic reach (225 countries), 75+ local payment options, and robust PCI Level 1 security, MiFinity serves 750,000+ users on 650+ merchant websites. In 2023, MiFinity partnered with BetWinner and Marathonbet, complementing both operators’ payments strategy in existing and new markets. It also signed a strategic partnership with Quantum Gaming seamlessly integrating its eWallet and digital payment platform into Quantum’s gaming solutions.
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Yaspa (previously Citizen) is not just any open banking provider. The company uses its iGaming knowledge to deliver bespoke solutions for its customers’ needs. In early 2023, Novibet in Ireland and NetBet in the UK deployed Yaspa’s cardless payment technology. In October 2023, the company launched an innovative point-of-sale deployment solving slow cross-border deposit challenges for Italian customers of a local casino. Its QR codebased solution enables real-time deposits that are redeemable on-site via online banking, saving time and fees for the player, and delivering instant settlement for the casino.
FREEMARKET
Freemarket supports licensed gaming businesses. With a simple to use and easy to integrate platform, Freemarket’s solution vastly improves access to working capital, with fair pricing and reliable transfer speed. Its ever-growing network of International Banking rails and currencies has successfully supported multiple businesses to launch in multiple geographies and emerging markets. Fremarket’s resilience model provides comfort and security to the gaming industry.
of the year Fast Master
PlayBookAI
PopOK Gaming
Odds On Compliance
Treasure Island
Hybrid Dealer®
Wonder500
Scan-n-Play
Pragmatic Play
Inspired Entertainment
Light & WondeR
Skilrock Technologies
Smart Pit
JUMANJI: The Bonus Level
For Sale Links
The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy
Interblock Gaming
Playtech
Aristocrat Gaming
Evoplay
Sponsored by:
Imagine Live is an exciting world of live dealer games entertainment. We aim to engage and captivate our partner’s audience by bringing new playing experiences to classic games and innovative new features. With our innovative approach in the iGaming industry, our team is now offering a fresh take on premium live dealer online casino games.
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PRODUCT LAUNCH OF THE YEAR FAST MASTER
PLAYBOOKAI
Fast Master has redefined the slot game landscape in the past 12 months with its innovative FTN Mania feature, offering a fresh way to win and accumulate rewards. Its high-energy gameplay, immersive crypto theme, and multiple bonus features have captivated players. From the day of its release, Fast Master consistently ranks among the top-performing games of PopOK Gaming in the EMEA region, underlining its popularity and player appeal.
PlayBookAI offers a comprehensive online repository of gaming compliance documents globally. It aggregates regulations and compliance requirements from various jurisdictions into a user-friendly platform, ensuring access to the latest versions of documents to eliminate the need for time-consuming searches. PlayBookAI instantly answers queries, enabling natural language searches and real-time collaboration. In 2023, PlayBook expanded to nearly 30 European territories.
POPOK GAMING
ODDS ON COMPLIANCE
TREASURE ISLAND
HYBRID DEALER®
Treasure Island is the latest game show from Pragmatic Play, utilising cutting-edge effects to blur the lines between reality and digital environments. The title was hotly anticipated throughout the summer months, with the wheel from the game show and the desert island theme playing a key role at stands, corporate events and customer parties. It has become an instantly recognisable addition to any branded moment for the supplier and the launch has lived up to the hype.
Inspired’s Hybrid Dealer®, a revolutionary new product category, is transforming the online gaming industry. With Hybrid Dealer, players are offered high-quality casino and gameshow content, without the challenges associated with live-dealer products. This innovative product combines computer-generated imagery, green screen technology, and authentic footage of real-life dealers to create an unmatched gaming experience for players. Every game and experience can be tailored to meet the specific needs and preferences of individual operators and players. Unlike live-dealer products, Hybrid Dealer games do not require studios, and their outcomes are generated by RNGs.
PRAGMATIC PLAY
WONDER500
LIGHT & WONDER
Rising to the challenge of the evolving regulatory landscape in the UK, Light & Wonder launched its Wonder500 product across its leading slot titles. Enforcing a maximum stake of £2 and increasing the frequency of landing the maximum win, the product ramps up the excitement of the game for players while adhering to regulations without compromising on entertainment. Its launch was met with early success, attracting 61,000 unique players in its first ten days on Sky Vegas alone.
SMART PIT
INTERBLOCK GAMING
Interblock revolutionised the gaming industry with the unveiling of the Smart Pit - a cutting-edge solution designed to enhance security, reduce labour costs, and increase revenue for casinos. Smart Pits feature advanced technology and live dealers who facilitate triple the number of decisions per hour, eliminate payout errors, and provide a more personalised gaming experience. With a variety of games in multiple variations, Smart Pits represent the future of gaming.
FOR SALE LINKS
ARISTOCRAT GAMING
Aristocrat’s innovative For Sale Link collection empowers operators to own linked games that deliver proven performance uplift, while managing OPEX spend efficiently and churning aging games with top performers such as Mo’ Mummy Valley of Riches and Mighty Pyramid. For slot players this provides more opportunities to chase significantly higher jackpots. The collection makes Aristocrat EMEA’s product a competitive choice in the market, providing distinctive titles and mechanics.
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INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT
SCAN-N-PLAY
SKILROCK TECHNOLOGIES
In 2023, globally trusted lottery and iGaming supplier Skilrock launched Scan-n-Play - a groundbreaking product designed to empower lottery retailers and expand their offerings in a rapidly evolving retail landscape. Scan-n-Play is an omnichannel lottery solution that offers easy online gameplay without the need for player registration. Utilising Skilrock’s INFINITI gaming platform, it opens up a ‘world of possibilities’ with its diverse and engaging games that can be played across multiple channels through a single registration process.
JUMANJI: THE BONUS LEVEL PLAYTECH
In August 2023, following an extensive 3-year development process, Playtech unveiled Jumanji™ The Bonus Level, bringing together the iconic Hollywood movie “Jumanji™” and the Live gaming experience. This is the first-ever live game inspired by a Hollywood blockbuster, marking a key milestone in the gaming industry. Drawing on the film’s narrative, the gameplay sees players embark on a journey through the heart of the jungle, encountering challenges and surprises along the way. This game is housed in one of the largest and most complex studios ever built, designed to immerse players in the mythical world of Jumanji™.
THE GREATEST CATCH BONUS BUY EVOPLAY
The Greatest Catch Bonus Buy stands out as a top performer among Evoplay’s series of fishing-themed titles. In the first few months following its release, it secured a position in the top 3 best-performing games within the company’s portfolio, setting records for Bet Sum and GGR. Compared to the highly successful The Greatest Catch the game showed remarkable growth with a 473% increase in Slot Count, a 201% rise in GGR, and a 691% surge in Bet Sum.
of the year Galaxsys
GR8 Tech
CreedRoomz
REEVO
Games Global
BeyondPlay
SPRIBE
BGaming
Glitnor Group
WA.Technology
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BREAKTHROUGH COMPANY OF THE YEAR GALAXSYS
In a short time Galaxsys has gained 150+ partners, including regulated operators, platform providers, and tier 1 aggregators, in the fast, crash and skill games category. It has introduced unique functionalities like Half-Cashout and promotional tools like Lightning Bonus and Leaderboard into the market. Game launches have seen more than 2K daily players and more than 500K bets per day. Galaxsys currently adds four games every two months to its growing portfolio.
CREEDROOMZ
CreedRoomz was founded with a vision to offer a unique and immersive gaming experience that stands out from other live dealers. The company has grown steadily, and expanded globally. It broadened its scope of offerings from ultra-modern technologies to a wholly personalised experience for operators. Most recently, it also introduced an Indian Gaming Hall and a Brazilian Live Casino Suite, enhancing cultural integration. A major milestone was acquiring Danish licence for live casino operation, solidifying CreedRoomz’s European presence.
GAMES GLOBAL
In May 2022, Games Global launched with the vision of becoming ‘the one you think of’ when you think about the iGaming industry, whether that’s as a supplier, employer, or partner. With an impressive global presence and world-class distribution channel, the company already services 900+ brands, providing casino content from 36 innovative exclusive studios and 35 third-party providers. Over the last year, Games Global has been on an upward trajectory, releasing 200+ new exclusive games and 1,000+ diverse partner games via its platform.
SPRIBE
SPRIBE has taken the crash game market by storm. 2023 has been a breakthrough year for the company and its flagship Aviator title. Aviator has quickly become the number one crash game, with more than 10 million monthly active players across the 2000 online casinos it is live on. The success of Aviator has led to phenomenal growth for SPRIBE, with the company now signing major marketing deals with the likes of the UFC as Aviator becomes a true, global phenomenon.
GLITNOR GROUP
Founded in 2018 by industry veterans who have founded and managed several successful businesses over the last decade. The company operates B2C brands including HappyCasino and LuckyCasino, as well as owning B2B supplier Swintt. Glitnor Group has seen phenomenal growth over the past few years. The team continues to grow, and the company’s brands continue to launch in new markets and are showing 110% annual top line growth rate since 2018. In late 2022, Glitnor Group established a new venture capital arm with the aim to provide early-stage funding to innovative projects from the iGaming world.
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GR8 TECH
Launching in January 2023, GR8 Tech evolved from a B2B newcomer into a notable sportsbook and casino platform provider in less than a year. Driven by a deep understanding of operators’ challenges from decades of B2C experience, GR8 Tech stands out for its customer-centricity and rejection of the “one size fits all” approach. GR8 Tech launched with two major solutions: one tailored to new market entries, and the other - towards mature companies that need a fully customisable solution to integrate into their existing ecosystems.
REEVO
Founded in 2021, B2B games provider and aggregator REEVO aspires to make an unparalleled difference among the iGaming industry. The company now offers a diverse collection of 8000+ games, ranging from slots and table games to crash games and live gaming experiences. With an impressive portfolio that draws from esteemed third-party suppliers, REEVO quickly expanded to various European markets. The company said that in 2024 it plans to onboard over 60 new game providers.
BEYONDPLAY
Founded in 2020, BeyondPlay is on a mission to transform solo game sessions into engaging multiplayer entertainment experiences with the community. To date, the company has raised €7m in funding. 2023 saw BeyondPlay’s product certified and licensed by MGA, UK, SGE and AGCO. The company also launched its Jackpot product on over 15 leading brands since the summer. It powered the largest exclusive Jackpot in the industry for LeoVegas Group, currently standing at over €16m. It also launched Jackpots on BetMGM UK from day one.
BGAMING
BGaming is a rapidly expanding iGaming content provider and game publisher, which has now established itself as one of the most social and player-driven companies within the iGaming industry. BGaming has developed a reputation for creative games, including modern classics like Elvis Frog in Vegas and Fruit Million. The company is known for innovating through striking promos and exciting tournaments. It was also one of the first to support cryptocurrencies and offer the Provably Fair feature.
WA.TECHNOLOGY
WA.Technology has significantly grown its presence in the EMEA iGaming scene and formed strong alliances with multiple key players in several emerging markets. The company has garnered widespread praise and acknowledgement for facilitating several successful entries for operators into emerging markets, notably playing a pivotal role in driving PixBet’s entry and subsequent triumphs as a leading brand. WA.Technology’s expanding portfolio includes collaborations with prominent clients and products such as F12, Headsbet, Toisbet, FazOBetAí, PixBet.tv, PixJogos, PixBet Fantasy 5, PixFantasy, and more, and are clear indicators of its accelerated growth trajectory into EMEA, with several exciting ventures also on the horizon.
of the year Flutter Entertainment
Amusnet
The Hippodrome Casino
Betsson Group
NOVOMATIC
FranÇaise des Jeux (FDJ)
IGT
OpenBet
Mindway AI
TVBET Sponsored by:
Euro Games Technology (EGT) is a worldwidе gaming manufacturer with headquarters in Bulgaria and representative offices in Europe, Africa, Asia, North, Central, and South America. EGT’s portfolio includes video slot games, gaming machines, multiplayer solutions, iGaming products, and casino management systems. The company’s international certificates from various regulatory agencies and testing laboratories, including GLI, SIQ, ISO, and SAP, guarantee the high quality and the compliance of its products with the requirements of different jurisdictions. EGT’s focus on the latest technologies has made it a highly appreciated partner globally. Its machines are currently installed in over 100 countries around the world. 72 GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM
GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 73
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE YEAR FLUTTER ENTERTAINMENT
Flutter’s UK and Ireland division committed up to £8m to charitable initiatives in 2023. A particular highlight is Sky Bet launching the £6m ‘Building Foundations Fund’ in partnership with the English Football League, representing the largest multiyear, sponsor-backed fund that is dedicated solely to community activity and will give the 72 EFL clubs a chance to bid for grants to invest in ongoing programmes. This activity forms part of Flutter’s wider global pledge to Do More and improve the lives of 10 million people by 2030. Additionally, Flutter invests heavily in RG - it is working towards having 75% of active online customers using Play Well tools by 2030 and over 50% by 2026.
THE HIPPODROME CASINO
No other land-based casino in the UK does more for its local community than London’s Hippodrome Casino. The property’s Executive Chairman, Simon Thomas, is an active spokesman for the development of the gaming industry but also on local and national government issues that affect businesses in London’s West End. In 2023 The Hippodrome strengthened its connection with EPIC Global Solutions. EPIC will be working on site at The Hippodrome with both licenced and unlicenced customer-facing staff to ensure that all interactions with clients throughout their entire visit to the casino will have safer gambling practices at the heart of their approach.
NOVOMATIC
ESG is an integral part of NOVOMATIC’s corporate strategy as the company strives for continuous improvement as part of its comprehensive sustainability program. In October 2023, ISS ESG raised NOVOMATIC’s rating to “C” for the first time, placing the company in the top 30% of the electronics industry. The company has improved particularly in the areas of “Employees and suppliers”, “Society and product responsibility” and “Corporate governance and business ethics”. RG is also a priority for the company which now holds G4 player protection standard certifications in Austria, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Malta, Spain, Italy.
AMUSNET
Amusnet demonstrated its commitment to social responsibility by creating a new game with the aim to support a cause. The innovative Drops of Water slot raised funds for charity: water. Amusnet donated 3% of profits, generated from Drops of Water, to provide fresh water to communities in need in Africa and India. In just seven months, Drops of Water reached 30 markets, garnering support from 600+ operators. Funds raised enabled two sustainable water hubs, benefiting 5,000 people.
BETSSON GROUP
Betsson is keen to be part of its local communities. Inside and outside of the company, the team does its best to make an impact by donating time and resources to participate in various charitable initiatives throughout the year. In 2023, Betsson launched the first Diversity and Inclusion Network in Malta with the aim to encourage open conversations about D&I, and provide practical tools and resources for organisations and individuals to make a positive impact, whichever the industry they operate in. The company also became a participant of the United Nations Global Compact initiative – a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices.
FRANÇAISE DES JEUX (FDJ)
Faithful to the legacy of the French national lottery – created to help wounded WWI soldiers – FDJ continues to support social and community initiatives, and fund good causes. 2023 marked the 30th anniversary of FDJ’s Corporate Foundation which is committed to promoting equal opportunities through play in two areas: education and integration. Also in 2023, FDJ entered into a partnership with LGBT+ group l’Autre Cercle as part of its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The company also received the highest sustainability rating in the hotel, leisure and services sector from Moody’s ESG Solutions for the 5th consecutive year.
OPENBET
IGT debuted Sustainable Play™, demonstrating its commitment to global sustainability leadership and celebrating its people and planet. This includes publishing 16 consecutive annual sustainability reports and earning some of the highest ESG ratings in its sector, while setting standards in gaming for sustainable practices. IGT upholds 9 of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, adhering to the UN Global Compact and is the only G4-certified company across 3 businesses.
In the past year, OpenBet offered its employees volunteer leave days, used to volunteer to provide support to those affected by the Syria and Turkey earthquake, for a blood donation drive for a train accident in Athens and for a beach clean-up, to name a few initiatives. Additionally, OpenBet solidified its commitment to RG by acquiring responsible gaming anti-money laundering (AML) and fraud detection service Neccton. The company also became a WLA Gold Contributor, confirming it meets the high standards set by the WLA to promote a safe, enjoyable and responsible player environment.
MINDWAY AI
TVBET
IGT
In 5 years Mindway AI has grown from a small startup to an international safer gambling company. Its software is running in over 61 jurisdictions around the world with over 7.5 million monthly active players. The company’s GameScanner has been tested and validated by GLI and its list of partners now includes NCPG, Entain, Flutter, Tabcorp, JOI, to name a few. In March 2023, Mindway AI partnered with the Hellenic Gaming Commission with the aim to enhance player protection in Greece. Later in the year, it also collaborated with the German Sports Betting Association (DSWV) to provide a self-assessment tool on its website.
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TVBET founded the Bet On Good Foundation with the aim to unite the efforts of the betting industry and support the causes that can help solve the pressing issues of our time, starting with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Each participating company can assign a person to the Board of the Bet On Good Foundation, and have a say on what causes to direct funds to. TVBET actively promotes the Bet on Good Foundation at industry events around the world. In 2023, the Foundation, together with Gamingtec, launched the Feed Those Who Need campaign which saw food packages being provided to thousands of families.
of the year
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Marina Ostrovtsova
Jesper Søgaard
CEO, BGaming
CEO & Co-Founder, Better Collective
Marinos Shiapanis
Tsachi Maimon President, NeoGames
CEO and Co-Founder, CampEOn Gaming
Karolina Pelc
Jennifer Innes
Kevin Reid
Nadia Popova
CEO, BettingJobs
Founder & CEO, BeyondPlay
CRO & VP Sales & Marketing, EGT
CEO, 1X2 Network
Gustaf Hagman
Cheryl Jones
President, Europe, Odds on Compliance
Founder & CEO, LeoVegas Group
Iain Hutchison
Shelley Hannah
Josh Morris
Simon Thomas
CPO, Relax Gaming
CRO, Digitain
SVP of Product and Technology – iGaming, Anaxi
Executive Chairman, The Hippodrome Casino
Uri Poliavich
Brooks Pierce
President & CEO, Inspired Entertainment
CEO, Soft2Bet
Sponsored by:
Interblock stands as a global leader in luxury electronic table gaming products, boasting three decades of innovation and craftsmanship. The Company’s reputation shines through prestigious awards such as the “Table Game of the Year” honor at the Global Gaming Awards Asia Pacific 2023, showcasing their unwavering commitment to quality and invention. Spanning over 250 jurisdictions, Interblock’s curated electronic gaming tables offer unmatched performance and unforgettable player experiences. With a legacy of inventive prowess, their commitment to excellence shines, cementing Interblock’s role as a trendsetter in the global gaming sphere. GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 77
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
Sam Sadi
Matevž Mazij CEO, Bragg
CEO, LiveScore Group
Lisa O’Connor
Elena Shaterova
Daniela Johansson
Irina Cornides
Chief Responsibility Officer & Deputy CEO, Paf
COO, Pragmatic Play
Carsten Koerl
Jesper Svensson
Head of Safer Gambling Strategy, Flutter UK&I
CCO, 7777 Gaming
CEO, Betsson Group
Founder & CEO, Sportradar
Erwin van Lambaart CEO, Casinos Austria
JESPER SØGAARD
KAROLINA PELC
In recent years, Søgaard has led Better Collective to go beyond the organic growth path and started executing a clever M&A-strategy with a series of strategic acquisitions. Thanks to this, the company delivered solid growth, launched new innovative products, and is now arguably the world’s biggest gaming affiliate.
With over 20 years of experience in the gaming Industry, including leadership roles at LeoVegas, Betsson and SG Digital, Karolina Pelc started a new venture in 2020 - BeyondPlay. Under her leadership, BeyondPlay has enjoyed continued investor interest/ backing with further €5m raised in 2023. She quickly established the company as one of the most interesting new ventures in the industry with its Jackpot product launched on over 15 leading brands since last summer, with prominent customers secured for H1 2024.
CEO & CO-FOUNDER, BETTER COLLECTIVE
TSACHI MAIMON
PRESIDENT, NEOGAMES
During his time as CEO of Aspire Global, Maimon led the company to substantial global expansion and oversaw the acquisitions of BtoBet and Pariplay. In 2022, he also oversaw Aspire Global’s acquisition by NeoGames and transitioned to the role of President of NeoGames. In 2023, Maimon was instrumental to yet another huge M&A deal - the $1.2bn acquisition of NeoGames by industry giant Aristocrat (the deal is still to be completed).
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FOUNDER & CEO, BEYONDPLAY
KEVIN REID
CEO, 1X2 NETWORK
As CEO, leading 1X2 Network, Kevin Reid has propelled the company from underdog to an industry heavyweight, whilst maintaining its independent status. Under his leadership, 1X2 Network launched innovative brands in Ad Lunam and Prospect Gaming to join 1X2gaming and Iron Dog, expanded into regulated markets like Holland, Romania, Michigan and Ontario, and now rivals the sector’s Goliaths with its products and global reach.
EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR
CHERYL JONES
JENNIFER INNES
Cheryl Jones is an innovator and trailblazer with proven contributions to the gaming industry and exemplary leadership. She played a critical role in the successful 2023 launch of PlayBook Europe, Odds on Compliance’s flagship product and has expanded its reach across 30 European territories. Under her leadership, the company very quickly established a strong presence in the EU market.
Innes has worked within the iGaming industry for over 16 years and has made her mark as a highly respected influential leader and inspiration for women in gaming. She has grown the company, directed many successful projects and partnerships, and continues to reinvest her wealth of industry knowledge and experience by mentoring new team members each year. Thanks to her efforts, today BettingJobs is one of the premier headhunting, consulting & recruitment solutions providers in the gaming industry.
PRESIDENT, EUROPE, ODDS ON COMPLIANCE
IAIN HUTCHISON CRO, DIGITAIN
With over 20 years of experience building and scaling successful technology start-ups in sports-betting, digital marketing, live trading, and sports-betting affiliates, Hutchison is no stranger to delivering significant revenue growth and leading organisational transformations across commercial activities. Since February 2023 he has led Digitain’s sales team and delivered continued growth.
JOSH MORRIS
SVP OF PRODUCT AND TECHNOLOGY – IGAMING, ANAXI
Morris has been a dynamic force since joining Anaxi in February 2023 post Aristocrat’s acquisition of Roxor. His strategic acumen and industry insight has steered Anaxi towards new heights in its growth to be at the forefront of gaming’s new frontier, which has involved expanding into 6 countries and managing a portfolio of more than 215 titles which includes the successful launch of the iconic Buffalo brand into the UK.
URI POLIAVICH CEO, SOFT2BET
Since founding the company in 2016, Uri Poliavich has been the key driver of success for Soft2Bet; expanding a small team into one of the leading global B2B and B2C iGaming companies. In the past year alone, Poliavich has spearheaded Soft2Bet’s expansion into seven new markets and tripled the company’s EBITDA by fostering a cohesive team culture focused on growth.
MARINA OSTROVTSOVA CEO, BGAMING
One of the industry’s youngest CEOs, Ostrovtsova’s vision and leadership created a compelling brand image for BGaming and took the company to a new phase of development and commercial success in the past couple of years. She has led the game provider to international expansion and created a strong bond with the streaming community, which has resulted in remarkable growth for BGaming.
MARINOS SHIAPANIS
CEO AND CO-FOUNDER, CAMPEON GAMING
Shiapanis is a remarkable leader who propelled Campeόn and its people to new heights in 2023. The company grew by an impressive 47% during the last 12 months, it entered new markets (such as Cyprus) and launched seven new brands across several geos. At the same time, Shiapanis has managed to create a fantastic company culture with Campeόn Gaming listed among the Best Workplaces™ in Greece, with a 96% satisfaction rate among employees.
CEO, BETTINGJOBS
NADIA POPOVA
CRO & VP SALES & MARKETING, EGT
Since assuming the CRO role in 2021, Popova has been responsible for EGT’s revenue generation processes, driving better integration and alignment between all earnings-related functions, including marketing, sales and customer success. She has been instrumental for the company’s commercial success and establishing EGT as a leading supplier in Europe, Africa and the Americas.
GUSTAF HAGMAN
FOUNDER & CEO, LEOVEGAS GROUP
When launching LeoVegas just over a decade ago, Hagman identified an untapped niche in the industry - the mobile casino. He led LeoVegas from strength to strength and established the brand as the “King of Casino” across many European markets. Following MGM Resorts’ acquisition of LeoVegas in 2022, Hagman is now tasked with growing MGM internationally in the digital space through LeoVegas. Under his leadership LeoVegas powered the very successful launch of BetMGM in the UK market in 2023.
SHELLEY HANNAH CPO, RELAX GAMING
Shelley Hannah served as Relax Gaming’s Director of Casino Products for a number of years - a role which saw her operating at the helm of the vast expansion of the brand’s Powered By Relax and Silver Bullet aggregation streams - both of which set the company apart from competition early on in its journey. In 2023, Hannah was promoted to Chief Product Officer, after proving to be instrumental to Relax Gaming’s success throughout the years.
SIMON THOMAS
EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, THE HIPPODROME CASINO
Thomas had a key role in negotiations with the UK’s Government to revise the Gambling Act, up to and beyond the publication of the white paper and subsequent consultations. He has brought to life the argument for legislative modernisation by demonstrating the economic and social benefits of entertainment-led, destination casinos in Britain. He has excited policy-makers about the sector’s potential while at the same time addressing the important social responsibility and sustainability concerns. His contribution is expected to deliver changes that will pave the way for long term expansion by single and multi-site operators alike.
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EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR BROOKS PIERCE
SAM SADI
Since joining the company in 2018, Pierce swiftly developed strategies and recommendations, contributing significantly to Inspired’s growth, culture, and team development during his six-year tenure with the company. He has been instrumental to the company’s success across global markets in recent years, which naturally led to him being promoted from President & COO to President & Chief Executive Officer early last year.
Since assuming the CEO role at LiveScore Group in 2019, Sadi has played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s convergence strategy to connect sports media and betting seamlessly. He has led LiveScore to remarkable growth, with employee headcount rising by 29% and annual revenue soaring from approximately £10m to over £120m. His leadership and strategic vision have been instrumental in shaping the industry’s direction, driving innovation and fostering growth in the global sports betting market.
PRESIDENT & CEO, INSPIRED ENTERTAINMENT
MATEVŽ MAZIJ CEO, BRAGG
CEO, LIVESCORE GROUP
Matevž Mazij founded Oryx Gaming in Slovenia in 2010, building the company into a leading full turnkey iGaming technology provider which was acquired by Bragg Gaming Group in 2018 and has proven key to Bragg’s success in recent years. He continued to play an important role and serve as CEO of Oryx Gaming throughout the post-acquisition integration period until 2021, when he moved on to join the Bragg Board of Directors. In 2023, he took on the Chair of the Board role, and shortly after - the one of CEO. He has already implemented strategies to grow the company’s scale of operations across Europe, NA and evolving global regulated iGaming markets.
ELENA SHATEROVA
LISA O’CONNOR
COO, PRAGMATIC PLAY
CCO, 7777 GAMING
With over a decade of international business development experience in the gambling industry, Shaterova’s main focus is on expanding 7777 Gaming’s online casino products and solutions to regulated markets worldwide. She has been key to the company’s commercial success in recent years. In the past year alone, under her leadership, the company signed a number of deals in markets such as Nigeria, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, South Africa.
IRINA CORNIDES
Flutter Entertainment is one of the companies leading the way in actively promoting and heavily investing in safer gambling. O’Connor has played a key role in Flutter’s RG efforts within the UK & Ireland. In late 2022, she moved up from Paddy Power Betfair to lead the design and delivery of the safer gambling strategy for each of Flutter’s unique brands in the UK & Ireland. She ensures the business is leading from the front on safer gambling and building a sustainable customer base.
A seasoned gaming executive, Cornides took on the COO role at Pragmatic Play in 2022 and was tasked with driving growth across the company’s international business. She has successfully guided the company to new heights over the past couple of years with Pragmatic Play now producing up to eight slot titles a month, while also delivering Live Casino, Virtual Sports and Bingo games. Under Cornides’ leadership, the company has expanded its presence in key and emerging markets while continuing to innovate on the product front.
DANIELA JOHANSSON
JESPER SVENSSON
Johansson has been involved in Paf’s responsible gaming strategy for over a decade now. During her time as CRO Paf has become a forerunner in the field. She has been vocal about the key role loss limits and transparent reporting of customer spend can play in advancing RG and customer protection. Under her leadership, in 2022, Paf implemented a lowered loss limit of €10,000 for young people aged 18-24 and in 2023, a loss limit of €1,800 was introduced for the youngest customers (18-19-year-olds).
Since taking on the CEO role at Betsson Group in 2017, Svensson has taken the company to new heights. Under his leadership Betsson delivered fantastic financial results in 2023 with Q3 becoming the 7th consecutive quarter of growth, record revenue, and earnings for Betsson. He also continuously pursues new business opportunities and has significantly expanded Betsson’s presence globally.
HEAD OF SAFER GAMBLING STRATEGY, FLUTTER UK&I
CHIEF RESPONSIBILITY OFFICER & DEPUTY CEO, PAF
CARSTEN KOERL
FOUNDER & CEO, SPORTRADAR
Koerl has led Sportradar’s business since its inception in 2001, spearheading its growth from a start-up to successfully trading on the Nasdaq since 2021. Koerl remains fully invested in fueling the continued growth of Sportradar. Under his leadership the company became a global leader in sports data and technology, serving more than 1,700 clients in over 120 countries, and continues to deliver game-changing products year after year.
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CEO, BETSSON GROUP
ERWIN VAN LAMBAART CEO, CASINOS AUSTRIA
Following a six-year tenure as CEO of Holland Casino, van Lambaart took on the role of CEO of Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries in 2022. He has led the company through its post-Covid recovery and has focused on the entertainment value and the experiences that the company delivers to guests and customers. Under his leadership, Casinos Austria launched a refreshed social responsibility program in 2023, called ‘Playsponsible’. In February last year, Lambaart was also appointed Chairman of the European Casino Association.
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