Global Gaming Awards London 2022 Shortlist

GLOBAL GAMING AWARDS LONDON 2022 SHORTLIST

SHORTLIST A celebration of the leading companies and most dynamic individuals to have made their mark in the global gaming industry in the past year GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM

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Finally, we are due to be back in London, back at the Hippodrome Casino and back hosting the Global Gaming Awards in person. Following a successful return to G2E for the Global Gaming Awards Las Vegas, we are thrilled to welcome back our European and international industry peers, to celebrate the successes of our sector’s finest.

And, given the challenging circumstances of the last two years, there is plenty to celebrate. The land-based side of the industry could not have been dealt a worse hand with regards to the Covid-19 pandemic; but the resilience shown by the sector is embodied by the fact we are due to host this Ceremony back at the Hippodrome – which is in full flow and welcoming guests on a daily basis.

Naturally, online gaming has had a much different experience over the past two years; but there is still much to recognise within this vertical at the Global Gaming Awards. Considering the huge growth digital gaming has seen, it has taken even greater efforts to stand

out within these categories. That’s why this year’s online winners can say with pride that they have earned their Awards more than ever before.

The Global Gaming Awards London are in their fifth instalment (fourth in person, after last year’s virtual edition) and the standard of nominees simply gets higher every time. This year, we are delighted to welcome back the Casino of the Year category, given the fact land-based casinos are now reopened for business.

As for the value of our Awards to their eventual winners, and even those who achieved making the final Shortlist, the rigorous nature of the process and the prestige associated within the Ceremony are unparalleled.

To this end, we must thank our 60 esteemed Judges, our Nomination Panel, the Gambling Insider Editorial Team, our Lead Partner BetConstruct, our Adjudicator KPMG in the Crown Dependencies and all those who took part. These are truly the best Awards in the industry; and we aim to reward only the most-deserving winners.

FROM THE AWARDS

ADJUDICATOR

Official Adjudicator

Micky Swindale Partner, KPMG Global Gaming Team

My first encounter with the Global Gaming Awards was in 2014, when I travelled to G2E 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 we attend the Awards Ceremony to ensure the right recipient is announced and presented with each Award. I remember meeting Julian Perry and Gary Roudette in the lobby of the Venetian, finding some seats, then opening my laptop so that we could double check my list of winners & runners-up against theirs. I think all of us had our hearts in our mouths given those gorgeous (and heavy!) glass trophies had been hauled over from London to Las Vegas in the luggage of the GGA team; so to find out that I disagreed with any of the names engraved thereon would have been a bit of a disaster with two days to go to the Awards Ceremony. Fortunately our respective teams had done their work well, and there were no last-minute surprises!

When it came to the inaugural Awards Ceremony, I had imagined I would be standing in the wings, observing and monitoring – but no! The GGA team decided that the best way to fulfil the objective of having an independent adjudicator – to demonstrate that the organisers have no influence over the voting process, and that the winners are therefore truly best in class in the opinion of their peers in the land-based and digital sectors – was to have me announce each of those winner’s names live on stage.

So began a beautiful relationship and, I can easily

say, my favourite client job. Each year since then, it has been my welcome responsibility to join Julian on-stage at the Sands in Las Vegas and, once the London Awards were launched, in the theatre at the Hippodrome Casino; to announce first the runners-up and then, with increasingly dramatic ‘pre-pauses’ as my confidence has built over the years, the winners in every category.

Surely accountants were never meant to have this much fun at work?!

The last set of ‘business as usual’ Awards prior to the pandemic were at ICE London in February 2020, when we did all get to gather as normal in the theatre of the Hippodrome. If we had known what was to come, I think we would all have lingered a little longer and celebrated a little harder. Despite the delay to ICE London, we are still aiming for the April 2022 Awards ceremony to be our long-awaited face-to-face reunion, with the winners and runners-up all attending in person. Fingers crossed nothing happens to prevent that...

So a lot of change regarding the Ceremony, but no change to the voting and adjudication process for the Awards – we review the GGA’s system and tools for collecting votes (and ensuring Judges cannot vote in categories where they have a conflict), check that the winner and runner-up in each category 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 so welcome the opportunity to support the Global Gaming Awards.

The combination of a thorough selection process, a highly distinguished panel of Judges, and the organisers’ commitment to independent verification of the Judges’ decisions, means any company or individual that makes it to the final Shortlist should be extremely proud. And I hope we can all be together in April to celebrate that achievement.

WORD

FROM

THE GLOBAL

GAMING AWARDS

Vigen Badalyan Founder and CEO, BetConstruct

After long pauses which have plagued international events, we are looking forward to finally meeting all of our colleagues from overseas, recognising their achievements and celebrating their success.

The industry is finally back on its feet.

It’s up, but not really running, although

“The product catered to the end user provides the best possible customer journey”

LEAD PARTNER major and significant leaps are being made towards it. Contributing to that are industry heavyweights like the Global Gaming Awards. The name says it all.

During the anxiety and uncertainty of lockdowns it was the GGA that made efforts to reunite, reconnect and reinvigorate the industry for the sake of marking excellence, resilience and innovation. That dedication and zeal are viral, boosting the commitment of everyone in the industry. This dedication is what we value highly and we join their efforts willingly.

Innovation never stops at BetConstruct; our global teams always refine and redefine the boundaries of the iGaming industry with ever-evolving products.

In challenging times, flexibility and

adaptability are key qualities for progress.

That’s exactly what is at the heart of our products. The highly customisable solution is what sets apart a BetConstruct operator from the rest. And we never forget for whom this is all done.

The product catered to the end user provides the best possible customer journey and safer gambling pop-ups, making player protection and comfort front and centre of the operation.

Hard work, success and commitment will be celebrated at the Global Gaming Awards London 2022. We are happy to meet our peers at such a major gathering and we wish the best of luck to all the nominees. To all winners, our congratulations on their well-deserved success. Good luck to everyone and see you soon.

SIMON THOMAS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

HIPPODROME CASINO What is it like to be able to host the Global Gaming Awards London at the Hippodrome Casino again?

It’s a huge privilege. We get to welcome people across a fascinating range of companies, individuals at the top of their game and at the forefront of innovation. But let’s face it, we also love to show off what the Hippodrome can offer. There’s always something new to talk about and the majority of us haven’t seen each other for two years or more.

What are you looking forward to most about the event?

Dare I say, winning an Award? It’s certainly a prestigious trophy. Aside from that, it’s all about the people who attend, the networking and seeing old friends.

How does it feel for the Hippodrome to have been nominated for the Social Responsibility of the Year category?

We know we have a degree of responsibility not only for the economic consequences of our activities, but also for their social and environmental implications.

It’s probably best summed up in the words of Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of our local business investment district HOLBA (Heart of London Business Alliance), which represents more than 600 businesses in the Leicester Square and Piccadilly areas, who recently said this about the Hippodrome: “They’re a business to be greatly admired and they have a lot of fans here. Their business success is underpinned by their determination to support local improvement and change. No one has invested more in

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terms of time and resources in the West End. This means they’re something of an enigma, in presenting the West End’s largest ‘fun palace’ while demonstrating they care a great deal about legacy and tradition, fighting (persuasively and with muscle) local and national battles; and improving the reputation of Leicester Square and the West End. They care, which is an old-fashioned approach, but works wonderfully well.”

London’s West End is a complex business eco-system; success comes easier when all of us do well. Knowing this, since opening nearly 10 years ago – we celebrate our first decade on July 13th this year – we’ve always been at the forefront of ensuring our social responsibility is core to how we run the Hippodrome business. The Evening Standard said over the years we had “become a pivotal figure within central London’s business community, unafraid to use [our] position as the country’s largest entertainment and casino venue to negotiate positive change”.

And positive change is exactly what we try to bring about. Through our hard work and, dare I say dogged persistence, we have the ear of national and local politicians, influencers, press, Chinatown and the important residential community.

Through our position on the board of our local business organisation HOLBA, and on two police advisory groups, we’ve been instrumental in tackling crime and infrastructure issues that affect perceptions of the area and visitor safety. As one of the biggest entertainment and casino businesses in the West End, and one of its largest employers, it’s our social duty to become involved.

To help, we offer the Hippodrome meeting rooms for free to a wide selection of local community groups: the MET police, Westminster Council, charity and area security organisations. We were also instrumental in the appointment of a private security firm, My Local Bobby, which assists council inspectors and the MET with local issues. And fortunately our attitude to taking care of the local environment is shared by a huge number of our business neighbours. It might be the West End of London but it feels very much like a close-knit village to us.

We are also establishing The Hippodrome Foundation. We calculated the Hippodrome donates over £250,000 ($340,000) to registered charities, neighbourhood groups, community causes and gifts in kind to more than 30 individual projects that request our help every year. However, we felt that our charitable giving needed some structure and a more defined purpose, which led to us currently

establishing a new Hippodrome Foundation which will launch in 2022. Hippodrome staff members, local charities, individuals and groups and those who need cash support for a worthwhile cause can apply for a grant from the Foundation, granted twice-yearly by an independent board. In this way we have a true record of what projects the Hippodrome has helped.

“Positive change is exactly what we try to bring. Through our hard work and persistence” How did the Hippodrome respond during the Covid-19 pandemic?

In the face of 18 months of lockdown and curfew, we achieved so much because we’re simply not the kind of people to lock the doors and turn off the lights.

We actually saw being closed as an opportunity. So we set about several projects: • Improving our physical infrastructure with three major building and refurbishment projects that were easier to complete without customers.

• Streamlining day-to-day operations in the face of curfew and post-pandemic concerns.

• Adopting the role of ad hoc spokesperson for both the casino sector and central London’s business ecosystem to media and politicians.

• Engaging both staff and customers – keeping in touch was vital.

• Leading the re-opening charge for the West End on an international media platform.

What initiatives did you get involved in during the pandemic?

We future-proofed the business with three major projects: • The addition of a third outdoor terrace, which affords customers rooftop views over Soho and Chinatown ,and enlarging the second terrace; doubling the cumulative footprint available for external gaming, drinking and food.

• The creation of a brand new casino floor, The Gods, sited within the apex of the old theatre building, with an access bridge onto the new Rooftop Terrace.

• A dedicated and extended poker floor, doubling current capacity in preparation for the launch of the capital’s best tournament schedule. A poker room designed and run by (and for) poker players.

Other initiatives included: Completing the Hippodrome’s new customer app; alongside developer Software Services we worked with Intelligent Gaming for more than a year on the software interfaces, and understand that we are the only casino within the IG network to have developed an app like this.

“The Hippodrome: an entertainment of unexampled brilliance:” To coincide with reopening after the prolonged lockdown, the company published a book about the astounding history of its Leicester Square

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building. Hard back and 180 pages in length, it is sumptuously illustrated with original prints and photography.

Staff Engagement – Lockdown Activity: Throughout lockdown we were conscious of the potential effect of prolonged periods at home for many employees, many of whom were isolated from their families with no possibility of returning to their UK homes or native country. We launched two initiatives: • The Lockdown Arms & The Couch & Horses – two virtual online pubs where staff would meet virtually once a week to chat, drink and compete in an online pub quiz.

• Webinars – live broadcasts where board members and those heading new projects would present ongoing activity from several locations within the Leicester Square venue to provide an update of how things were progressing.

‘Hippodrome At Home:’ We knew there were thousands of customers who missed their Hippodrome Family. So we turned to Entertainment Director Jillian George-Lewis and our Executive Chef Ioannis Grammenos, to devise a series under the banner ‘Hippodrome At Home,’ streamed live on Facebook.

Ioannis cooked live in an eight-part series from his home kitchen with a well-known guest chef.

And Ioannis and sommelier Salvatore Russo (the casino world’s equivalent of ‘Ant & Dec’), starred in the Ioannis & Salvo Show.

The winsome pair created delicious meals paired with extraordinary wines and introduced different guests each week, ranging from Hippodrome staff members to our suppliers. They attracted 150,000 views during lockdown!

Re-opening after Lockdown: Thomas made headlines on re-opening, leading the news agenda once again as a figurehead for West End business. We hung two huge chains across the front door that I could cut off on the stroke of midnight, May 17th 2021, vowing to resist any calls to close again. We were front page and on broadcast bulletins throughout the world as part of ‘London’s grand re-opening.’

Post Lockdown Activity – hitting the ground running: Two shop units sited within the Hippodrome building itself but separate from the casino became available due to lockdowns. We agreed to lease them and can now finally unify the full street frontage.

We are currently repurposing them to create a dedicated ticket office/merchandise store for our in-house show Magic Mike Live, a ‘secret underground bar,’ an Asian restaurant in partnership with Hong Kong’s renowned Four Seasons Group; and a street-level café and cocktail bar with outside seating.

What are the biggest challenges facing the UK land-based sector right now?

As more people come back to Central London we predict business will easily exceed post-Covid levels.

Early signs are this is very easily achievable. We also see that as people tied up in Covid-related jobs are freed up, they will return to the normal workforce.

The opportunities presented by the upcoming Gambling Review are also substantial. We will continue to talk to the Government about providing a much broader entertainment and gambling offer.

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GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM

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60 JUDGES

THIS YEAR’S JUDGING PANEL As ever, our esteemed Judging Panel is a key feature of the Global Gaming Awards in 2022. Our Awards cannot be bought, sold or negotiated. Only the best of the best can triumph – and our Judges are the key reason why.

With their votes officially adjudicated by KPMG of the Crown Dependencies, our 60 Judges vote online to name the most-deserving winners in each category. No Judge is allowed to vote in a category that represents a conflict of interest, and the diverse base of knowledge our Panel brings to the table ensures a depth and breadth of expertise.

This year, the Global Gaming Awards London has increased its Judging Panel from 50, meaning only nominees that have truly stood out can be crowned eventual winners in their categories. That is why a Global Gaming Award is like no other: it demonstrates the recognition of your industry peers, which can only be achieved through a rigorous and transparent process that incorporates decades of gaming experience collectively.

Among our returning Judges are Alexander Stevendahl, Videoslots CEO, Jennifer Innes, MD, Betting Jobs, Carsten Koerl, Sportradar CEO, Gustaf Hagman, LeoVegas CEO, Jordan Levin, OpenBet

AISTE GARNEVICIENE

BEN LEE

CEO, Mor Weizer, Playtech CEO, Simon Thomas, Hippodrome Casino Chairman & CEO, and Jesper Svensson, Betsson Group CEO, ensuring industry prestige and experience galore.

“Only the best of the best can triumph – and our Judges are the key reason why” And new members of our Panel include Marina Ostrovtsova, BGaming Executive Director, Andrea McGeachin, Neosurf CCO, Stephan van den Oetelaar, Stakelogic CEO, and Sowbhagya Shetty, Data Sports Group Founder & CEO, keeping our Panel fresh and up-to-date with respected new figures all the time.

ELEN BARBER

BROOKS PIERCE

BetGames COO

iGamiX Managing Partner

Kindred Group CMO

Inspired Entertainment President & COO

CHRIS HARRISON

DANIELA JOHANSSON

DARIO JURČIĆ

GEORGE SHAMUGIA

Google Industry Head

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Paf Deputy CEO, Chief Responsibility Officer

NSoft CEO

Singular Managing Director

60 JUDGES

IVAN MONTIK

MELISSA SUMMERFIELD

NICKY GETLEY

NIKKI MORGAN

SOFTSWISS Founder

Markor Technology CEO

Esports Technologies Acquisition Director

Outstanding Team MD

SERGE MUKHANOV

TEREZA MELICHARKOVA Swintt Head of Marketing

TRISTAN SJOBERG

TCSJOHNHUXLEY Executive Chairman

TSACHI MAIMON

Aspire Global CEO

VARDGES VARDANYAN

VICTORIA BONNER

VIGEN BADALYAN

ALEXANDER STEVENDAHL

Connective Games CEO

Digitain CEO & Founder

Sportingtech CMO

BetConstruct CEO & Founder

ANDREA BORATTO

WorldMatch CEO

ANDREAS TERNSTRÖM

Scout Gaming Group CEO

CARSTEN KOERL

CECILIA WACHTMEISTER

EBBE GROES

ELLEN SEZERINO

FREDRIK ELMQVIST

GUSTAF HAGMAN

EveryMatrix CEO

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Jogo Global General Manager

Sportradar Group CEO

Yggdrasil Gaming CEO, Founder & Director

VideoSlots CEO

Kambi EVP Business & Group Functions

LeoVegas President & CEO

60 JUDGES

STANISLAV SILIN

STEPHAN VAN DEN OETELAAR

Altenar CEO

PALLAVI DESHMUKH

Stakelogic CEO

RICHARD HOGG

JACLYN WOOD

MIKAEL HANSSON

Triggy CEO

MOR WEIZER Playtech CEO

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AstroPay CEO

JORDAN LEVIN

Betting Jobs Managing Director

MARTINA ÅKERLUND

UltraPlay CEO

MIKAEL LIJTENSTEIN

Data Sports Group Founder & CEO

JENNIFER INNES

Global Players Network CEO

MARIO OVCHAROV

BGaming Executive Director

SOWBHAGYA SHETTY

OpenBox Gaming Director & CEO

NetGaming CEO

MARINA OSTROVTSOVA

OpenBet CEO

Enteractive Co-Founder, CEO

PIETER BOERS

Holland Casino Vice President Gaming & Services

SIMON THOMAS

The Hippodrome Casino Chairman & CEO

SAMUEL BARRETT

Trustly Director of Gaming

60 JUDGES

HELEN WALTON

DAVID BLACK

WALTER BUGNO

THE NOMINATION PANEL

G.Games Founder & CCO

Continent 8 Technologies Managing Director EMEA

Velo Partners CEO

RASMUS KJAERGAARD

YUVAL MECHOULLAM Smartico Co-Founder

WARREN JACOBS

Betable Group CEO

LYUDMILA MILENINA

JOHAN TÖRNQVIST

EGT Interactive COO

Play’n’GO CEO

MARK MCGUINNESS

First Sport Media CEO

VESSELINA ANDREEVA

MATEVŽ MAZIJ

ANDREA MCGEACHIN Neosurf CCO

ALEX LEESE

Pronet Gaming CEO

SHAHAR ATTIAS

Hybrid Interaction Ltd CEO

PETER CAUSLEY

JESPER SVENSSON

WOLFGANG BLIEM

WILLEM VAN OORT

Mindway AI CEO

Oryx Gaming MD

Lightning Box Games Managing Director

Betsson Group CEO

Grand Casino Luzern CEO

ADAM GROS

Gamblineers Owner

Gaming Industry Consultant

Gaming In Holland Founder

GLOBALGAMINGAWARDS.COM 21

BETTING SHOP OPERATOR OF THE YEAR

Française des Jeux (FDJ)

Snaitech

Paddy Power

Tipico

Fortuna Entertainment Group

Danske Spil

Smartico is a Gamification & Loyalty Suite platform with Real-Time CRM Automation capabilities. A true one-stop-shop that enables iGaming operators to drive customers engagement and increase revenue by providing personalized marketing and retention tools to communicate with their players via multi-channel engagement marketing platform.

Gambling Insider previews the nominees for the Betting Shop Operator of The Year Award.

Retail has made great strides from last year, when it was curtailed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Will Paddy Power defend its crown or will we see a new winner in this prestigious category?

B William Hill

SAZKA Group

Ladbrokes

TAB

etting shops are an integral part of not only the high street, but the wider gaming industry too. Worldwide retail took a sullen dip in revenue during the lengthy coronavirus lockdown procedures. But this year brings a new year to excel and betting shop operators are on the road to rising success once more.

Our first nominee is last year’s winner, Paddy Power, which launched Spotlight Sports content across its retail estate to further revamp its offering. The operator is also taking a proactive stance on regulation with its advertising in Ireland, as well as limiting monthly losses for under-25s. In June 2021, Flutter UK & Ireland’s Chairman and CEO spent days working at Paddy Power shops to support their retail colleagues, while the brand is committed to responsible gambling in that it is not open all night and does not allow alcohol in its shops.

A year on and FDJ takes its seat again among our Shortlisted nominees. The operator generated 9% year-on-year revenue growth, to €1.1bn ($1.3bn), as its properties recovered to levels “above those recorded before Covid-19.” Regardless of the pandemic, 2021 also saw FDJ sign a number of new lottery partnerships in Europe.

And while we’re talking Europe, what would this Award be without William Hill? Following the takeover of William Hill US, the company has been successful in seeing its European assets sold to operator 888 Holdings. In 2021, the brand emphasised its increased focus on responsible gambling and sustainability measures, opening for business in

Colombia, as well as embarking on an “epic” new TV advertising campaign.

Leading operator in the Italian Market, Snaitech, has been nominated once more, regularly contributing heavily to parent group Playtech’s financial results.

Founded through the integration between Snai Spa and the Cogetech Group, the company’s overall betting network comprises over 1,584 points of sale, including three racetracks in Italy. In 2021, Snaitech took control of HAPPYBET, a betting operator with around 200 points of sale in Austria and Germany.

Boasting a strong franchise system in Austria, Tipico has continued to expand its global footprint.

Headquartered in Malta, with over 1,200 betting shops and employees worldwide, the company has more than 6,000 people working for the franchise network in Germany and Austria. Tipico is additionally an official sponsor of the Bundesliga, having extended this agreement back in December 2020.

“Will Paddy Power retain its title or will a UK high street rival clinch the Award? Or will it, in fact, go to another country? There will be plenty of intrigue in this well-contested category ” Given the restrictions put in place and the rocky road to recovery for many companies, Danske Spil has excelled to be nominated once again for the 2022 Betting Shop Operator Award. In 2021, Danske Spil signed a number of new agreements, including with the likes of Playtech (virtual sports) and Push Gaming (iGaming).

The state-owned Danish operator also published a Q3 report which showed a 3% year-on-year increase in gross gaming revenue, and an equal 3% rise in profit. The lottery side of the business posted revenue of DKK2.03bn ($350m), a 6% rise.

As one of the budding bidders of the fourth UK National Lottery licence, SAZKA Group reported a huge 200% year-on-year increase for its Q2 revenue – to €740.1m ($875.50m).

Its Australian Lotteries, Czech Republic and Italian businesses have all continued to trade well. In 2021, meanwhile, the company saw its physical retail

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properties and casinos in Greece and Austria operate without material restrictions.

In an aim to “steadily rebuild”, Ladbrokes has aided its parent group, Entain, in recovering its retail revenue toward pre-Covid-19 levels. Ladbrokes also played a key role in boosting Entain’s Australian growth. Like many others in the UK, the operator embarked upon a new advertising campaign during Euro 2020. The company tends to see a strong customer retention rate, which in fact continued even after the course of the pandemic.

One nominee that has sprung to the surface for the 2022 Award is TAB. For the 12 months to 31 July, TAB NZ reported revenue of NZ$369.6m (US$259.6m), a 6% rise year-on-year. TAB’s operations in Australia also continue to impress, so much so it has generated M&A interest from the likes of Entain and Apollo.

Last but not least is Fortuna Entertainment Group, a leading omni-channel betting and gaming operator. Fortuna has continued to grow its sports betting subsidiaries across Central and Eastern Europe, throughout Croatia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Romania.

With 10 strong nominees this year, it’s a difficult guess as to who will triumph in this year’s Award. Will Paddy Power retain its title or will a UK high street rival clinch the Award? Or will the Award, in fact, go to another country?

There will be plenty of intrigue in this well-contested category.

RETAIL SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Inspired Entertainment

Pronet Gaming

NSoft

Altenar

Golden Race

DS Virtual Gaming

Felix Gaming has since 2017 launched over 30 games - including the top performer “It’s a Joker” which has consistently ranked among the top 10 games at multiple online casinos.

Felix Gaming’s mission is to bring the missing elements of land-based casinos to online gaming by focusing on delivering an immersive gaming experience and incorporating player feedback to the fullest extent.

Gambling Insider previews the nominees that have allowed retail betting outlets to thrive

F

ollowing the disruption of 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 has proven a much stronger year for retail betting.

While restrictions have still had somewhat of an impact in different markets, betting outlets were in large part allowed to thrive across Europe. Below, we preview the nominees for the suppliers that maximised performance and enabled shop success.

First up for nomination is Inspired Entertainment, operating in approximately 35 jurisdictions worldwide, supplying gaming systems with associated terminals and content for around 50,000 gaming machines located in betting shops, pubs and gaming halls; as well as virtual sports products through more than 32,000 retail venues. Most recently, Inspired reported a strong set of Q3 results in 2021, demonstrating continued momentum for its virtual sports business.

SUZOHAPP

Kambi

FDJ Gaming Solutions

Sportradar

“Following the disruption of 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic, 2021 has proven a much stronger year for retail betting” NSoft has also secured a spot on the Shortlist; its betting platform serves 60,000 devices daily, with a 20% increase in the number of players over the past 12 months. Clients across five continents are using the platform. Stakes increased 17% year-on-year and the number of tickets grew 7%. Remote device management aims to provide a sense of presence in any given betting shop, by having full control over devices and daily operations.

Next on the list is a company providing ultimate

retail solutions with HTML5 technology.

Golden Race offers the most innovative, flexible, and cost-effective virtual betting solutions for land-based operators. From start-ups to large-scale rapid rollouts, the company engages players immediately with innovative gaming experiences around the clock.

Currently, more than 50,000 shops are running its software due to its light, flexible, reliable and cost-effective character.

Next up is Pronet Gaming. Its fully managed omnichannel arm is built to connect land-based estates seamlessly to any online operation or POS hardware, to ensure full customisation. In addition, the company’s unrivalled speed-to-market has made it competitive in the multi-channel supplier landscape.

Pronet’s advanced turnkey omnichannel solution is now available for Tenlot Group’s lotteries worldwide, including WLA members.

Cementing itself in Latin American and African businesses, Altenar also has several licences in nearly every country in Europe, proving a solid nominee for Retail Supplier of the Year. Creating easier solutions for customers is paramount as a supplier, and its new version of its terminal software is stress-free to install and update. This new release notification means when an update is ready to be distributed, customers will receive an email that allows them to do so with just one click.

SUZOHAPP has been serving the gaming, amusement and sports betting industries as a trusted hardware provider for over 30 years. As manufacturer and distributor, it aims to be a single source for all its customer hardware needs. With a vast portfolio of products, SUZOHAPP helps OEMs and platform

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developers design solutions for its businesses.

The company recently added new retail betting solutions comprising an over-the-counter SBT-OCT, a bar-top SBT-500 & a full-size floor model SBT-1000.

DS Virtual is another strong nominee this year, providing retail solutions for new and established operators, and for both large and small-sized betting shops, by taking into consideration the needs of the operator. For larger companies, DS Virtual offers cash register systems where bets can be taken simultaneously on the same device from several players. For operators with a lot of space, the company offers single-player terminals, whereas for operators who already have existing devices, it offers solutions where they can use current devices with DS Virtual’s software.

Our next nominee, Kambi, has cemented its position as a leading sportsbook supplier to the land-based betting industry; and is a trusted partner to operators including ATG, Racing & Wagering Western Australia and more. No other retail provider has matched the growth Kambi has delivered for its partners, achieving a revenue uplift of 48% for Q3 2021. In 2021, Kambi went live with retail for the Belgian National Lottery, which operates 300 locations.

As markets continue to evolve, companies do too.

Sportradar’s engagement and brand loyalty-boosting sports betting and gaming services, with its multi-award-winning platform, create a full turnkey solution across any channel. The platform’s suite of products includes Live Channel Retail, Serverless EPOS, a retail POS app and more. Recent client platform launches in Europe, Africa and the US reflect its success – alongside a 70% reduction in shop setup & TCO for retail operators. All features reflect Sportradar’s customer-centric approach.

“Betting outlets were in large part allowed to thrive across Europe this past year” Are we saving the best till last? The Judges, of course, will be the ones to decide. FDJ Gaming Solutions marks the final nomination, providing responsible, high-performing solutions to lotteries and tier 1 operators worldwide. In 2021, the company won the tender to redevelop the retail distribution network of LOTTO Bayern - the state-owned lottery operator of Bavaria Germany. Additionally, the company recently won the exclusive rights to upgrade the digital games portfolio of Eesti Loto – Estonia’s national lottery operator.

ONLINE SPORTS BETTING OPERATOR OF THE YEAR

Betsson

Unibet

bet365

Sky Betting & Gaming

Parimatch

Fun88

STABILITY | MEETS | FLEXIBILITY Sportsbook software provider Altenar delivers ‘best in class’ solutions for licensed operators.

Ranging from ‘software-only’ products to the provision of a fully-managed sportsbook platform stack, Altenar offers proven stability coupled with a flexible and personalised service.

Our software is developed in-house, powered by premium quality data feeds.

As sports betting continues to grow in popularity across the globe, Gambling Insider takes a look at the nominees for this year’s Online Sports Betting Operator of The Year Award

T 888

VBet

Bet9ja

Novibet

he sports betting industry is nothing but a flourishing one, and this year, 10 worthy nominees compete once again for the Award of Online Sports Betting Operator of The Year. Who will take the Award home this year?

With over 63 million customers globally in more than 150 countries, it’s no secret that bet365 is well balanced geographically; with over 20 main country markets across Europe, not to mention the rest of the world. A reigning champion in this Award, its products are natively translated into 21 different languages, supporting 25 different currencies.

The operator’s in-play sports product provided betting opportunities on over 780,000 events in real-time over the last 12 months, with over 600,000 of those events live streamed.

“With over 63 million customers globally in more than 150 countries, it’s no secret that bet365 is well balanced geographically. It’s the reigning champion in this Award”

Another nominee for the Award is Betsson Group, which has continuously enhanced its sports betting offering across the globe, with its sportsbook growing every single month over the past 12 months. Customers were able to bet on 236,000 events provided in 40 million markets. Site visits increased by 70%, monthly bets per active customer grew by 20%, and bets per session grew by 10%.

Active customers increased by 60% and bets increased by 93%, leading to a trading margin of 7.5%.

“There are no limits to Sky Betting & Gaming’s capabilities, as it continues to lead on safer gambling while also retaining customers with the promotions, super boosts and the Sky Bet Club” In the running again is Parimatch.

The operator has partnered with Chelsea FC, as well as Leicester City FC and Everton FC, to increase brand awareness. It also signed a responsible gambling partnership with Oleksandr Usyk ahead of his World Championship Boxing title win (sorry, AJ), and entered the UK market via an agreement with BetVictor. The company continues to ramp up its technological offerings and could steal a spot as one of the finest sports betting operators on the market.

During Q2 of 2021, our next nominee Unibet launched BetShare, a tool that allows players to customise the look and feel of their betslip with the purpose to share on digital platforms. Unibet, owned by Kindred Group, also launched a ground-breaking bet-overlay live streaming player.

Representing an industry-first, the revolutionary move will enable Unibet mobile customers to Watch & Bet on live sports without ever leaving the action. Will this new means of online engagement push the brand towards top spot?

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There are no limits to Sky Betting & Gaming’s capabilities, as it continues to lead on safer gambling while also retaining customers with promotions, super boosts and the Sky Bet Club. Its Bet Builder product has helped generate higher margins for the brand, with Sky Bet’s CEO also ranked the 21st-best UK boss to work for.

Next up, Fun88 extended its partnership with Tottenham Hotspur to target Asia and Latin America, as part of the 10th anniversary of the deal.

Fun88 offers sports betting in multiple languages across regulated markets in Asia and Latin America.

Fun88 provides one of the widest offerings of markets and odds for the sports bettor. Customer satisfaction and entertainment is at the heart of the brand.

Next on our list is operator giant 888 Holdings.

With its Q3 sports betting revenue having increased by 21% compared to 2019, showing particular growth in Italy and Romania, the group successfully launched in the regulated German market under a newly issued sports licence. Data-driven investments generated improvements in the usability of 888’s sports betting products, and the chances of winning an Award could be well within its grasp.

Continuing the expansion of its brand awareness in Ukraine, VBet makes our nominee list this year.

The operator has been busy signing a title partnership with the Ukrainian Premier League. And in hockey, the brand also signed as a title partner with the Ukrainian national team. It doesn’t stop there, with the organisation successfully operating in the UK market, covering 30,000 live matches and 40,000 pre-match events per month.

Penultimately, we have Bet9ja.

The operator is one of Nigeria’s most-visited websites overall.

On a typical Saturday with the brand, there may be as many as 10,000 different bets on offer. The operator also boasts a sizeable social media following.

Completing our Shortlist is Novibet Sportsbook. Offering its own proprietary platform of more than 20 disciplines and 25,000 live events per month, the company covers all sports down to minor league and personalised offers. Its new features boast an extensive list, covering partial, auto & stop-loss cash-out, streaming from all major streaming providers, BetGenius and Bet-Builder. Its 2021 results showed 253% turnover growth, 387% GGR growth, 220% active users, 28% more games and 65% more bets placed.

ONLINE SPORTS BETTING SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

OpenBet

Altenar

Sportradar

Digitain

Pronet Gaming

Kambi

AstroPay is the digital wallet of choice for over five million users who purchase online on international sites. It helps merchants reach the world with a domestic approach per region, from a single integration.

It offers a seamless user experience when paying through more than 200 payment methods.

Online sports betting is going through boom times. Records have been shattered and fortunes have been made as the popularity of online betting continues to increase. Below, we preview the nominees who stood out as sports betting suppliers this past year

U BtoBet Sporting Solutions BetConstruct EveryMatrix

nlike with many other industries and sectors – and despite an initial lull when a lot of sports were temporarily suspended – the Covid-19 pandemic will prove to have been a boon for online sports betting. But there are good reasons behind the growth. For one, bettors were drawn away from land-based casinos which, like so many other places, were temporarily shuttered and closed to visitors.

Where, then, did they go to bet? Why, online, of course.

An already formidable digital infrastructure enabled this switch to occur and, as can be seen from this year’s list of contestants, the digital ecosystem surrounding online sports betting continues to grow by leaps and bounds.

While the pandemic saw online growth, this past post-pandemic year has seen that growth built on.

There are other ways the pandemic evolved the world of sports betting. By cancelling the marquee events and seasons that people usually follow, bettors starting paying more attention to previously under-watched sport, such as table tennis. The market, it can be said, has grown as a result of the pandemic.

Unsurprisingly, this rise in popularity has caused a proliferation of online sports betting providers, as well as innovative approaches to their offerings and operations. In the following paragraphs, we recount the nominees for best Online Sports Betting Supplier in what is sure to be a difficult contest to decide, for all of the nominees are not without their advantages.

OpenBet, our first nominee, brings sheer size to the table. Operating 34 licences globally, it has the capacity to process billions of bets in a single year.

New adoptions of technology have improved its already considerable operating speed. Evidence of this can be seen when it set a record at the 2021 Melbourne Cup by processing 65,000 bets per minute.

Our next contestant, Sportradar, has an impressive

track record of providing the full range of technology solutions to its clients of all sizes. Considered a 360°-degree provider, Sportradar offers solutions along the entire value chain: mission-critical sports data; integrated software solutions (such as managed trading services and betting entertainment tools); a fast and scalable platform; live streaming and sportsbook management services; and real-time betting services.

Pronet Gaming, our third contestant, can be similarly commended on the breadth of its services. Its users have access to over 1,500 markets, with 55,000+ monthly in-play events and 500,000+ annual pre-match events. Growth has been impressive: betting on the supplier’s sports products has grown 300%, far exceeding all expectations.

The company can also boast smaller features that have proven highly popular with customers: Book-a-Bet has helped Pronet’s clients increase total wagers by 25%; its Opera Mini feature has helped make the supplier more available to that market of mobile users.

The next nominee, Altenar, can be as accurately called a software designer as it can a betting supplier. By becoming integrated into operators’ management platforms and portals, Altenar can offer fully managed sportsbook solutions.

It has state-of-the-art software underwriting the stability of this established product. In separate markets, it had diverse successes, such as launching in Bulgaria with Alphawin, in Belgium with Golden Palace, and a partnership with Oddin which will now see Altenar’s costumers benefit from the AI analytics the company offers.

Digitain has managed to become an industry stalwart, having made strong inroads into the African and Asian markets, ensuring it will find a place on this list of top sports betting suppliers. Its sportsbook product covers 100+ sports in over 15,000+ leagues, offering more than 3,000 betting markets. In addition to this, the supplier also offers over 70,000 live events every month.Both its digital and print layout are tailored to specific markets which, in addition to the aforementioned ones, include Europe and Latin America.

Kambi – this year’s defending champion in this category – is the supplier of choice for over 30 marquee companies, not least among them Kindred Group and LeoVegas. The company’s performance continues to be strong and it can boast a 48% revenue rise in Q3 2021.

This year has additionally seen it branch into the world of esports after it acquired Abios.

Other news of partnerships from Kambi include the one it announced with BetCity, announced on the first day the regulated Dutch market came online.

BtoBet, this year’s next candidate, has a well-earned reputation for breaking new ground and going places where few others venture. The innovative solutions it provides at the core of its Neuron 3 sportsbook platform allow for an advanced experience that grows

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out of the interconnection of all its channels: retail, online and mobile.

Also – in a sign that BtoBet is keeping up with the times and the changing nature of communication – the supplier has incorporated social media betting to its offering.

This technology allows players to place and check bets on social media and without having to go through the operator’s app.

Sporting Solutions has made a name for itself by becoming one of the finest providers of sports betting data and turnkey software services.

These services it offers to some of the world’s largest betting operators. To no one’s surprise, this is a field with a bright future ahead of it. The company’s Quantitative Trading Services use to their advantage the same technology and advanced economic techniques that are used in global financial markets. By incorporating such techniques as pricing, risk management, analytics, and tooling designed to deliver a superior player experience, Sporting Solutions is working to improve sportsbook trading and operations, while also optimising returns.

“The market, it can be said, has grown as a result of the pandemic” BetConstruct similarly uses technology to leave its mark in the world of sports betting. It is a fully managed sports betting product powering 400+ operators from the company’s central Spring Platform with 120+ event types. It can also boast a comprehensive back-office, in-software player retention and acquisition tools, agent and affiliate systems, risk management, CRS and CMS tools. It continues to build upon its place in the market by offering turnkey, white-label, or iFrame solutions with mobile and iOS/Android. Elsewhere, BetConstruct boasts an established partnership with Cashier Bet Capture, SSBTs and Mobile Bet Capture.

EveryMatrix, the final nominee in this category, brings to the table a suite of sports data services and a cost-effective sportsbook. It allows the bettor pre-live or live access to over 60,000 events a month, as well as 35,000+ live events across 50+ sports and 2,000 betting markets. Among its offerings is the well-regarded OddsMatrix Sportsbook, a fully managed solution where the supplier creates the events, sets the odds, manages the risk and settles the bets; ensuring’ maximum profitability and controlled risk management for operators.

CASINO PRODUCT OF THE YEAR

Oryx Gaming - FUZE

IGT - PeakSlant32 Cabinet

Interblock - Stadium

Relax Gaming - Top Dawg$

BetConstruct - Live Casino Software

Galaxy Gaming - Mega Link Jackpot

SOFTSWISS is a widely-acclaimed iGaming expert and the very first tech company to develop crypto-focused online casino software.

We have a vast product portfolio, 10+ years of industry expertise, award-winning customer service based on security and integrity.

SOFTSWISS provides innovative and reliable business solutions that succeed in a highly competitive market.

Casino Product of the Year has always been a hotly contested category at the Global Gaming Awards London – and this year is no different...

T Pariplay - Fusion

BGaming - Brand Exclusives

Zitro - Wheel of Legends

Habanero - Return To The Feature

hroughout history, difficult periods have often been accompanied by moments of great inspiration, innovation and creativity. At a time when many businesses are forced to close their doors, others are showing tremendous initiative by promoting great products, new and existing, for their customers. The gambling industry is a shining example of that, so with that in mind, below we preview our nominees for Casino Product of the Year.

Our first nomination is one that puts the player at the very heart of everything it does. FUZE, from Oryx Gaming, is a suite of player engagement tools designed to enhance player experience, boost operator KPIs and increase player lifetime value. These exciting tools include player tournaments with real-time leaderboards, quests for those who enjoy putting a bit more effort into their gaming, mystery jackpots, achievements and a recommendation engine.

The company, part of Bragg Gaming Group, tested the popularity of the product during a case study promotion, which left no doubt about its long-term demand. It saw a 364% boost in bets; 288% boost in game rounds; 288% rise in number of players; up to 3x higher traffic at game launch and up to 10x more returning players.

Interblock’s Stadium has continued to enjoy a successful period over the past 12 months and is a worthy nomination here. Already with a global fanbase, the product has recently expanded to the Kangwon Land Casino in South Korea. The product offers a range of live, automated and video table games combined with any number of play stations.

Due to the full or partial closure of table games pits, this unique technology allows operators to staff its dealers in a safe, socially spaced environment, and gives players comfort in returning to the casino floor. Stadium also addresses players’ concerns of intimidating table games pits by allowing patrons to wager at their own pace.

Nomination number three has recently undergone a rebranding, though that takes nothing away from its

surge in popularity over the past 12 months. BetConstruct’s Live Casino software (recently renamed CreedRoomz) provides up to 20 games, in addition to a complete package of omnichannel solutions. These include: web, tablet, mobile, native iOS and Android, terminal, betshop and even Virtual Reality. BetConstruct provides a highly customisable environment so operators can choose their own limits by table, market and game. Between Q4 2020 and Q3 2021, CreedRoomz registered an increase of 134% in new players, a 160% increase in bet amounts and an overall profit increase of 137%.

Next up, we have PeakSlant32 Cabinet,

by IGT. This is globally relevant hardware that supports a diverse content portfolio, something which is vital to attracting a loyal audience in this day and age. With three seamlessly integrated displays and a range of features that make the games dazzle, the PeakSlant32 provides an ergonomic and compelling experience, and is

with the aggregation platform continuing its popular success throughout 2021.

The platform features thousands of games from the industry’s leading games developers, and a suite of back-office conversion and retention tools that enhance player value. Among the operators that trust Fusion are: Entain, Tipico, Lottoland, 888 Holdings and more.

Equally deserving of its nomination is BGaming.

The innovative casino games provider offers a new concept of developing exclusive co-branded games for casino operators. Every custom slot goes through several stages of development: from learning the

“Throughout history, difficult periods have often been accompanied by moments of great inspiration, innovation and creativity” the top-performing slant cabinet in many jurisdictions.

It supports standout multi-level progressives such as Olympus Link, multi-game product USwitch and standalone games such as Regal Riches and Lunar Disc.

Our fifth nomination is Relax Gaming’s Top Dawg$, which has received countless glowing reviews from online gaming forums over the past 12 months. Players have been returning to the game in their droves since release, with 393,094 unique customers in just two months, playing over 50 million rounds. The eye-catching branding, with its adorably diverse canine characters, differentiates this product from anything else currently available on the market.

Up next is Mega Link Jackpot, from Galaxy Gaming in combination with Metropolitan Gaming. A national progressive system launching in May 2021, the product has seen great success in each of Metropolitan Gaming’s seven casinos in the UK (formerly owned by Caesars UK). Players can try for the Mega Link Jackpot by placing a £5 ($6.75) wager at select blackjack tables within these seven casinos. The product has been extremely popular with players since launch, and the casino has found that most blackjack players participate with an active side wager.

PariPlay’s Fusion™ is another deserving nominee,

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audience, the thematic characteristics of the casino, to full customisation of the game. As a result, it is not just a basic slot with an updated name and logo; it is a completely new product created with upgraded design, features and game settings.

Our penultimate nomination goes to Wheel of Legends, from Zitro Games. Wheel of Legends is a Multigame Progressive Link, launched with four exclusive game titles. A 3x5 game, with 243 ways to win and unique themes, is included. During the base game, or any of the free games, when one of the legendary themed characters is full of energy and explodes, the bonus jackpot is triggered. Once both reels are completed, the giant wheel is activated to win the SUPER or MEGA jackpot randomly.

Featured on the premium Altius Glare cabinet, it creates a truly immersive player-experience.

The final nominee is for Habanero’s Return to the Feature. This 1980s-inspired 5x3 slot is packed with features which appeal to players. The title’s classic visual theme contrasts with its advanced gameplay features, including Money Re-spin, which is triggered by the appearance of three money symbols, and multiplies prizes by x10 when the entire screen is covered by the symbols. There is also a Rewind feature which can double prizes for players.

CASINO OF THE YEAR

The Hippodrome Casino

Casinos Austria

Société des Bains de Mer (Casino de Monte Carlo)

Sands China (The Londoner Macao)

Holland Casino

Casino Cosmopol

Our sportsbook solution provides thousands of betting opportunities across more than 100 sports and 1,300 markets, with 60,000+ live events every month and 800,000+ Pre-Match events per year, while our casino portfolio features more than 8,500 of the world’s best casino games from over 100 of the industry’s leading suppliers.

Gambling Insider is pleased to announce this year’s selection of competitors for the returning Casino of the Year Award

T Casino di Venezia

Melco Resorts & Entertainment

Travellers International Hotel Group (Resorts World Manila)

Veikkaus (Casino Helsinki)

he time has come. Following the suspension of this prestigious Award last year, due to land-based casinos being hit particularly hard during the Covid-19 pandemic, the rise of the casino is once more! So, hello 2022, the future is looking bright and, as businesses continue to bloom, all hail this year’s nominees…

The Hippodrome Casino, led by Simon Thomas, Chairman and CEO, is the first nominee this year.

The Hippodrome has seen some major improvements over the last two years. For one, it installed a £3m ($4m) rooftop terrace during the first wave of lockdowns when the casino was closed. This was followed in quick succession by an entirely new casino floor called ‘The Gods.’ The renovations were capped with a new entrance – made in advance of a new Asian eatery, bar and ticket office. These new additions will help link two newly acquired properties that will help expand the Hippodrome’s already substantial footprint in Leicester Square, London.

With big shoes to fill, but a great ability to fill them nonetheless, Société des Bains de Mer (Casino de Monte Carlo) is an integral option in our selection.

In these challenging times, the Casino shared a long-term vision building on its heritage, whilst stimulating creativity and excellence. The company maintained ties with its clients, offering an exceptional events program throughout the year. In 2021, doors never closed thanks to a major safety program for clients, staff and partners.

Turnover achieved by Holland Casino in F1 2021 showed that the group is operating in a healthy manner once more after closures due to Covid-19.

The operator was also quick to launch its online presence following the opening of a regulated online gambling market in the Netherlands.

With its primary markets situated in the European Union, Switzerland and Australia, Casinos Austria is one of the leading players in the international casino sector. In October 2021, Casinos Austria was selected

by Nagasaki Prefecture as its partner for an Integrated Resort at Huis Ten Bosch at Sasebo City demonstrating the excellent reputation

some of the finest table game and poker experiences in Europe. In 1999, in the old Customs House, Gothenburg, the Swedish government decided to open four state-operated casinos; they opened in Stockholm, Gotheburg, Malmö and Sundsvall.

All the profits of the company go to the national treasury. Following enforced closures, Casino Cosmopol was able to reopen safely during 2021, meeting the pent-up demand of its customers.

Now, time for an oldie but definitely a goldie.

Opening its doors back in 1638, Casino di Venezia is the longest-standing casino in the world. The casino offers fine dining, slots, table games and tournaments, attracting modern tourists and gamers through its historic reputation. As well, it weathered the trials of the pandemic with great aplomb. And, Just like a fine wine, this casino continues to get better with age.

Constructing an expansion of Studio City and planning a facility upgrade of its City of Dreams Macau, Melco Resorts & Entertainment might indeed be losing some sleep this year. In its 2021 trading updates, Melco showed signs of progressive recovery from the pandemic. Despite Covid-19-related setbacks, Melco remains invested in its expansion plans.

The company also intends to shift Altira Macau casino towards mass customers, with the change expected to take place in the coming months.

Another company that successfully pushed boundaries and overcame the struggles of lockdown was Travellers International Hotel Group (Resorts World Manila). Gross gaming revenue at the Philippines’ first integrated resort grew 53% year-on-year and 46% quarter-on-quarter

“Following the suspension of this prestigious Award last year, the rise of the casino is once more” the company enjoys abroad. How can anyone forget the brand new, integrated resort from Sands China (The Londoner Macao)? The building itself could have a chance to win our Casino of The Year and features its iconic London style matched with the elegance and charm of the Victorian era. With approximately 351,000 square feet of gaming space, the resort has continued to open progressively throughout the year.

Casino Cosmopol, one of Sweden’s premier attractions, has battled through the Covid-19 pandemic to offer

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to Php4.9bn (US$97.5m) in the three months to 30 September 2021.

Completing our Shortlist is Veikkaus (Casino Helsinki). In 2021, the Finnish operator added set loss limits to its land-based slot machines, a unique initiative in the European casino environment.

A block button was also added to the slot machines to prevent gameplay, identified by a red colour on the screen of each slot card reader. Now that’s fair play.

CASINO SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

TCSJOHNHUXLEY

SUZOHAPP

IGT

Scientific Games

Interblock

Alfastreet

Sporting Solutions are a leading supplier of the highest quality pricing, trading, risk management and platform software to the global sports betting industry.

With over 20 years experience, we supply the most respected and recognised tier one operators, lotteries and casinos around the world.

The land-based casino made a comeback in a big way this past year, after a dark 2020 – when the crowds had to stay home and there was nary a player in the casino.

Courtesy of the vaccine, people were back, able to play the games they love most – provided by the industry’s finest casino suppliers

G Novomatic

Zitro Merkur Gaming EGT

reeting this flush year was the unending march of technology and the international growth of the land-based casino market, ensuring that casino suppliers were kept busy, adapting their products as they met market demand.

New products were introduced that have become hits with players. New markets were also entered. In Europe, there was industry growth in Greece, Ukraine and Liechtenstein, among other countries. The continent of Africa, too, is shaping up to have huge potential for the growth of the industry in coming years.

Certainly, if this last year was any indication, next year is going to be even busier as the pandemic is increasingly left in the rear-view mirror and, with increasingly thorough rates of vaccination, people begin international travel in earnest.

This year’s first contestant is TCSJOHNHUXLEY, which has had a very active year indeed. The company prides itself as a leading manufacturer of end-to-end gaming solutions and services. Its technological specialty ranges across a number of areas, and TCSJOHNHUXLEY makes products as diverse as roulette wheels and gaming tables to shufflers and LED surface technology. In addition to its products, this year saw a number of accomplishments for the manufacturer: it was chosen by SJM Holdings to supply the new casino-resort, the Grand Lisboa Palace, in Macau. Finally, is made inroads in Africa, producing a variety of products for the Palm Beach Casino in Tanzania.

The next challenger, the International Game Technology (IGT), brings to the table its long experience, deep pockets and considerable resources. IGT is indeed an industry stalwart and among the most trusted of the end-to-end casino suppliers. The group has a

performance-tested content portfolio that drives play in countries across the world.

IGT can boast that its VLT and Peak hardware families are among the most popular and high-performing cabinets in the entire EMEA. Among the highlights of the year were an expansion of IGT’s position in Romania, a successful entrance into the Ukrainian market and a successful launching of IGT Advantage in Greece. IGT, through these maneuvers, is doing what it can to set the industry standard for omnichannel content, casino systems performance and cashless gaming.

Interblock is another casino supplier that had a flagship year, rife with new products and an acceleration in technology for the electronic tables segment. The group’s Stadiums and Universal Cabinets – with their advanced modularity and content library – are helping drive revenue for casinos while offering players a safe way to play.

The goal which Interblock seeks to fulfill is to use its extensive product portfolio to offer more ways to achieve an increased handle and house advantage while reducing operating expenses.

Our next nominee, SUZOHAPP, is well regarded for the sheer range of products it offers. Over 50,000 are on offer, covering gaming, amusement and sports betting products that serve casino operators.

These include LCDs, locks, coin/bill/reel mechanisms, buttons/decks, etc. During the industry-wide crisis of the pandemic, SUZOHAPP can be commended for launching the Personal Protection Line, which was aimed at helping casinos and amusement centres meet new regulation so that they could reopen and operate, safely and securely with minimal risk to players.

Scientific Games is another big-name nominee in this category. One of its strong suits is, in fact, its ubiquity, which provides a modicum of familiarity and predictability that players can appreciate.

The supplier manages to balance this familiarity with innovation while at the same time differentiating, keeping things interesting. 2021 saw a fairly active year for Scientific Games. Most prominently, it was able to make a push into the Ukraine market, deploying its electronic gaming machines, tables and progressive jackpot products in what are some of the country’s most high-profile casinos, a group which includes Slots City, Storm Ukraine and Billionaire Casino.

Alfastreet, a leading manufacturer of multi-player electronic gaming equipment, is next up. The company’s multi-player series of products include different models of automated electronic roulette terminals such as Wiky and SL, Royal Dorse mechanical horseracing, and a plethora of other offerings. Its most recent product

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launch was one that is sure to add comfort to the player while enhancing the experience overall: a VIP chair especially and uniquely designed to provide maximum comfort while playing at a casino.

The Novomatic AG Group has a global breadth comparable to some of the biggest companies on this list.

Indeed, Novomatic has branches in over 45 countries, and exports high-tech electronic gaming equipment and solutions worldwide.

As one of the biggest international producers and operators of gaming technologies and Europe’s largest video lottery terminals, Novomatic is fully active in all aspects of the gaming industry. Of recent highlights, September 2021 saw the company expand its already considerable footprint in Greece by installing 34 machines at the Club Hotel Casino Loutraki, one of Europe’s largest casinos.

Zitro’s slot games are known globally.

There are several reasons why players like to go for its products. Its line of Link products have had an excellent run, winning fans across the board.

Lately, the company – which made its name as a world-class producer of video bingo – has become a multi-faceted casino supplier and enjoyed a rapid global expansion.

The past year has seen some notable highlights for Zitro. It was able to display its top-performing machines at the opening of the Gran Casino Fuerteventura, and saw its footprint in Greece expand as its machines were added to the roster of Regency Entertainment-owned casinos in that country.

Our next nominee, Merkur Gaming, like many companies on this list, can boast an extensive portfolio that is multi-faceted and popular among players. Uniquely and significantly, its offerings of games are often country-specific. Merkur Gaming’s highlights of 2021 include the supplier entering the re-opened Ukranian gaming market and promising to assist Ukraine in its creation of a strong, socially responsible and well-regulated gaming industry within its borders.

The final organisation in this category is the inimitable Euro Games Technology (EGT). The group can make the proud claim of being among the most progressive forces in gaming. It produces high-performing and attractive slot machines that are considered ‘trendy’ by users. Its jackpot systems are known for their mysterioso aesthetic. In addition to these favorites, the company produces video lottery terminals and casino management systems.

As for 2021 highlights, the company is proud to report that it enlarged its footprints in Liechtenstein, Spain and France.

ONLINE CASINO OF THE YEAR

BitStarz

Casumo

PokerStars

JackpotJoy

EGT Interactive delivers advanced online gaming software and solutions which power some of the world’s top casino operators.

We have over 200 classic online slots varying in exciting themeс in more than 20 jurisdictions and powers 400+ live operators.

Our partners trust our one-time seamless API integration.

LeoVegas

Mr Green

32Red

Videoslots 888 Betsson

Online Casino of the Year is quite simply one of the most booming categories in global gaming right now. Gambling Insider previews the 10 nominees for the hotly contested category below...

T

he Covid-19 pandemic has continued to affect our lives over the past 12 months, with varying levels of restrictions still in effect across most marketplaces. The gambling industry has been affected as much as any – but we’ve witnessed the growth of online casinos at an even greater rate during this period, as many turn to digital gaming to access their favourite gambling markets and games. As such, here are the nominees for Online Casino of the Year during a particularly prosperous time for the vertical.

When considering the online operators that enjoyed a positive year, it would be impossible to leave out our first nominee: BitStarz. 2021 was big for the operator, with 3.4 million players visiting the platform, originally one of the first casinos to accept cryptocurrency as a form of payment.

The casino also benefitted from a raft of new game launches for its players, many of which were released exclusively on the platform before anywhere else, and now boasts over 1,800 games in total. Despite marketing itself as a crypto-first platform, BitStarz also offers promotions in the form of cash. Free spins, bonuses and prizes have seen its popularity rise, and 24/7 customer service has also been applauded.

Our second nominee is the biggest poker site in the world. PokerStars, a division of parent company Flutter Entertainment, enjoyed a stellar year as many traditional gamblers turned to digital. The poker site, formed in 2001, contributed significantly to its parent group’s 12% increase in annual revenue for Q3 2021, with Flutter reporting turnover of £1.44bn ($1.97bn). It’s also been a year where PokerStars has considered its societal impact by teaming up with Women Who Code, the nonprofit organisation which is dedicated to helping women excel in tech careers.

Casumo has been a breath of fresh air in the online casino market this year, injecting a new vibrancy into the industry with its simplicity and user-friendly experience, ensuring it deserves its nomination.

The company has placed significant weighting

behind a push for responsible gambling, while ensuring the experience remains fun and enjoyable.

Its sportsbook daily specials are a key draw to the platform, allowing players to make fast, easy decisions.

Our next nominee, JackpotJoy, is now part of Bally’s Corporation. The brand continues to contribute significantly towards overall group revenue thanks to strong performances in the UK market over the past 12 months. An operator which predominantly focuses on bingo-related games, the platform is the largest in that space across the world, continuing to enjoy stellar growth over the past 12 months.

“We’ve witnessed the growth of online casinos at an even greater rate, as many turn to digital gaming to access their favourite gambling markets” Next up is last year’s deserved winner. Undefeated LeoVegas will look to retain its crown as Online Casino once again, and its confidence will be high following another successful year. The previous few years for LeoVegas, the self-titled ‘King of Mobile Casino,’ have seen successful updates to the platform, exclusive releases and clever expansions.

This year appears to have topped that once more, with a swathe of exclusive releases, smart innovations to the product and new markets with a record level of new depositing customers for the platform. It’s been successful financially, too, with 2020 revenue amounting to €387,5m, a figure representing 9% growth.

Mr Green is another fully deserving nominee this time around, and will look to go one better following its nomination last year. Since its launch in Sweden in 2008, Mr Green has established itself in 13 different markets, and prides itself on best-in-class customer service. The past year has seen further growth for the

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brand, which now offers over 1,000 casino games, as well as live casino. Green Gaming is at the heart of everything the company does, and is the operator’s own take on promoting responsible gambling.

Our next nominee is a popular choice in the online casino marketplace, offering a wide selection of casino games, including slots, roulette, blackjack, poker and more. 2021 saw another healthy year for 32Red, owned by Kindred Group, with multiple long-term partnerships signed and extended.

The 1X2 Network and Pragmatic Play agreements were two of the most significant deals finalised over the previous 12 months.

Videoslots is another nominee which made it onto the Shortlist last year, and will look to go one further this time around. As with 32Red, Videoslots also spent the majority of 2021 solidifying its position in the marketplace with a number of shrewd deals and partnerships. Key agreements include those with Synot Games, the gaming content provider of over 30 years’ experience, and BetGames.tv, provider of live-dealer betting games enjoyed by over six million people worldwide. Malta-based Videoslots has only gone from strength-to-strength this year and is making good use of its many years’ experience in the iGaming sector.

Our penultimate nomination is for an online operator which capped off a brilliant year with the landmark acquisition of household name William Hill. 888 Holdings also announced a 7% increase in revenue for Q3 compared with the same period last year, ensuring it is on sound financial footing.

Among other highlights of its stellar year include B2C gaming, as the vertical continued to prove the operator’s depth in online casino.

Our final nominee has over 50 years of experience in the business, and has successfully built up its online presence in recent times. Over the past 12 months, Betsson Group has expanded its outreach, with operations now in Greece, Argentina, Colombia, Croatia, Kenya and Belarus. Like other nominees, Betsson has taken the opportunity to further expand its portfolio of gaming titles, boasting over 1,000 titles for players to enjoy. The operator’s Q3 2021 report shows continued growth, especially in the mobile space. Casino represented 74% of group revenue, with mobile turnover delivering 82% of the total pot. It also launched two native apps for iOS and Android, expanded its in-house tournaments, provided themed table games with live Euro/ Copa America scores, and improved its overall user experience functions.

ONLINE CASINO SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR

Lightning Box Games

Yggdrasil Gaming

Swintt

Pragmatic Play

Evolution

Greentube

Digitain is a global iGaming software solutions provider. We have 20 years of experience in the industry, providing our partners with award–winning, world-class products and solutions.

We employ more than 700 of the brightest trading minds in the gaming industry – part of a wider workforce of over 1,700 staff – in order to deliver a best-in-class sportsbook for its partners.

Our people are our greatest asset. To help them contribute their best to our company and to our partners, we continually invest in their development as members of a team and as individuals.

The Online Casino Supplier of the Year Award rewards an important sub-category within the global gaming industry. With online casino absolutely booming in recent years, choosing the right supplier has never been as beneficial as it is today. Gambling Insider assesses which providers are truly able to claim they are industry-leading game-changers

L Tom Horn Gaming

EGT Interactive

Stakelogic

Playtech

ike every company, online casino suppliers have undoubtedly faced all sorts of challenges created by the pandemic over the past couple of years. The last 12 months, in particular, have seen market shifts of varying levels in place, meaning suppliers have had to adapt to changes at a quicker rate than ever before. Our Shortlist contains those companies which have gone above and beyond in their commitment to providing best-in-class service to their partners and the gaming community.

Our first nomination is for the Australian slot studio, Lightning Box Games. Now owned by Scientific Games, the studio is renowned for consistently excelling when it comes to the theory of gameplay.

It constantly strives to give its games a variety of styles and bonuses it knows players will love. In a key highlight for 2021, Lightning Box made its debut in the Norwegian market, following an agreement to supply games to Norsk Tipping. It also expanded its reach by launching a raft of its most popular games across multiple markets with Betway.

Next up is Swintt. This is a supplier which spent a good chunk of 2021 firmly establishing itself as one of the key partners in the casino content business, signing new deals with key operators. Some big names among them include LeoVegas, Videoslots and Hero Gaming. This totals over 100 active brands with a further 20-30 destined for launch in Q1 2022. Life has also looked good on the financial front for Swintt this year. In the past 12 months, it posted consistent growth year-on-year, with gross gaming revenue increasing by 301%, turnover by

541%, number of bets by 493% and number of operators by 428%.

Our third nomination goes to last year’s category winner, reigning champion Evolution.

Looking to retain its crown this year, Evolution continues to provide a wide and innovative choice of online live casino and RNG games for its clients.

The supplier’s live casino offering has been extremely popular with players and operators, generating 53% year-on-year growth in Q3 2021. Its exclusive live game shows have also continued to be successful. Finally, the company agreed the acquisition of Big Time Gaming, thus strengthening its strategic position as a leading provider of digital casino games.

Fourth is Yggdrasil Gaming. Yggdrasil prides itself on offering some of the most innovative gaming solutions in the business, with its technical mechanics consistently drawing praise. Some of its most popular platforms include: Gigablox™, Splitz™, MulitMAX™, DoubleMax™, and GigaRise™. Woven throughout the company’s ethos is player engagement. Its strategy is focused on meaningful experiences for customers. Over the past 12 months in particular, the supplier focused on improving its offering and launched a number of hit games, such as Raptor Doublemax, Vikings Go Berzerk Reloaded and Gator Gold Deluxe Gigablox.

The company also expanded its global footprint to Greece after being awarded a licence by the Hellenic Gaming Commission.

“Online casino suppliers have had to adapt to changes at a quicker rate than ever before” Our fifth nomination goes to Pragmatic Play.

Rather fittingly, Pragmatic Play prides itself on producing up to five new slot titles per month for its clients, ensuring its content never becomes stale.

In addition, the company’s live casino and bingo offerings are hugely popular among players.

A huge USP is the single API integration for all of its products, making Pragmatic Play an easy and efficient partner for operators. Like other nominees in this list, the firm has seen fit to expand its operations this year, in markets such as: East Africa, Lithuania, Latvia, Croatia and Italy.

Greentube earns the next nomination this year, and deservedly so. As Novomatic’s Interactive

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division, Greentube is a holistic, full-service provider in the online and mobile gaming sectors. It prides itself on a wide collection of classic slot games, video bingo titles, video poker games, table games, service-based gaming, casino gaming and more.

Like previous nominees, Greentube has expanded operations, growing its presence in territories such as Switzerland, via deals with Swiss Casinos and Casino Lugano.

The company also branched into Germany, signing a partnership with operator Interwetten.

The Tom Horn team possesses the expertise and passion to deliver best-in-class entertainment, with a focus on video slot games and unique third-party gaming products fully integrated into the supplier’s state-of-the-art platform. Given its growing popularity with operators and players alike, and growing geographic reach, the supplier is right on track to rank among the very best in the iGaming industry. EGT Interactive comes next, deserving its nomination for its work over the last 12 months. The supplier has released 18 new video slots in 2021, each ensuring it comes with its own innovative concept. The games have largely proven a success, drawing players in with intriguing features and entertaining gameplay. The organisation’s policy of combining classic gaming techniques with the latest industry trends has seen it reap rewards over the past year. The supplier has also extended its influence into new territories, such as the Italian gaming market, following deals with Goldbet and ZonaGioco. This was added to with expansion into Serbia and Tanzania, through a partnership with Meridianbet.

Our penultimate nomination goes to end-to-end developer Stakelogic. The company acts as a factory, producing all elements of the games in-house, allowing the supplier to react dynamically based on how the market is moving. Stakelogic has the ability to develop slots quickly, based on what it is seeing from industry data and client feedback, ensuring it can meet both demand and expectations. The firm combines this with the creativity, expertise and experience of its team. In 2021, Stakelogic agreed deals with Parimatch, BetVictor and Gaming1, among others, to increase its influence through partnerships. It was also awarded a B2B licence for the newly relaunched Ukrainian market.

Finally, our final nomination heads in the direction of Playtech. The supplier is undoubtedly one of the world’s largest, most prolific and most diverse in the online casino content space. As of November 2021, through both in-house growth and strategic acquisition, there are eight global content studios within the group, each with a distinct area of expertise and focus. Playtech’s portfolio of over 800 online casino games, with an average of 50 new releases each year, encompasses both well-known brands and original properties devised in-house.

AFFILIATE PROGRAM OF THE YEAR

bet365 Partners

Campeón Affiliates

N1 Partners

Interwetten Affiliates

PlayAttack

1xBet Affiliates

With over 130 games live and with more than 500 online casinos, Stakelogic has become one of the world’s leading online game suppliers.

The Stakelogic brand name has become a marker for quality and innovation. Time and time again Stakelogic surprises its players with games that are new and different.

The Affiliate Program of the Year Award is as competitive as ever and our list is comprised of the best of the best

A

Gaming1 Affiliates Hollywoodbets Affiliates Kaizen Gaming

Affmore

ffiliate Programs are undoubtedly a cornerstone of the gaming industry, providing top-tier services to operators that wish to expand their reach and market influence through new and innovative means. Those featured on this Shortlist represent the best that the world of affiliate programs has to offer. From last year’s winner bet365, to exciting new nominees such as Gaming1, these companies are showing the industry how an affiliate program should look. With that in mind, here is our exciting, competitive and esteemed field of nominees for the Affiliate Program of the Year Award.

First up is bet365 affiliates, which re-branded to bet365 Partners this year to show the business’ continued commitment to global digital marketing.

Further focus on enhancing communication, creatives, tracking and data is at the forefront for both new and existing partners. The operator’s global awareness has increased even further - adding two new country licences in Germany and Russia.

This has supported the channel in driving high double-digit growth in new customers year-on-year.

Bet365 Affiliates came out victorious at last year’s prestigious Awards, impressing the judging panel with its excellent offering.

Following on is N1 Partners. With over 4,000 affiliate partners, $5m in prizes, over two million registered players and over 10,000 games, N1 Partners Group aims to provide high-quality casino and betting products that meet the needs and expectations of players. The group comprises: N1 Casino, N1 Bet, Slot Hunter, Fight Club, Joo Casino, Dasist Casino, and, of course, the N1 Partners affiliate program.

The PlayAttack affiliate program (and the brands represented by it) acquired the ONJN Gambling licence that allows it to promote its products to Romanian players and is another impressive nominee for the Affiliate Program of the Year Award.

PlayAttack is consistently working on improving its in-house built affiliate platform, taking the feedback of affiliates into account and creating a user-friendly, intuitive tracking platform. It also

organises various contests for its affiliates to reward the most active ones for the traffic they bring to PlayAttack brands.

Campeón Affiliates is our next esteemed nominee, offering an innovative platform that places the operator among the best in the iGaming space. Having launched its first Japanese brand this year, Supacasi, Campeón has enjoyed strong growth in 2021. Together with some of its most valued partners, the operator celebrated its growth of the past four years at the launch of Supacasi.

Campeón has reached a network of over 2,000 affiliates since first starting its affiliate program in 2018, while a total of €14.3m ($16.6m) has been paid in commission.

Not to be outdone, Interwetten Affiliates is a stalwart in the German market and also a growing favourite of partners everywhere, having expanded into other continents in recent years. Interwetten offers up to 35% share of the net profit of

increase conversion rates.

Boosting its brand awareness by signing sponsorship deals in the Premier League, South Africa-based Hollywoodbets offers a strong affiliate program and is more than deserving of its place on this year’s Shortlist. Alongside CPA and hybrid deals, the brand will also give additional revenue to ‘sub affiliates’ every time an affiliate introduces someone else to the business. These innovative ideas place Hollywoodbets as a leader in the affiliate space and an important member of this category.

Kaizen Gaming is our penultimate nominee, a prolific program that offers top-of-the-range affiliate content. Working with over 3,000 affiliates in six markets, Kaizen Gaming’s affiliate program has been a substantial contributor to the number of acquisitions and revenue for

“From last year’s winner bet365, to exciting new nominees such as Gaming1, these companies are showing the industry how an affiliate program should look” all its products, promising fast and reliable payouts.

Interwetten also prides itself on dedicated affiliate support, as well as detailed real-time statistics.

A nominee that appeared on last year’s hotly contested Shortlist, 1xBet Affiliates is well-deserving of its nomination. 1xPartners is now available in 39 languages and in numerous countries across four continents. Its affiliate partners value the easy-to-use interface and straightforward registration process of 1xPartners; there’s no need to provide reams of information, and the whole process takes just two or three minutes.

Gaming1’s state-of-the-art affiliate program this year onboarded operators such as JOABET, further strengthening its position within the French market and making the company an exciting contender for the Affiliate Program of the Year Award. The affiliate program offers flexible and modular reward plans, round-the-clock customer support, and an advanced omni-channel marketing tool. Promising a dedicated and professional team, Gaming1 works to provide its partners with top-notch marketing tools and exciting player promotions aimed at helping

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Stoiximan and Betano since 2012. Sponsoring some of the biggest football clubs in the world and advertising across all verticals, the brand has been working with the biggest affiliates in the industry for a number of years now.

Last but by no means least is Affmore, whose casino gamification and reward system offers great conversion, retention and high player lifetime values. That means more commission for its affiliates, with brand new software tools enabling high conversion and customer retention.

Affmore’s affiliate program is designed to be clear, agile and concentrate strictly on essential information.

There you have it, our Shortlist of the very best affiliate programs available across Europe, Africa, Asia and the rest of the world. Be it previous winners, or exciting and cutting edge new entries into the space, the shortlist for Affiliate Program of the Year is full to the brim with the best solutions, technologies and innovations to push gaming forward. Who will claim the ultimate prize? Let’s see who the Judges vote for.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OF THE YEAR

BBIN

Entain

Kindred Group

Mindway AI

Betsson

The Hippodrome Casino

Trust Payments, the disruptive leader in fintech specialising in frictionless payments and value-added services for SMEs. We provide on-demand Payments and Banking-as-a-Service services to help businesses grow and scale online, in-store, and on mobile.

Trust Payments combines these services with powerful tools, such as loyalty management and instant eCommerce, engaging new innovative payments methods in crypto and bank transfers to drive Converged Commerce™.

The betterment of society is not a job to be left to a few. It’s a responsibility to be shared by all

C Coolbet

Microgaming

LeoVegas

Casino Guru

oming out of Covid, responsible gambling have been the words on everybody’s lips.

With regulators tightening restrictions and critics expressing their opinions with more volume than ever before, now is the time for companies to double down on their contributions to society. These past 18 months have been challenging for everyone, especially those among us who have been hit the hardest by Covid-19. While this period has shone a spotlight on our divisions, it has also demonstrated how crucial it is that we band together in tough times. We must look to each other for support, and many companies in the industry have wholeheartedly embraced this ethos.

Up first is BBIN, a leading iGaming software supplier which has, since 2018, been paying close attention to global social welfare issues through its charity brand, The Gaming Beat Charity (TGB Charity). In 2021, TGB Charity launched its grand campaign, Love For All Kinds; a charitable fundraising platform for NGOs that care about endangered animals, wildlife and biodiversity. TGB Charity collaborates with six animal charities that focus on the conservation of diverse animals and natural habitats, and holds a variety of fundraising events and activities.

Our next nominee is an ardent proponent of responsible gaming and boasts a strong culture of commitment when it comes to social responsibility.

Kindred Group claimed victory in this category at last year’s Awards and in 2021, the company has continued to work towards its “0% revenue derived from harmful gambling” goal. Kindred had a busy year, publishing two new research papers, as well as holding the 6th edition of the Sustainable Gambling Conference. Additionally, Kindred brought improvements to its responsible gaming toolbox and to its detection system, and partnered up with Zafty to deliver the Bettor Time mobile app.

Hailing from Sweden, Betsson Group believes that by pulling together towards a common goal, great results can be achieved. In Malta, the company

“We must look to each other for support... many companies have embraced this ethos” supported frontline workers with masks and visors, as well as free accommodation in its company apartments. In Hungary, it donated five patient monitors to a hospital, while in its homeland, Betsson donated lunches to hospital nurses. In Estonia, it ran a campaign to support the badly hit island of Saaremaa, bringing together 112 volunteers who collectively dedicated 6,465 hours of help over 76 days.

Moving westward, we have Entain,which in 2021 launched what it describes as a “pioneering” affordability checking model for British customers, as part of the Advanced Responsibility and Care (ARC) initiative. The ARC affordability framework uses open source and commercially available data on customers, combined with behavioural indicators. Entain data scientists have built models to demonstrate varying levels of potential financial risk, to help flag gambling harm.

With cutting-edge capabilities, our next nominee has used its innovative solutions to support problem gambling initiatives. Mindway AI works with operators, platform providers, regulators and governments to supply state-of-the-art early detection and intervention solutions for safer gambling. It offers solutions which detect at-risk and problem gamblers early and accurately, based on research, neuroscience and artificial intelligence, and essentially provides a 360° view of every single gambler trajectory.

But it’s also important to consider more local efforts and for that reason, the Hippodrome Casino has duly been nominated. No other casino in the UK does more for its local community than the Hippodrome in London. CEO Simon Thomas has become firmly established as a spokesman for the West End, on local and national government issues that affect business health and innovation. The Hippodrome opened its doors to numerous community groups offering free meeting space and facilities; it supported the Chinese community in housing its local community centre and offered substantial cash support to ensure the success of Chinese New Year. Finally, it spearheaded campaigns to confront the issues of homelessness, begging and rough sleeping.

Our industry has made significant strides in recent years and companies like Coolbet are turning those advancements toward problem gambling. With a scientific and analytical approach to responsible gambling, Coolbet is doing more than mere compliance. Coolbet has many different

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RG tools and a highly trained customer support department, not only to detect potential gambling issues but also on techniques like brief intervention, motivational interviewing, suicide prevention and more.

Then we have Microgaming, which invests in the community via PlayItForward, a campaign that focuses on people, place and planet. The initiative is driven by Microgaming’s people first and foremost.

The company broadened its scope to reach 78 causes across the Isle of Man, UK, Malta and Gibraltar in 2021, supporting Covid-19, ecology and safer gamblingrelated projects. To mark 20 years since moving to the Isle of Man, Microgaming assisted 20 additional charities and went on a tree-planting spree.

Next up is LeoVegas, which in November 2021 introduced new instant, individual deposit limits for all UK players as it reiterated its commitment to promote safer gambling. Deposit limits are assigned on a customer-by-customer basis via a tool that uses third-party data to assess affordability. Combined with AI-backed on-site messaging prompting players to gamble more responsibly, LeoVegas is looking to develop more sustainable customer relationships.

Rounding the category off is Casino Guru. As an affiliate, Casino Guru has leveraged its relationships to cultivate a safer environment for players by encouraging casinos to act better in regard to fairness. It has used its platform to focus on reputation and reliability in honest reviews, as well as helping mistreated players. Recently, Casino Guru started to take a broader view via its Global Self-Exclusion Initiative and Casino Guru Academy, which aim to create better RG tools for players and educate casino employees on RG. Altogether, it’s been a great year for social responsibility, and that’s in spite of the once-in -a-lifetime challenges facing us all. We would like to congratulate every company this year that has given something back to society and, while it was hard to whittle our list down to 10 nominees, we feel those organisations that have been nominated exceeded demands in 2021. From problem gambling and homelessness to climate change and Covid, our nominees this year have sought to tackle a diverse array of issues, and their outstanding efforts have made it very hard to select a winner. We look forward to seeing everyone at the Global Gaming Awards in London on 31 January 2022, to find out how the Judges voted.

PAYMENT SOLUTION OF THE YEAR

Paysafe

Trust Payments

Nuvei

AstroPay

Neosurf

Trustly

BGaming is a fast-growing game provider converting gambling into gaming. Thanks to an expert team and a player-driven approach, the studio creates innovative and engaging products featured on reputable platforms and 550+ online casinos worldwide. BGaming is the world’s first to support cryptocurrencies and offer Provably Fair games. Today the brand’s portfolio includes 70+ products with HD graphics and a clear user interface for every device.

As the gaming industry embraces exciting technologies and innovations, payments companies are at the forefront of this shift.

Here are the nominees for The Global Gaming Awards’ Payment Solution of the Year

I MoneyMatrix

ConnectPay Praxis Cashier VallettaPay

t is no exaggeration to say our lives would not be the same without fast, efficient and well-designed payment solutions, and this is no more prevalent than in our industry. Gaming relies on payment solutions companies to provide technology and data that allows for gaming to remain a modern and innovative industry. From cashless solutions to payout methods, the nominees on this list represent the best Europe, Asia, Africa and the rest of the world have to offer. From Paysafe and its innovative Skrill platform to Trust Payments’ solution, this is an exciting year for the Payment Solution of the Year Award.

IGaming is in our first nominee’s DNA. Paysafe has been providing payments to the industry for 20 years, via both the Skrill and NETELLER digital wallets, the paysafecard eCash solution, as well as payment processing and acquiring solutions. The payments company offers these via a single point of integration and service, a single API, and a robust technology platform. These are underpinned by very deep and broad risk and regulatory management, including controls and reports, making the company fully deserving of this year’s nomination. In Europe and Asia, Paysafe works with over 1,000 operators.

Our second nominee, Nuvei, had a big year in gaming, announcing a 96% overall revenue increase for Q3. Having acquired new brands to help its overall offering, Nuvei has made waves within the gaming industry and developed its European offering in addition to the company’s US focus. The firm’s goal is to “provide the operator with any way that the consumer wants to pay and get paid;” this year, it has certainly done so, making Nuvei an important contender for this year’s Award.

A year of growth for Neosurf has seen the third nominee for Payment Solution of the Year focus more effort on esports sponsorship, identifying

the three-way connection between sports, gambling and payments. As well as specialising in vouchers, this renewed focus has undoubtedly put the payments brand in a strong position for this year’s Award. Moreover, a rare move in 2021, Neosurf has championed the fact that, in some markets, cash still remains king.

Trust Payments’ mission is to help gaming operators optimise their sales and customer experience through facilitating speedy and seamless payments, loyalty and data management.

The fourth nominee for Payments Solution of the Year has a full unified payments offering in Europe, including a cloud-based payments platform and merchant acquiring. The entire holistic customer experience is a growing area for the firm. The company has 11 global offices, with main hubs in London and Malta, and is regulated by the MFSA in Malta as a Payment Institution, and by the FCA as an Authorised Payments Institution in the UK. Founded in 2009, our next fierce competitor, AstroPay, is a global payment solution serving more than 3.5 million users and 500 merchants across the globe, including Asia, Africa and Europe. With customer experience at the core of its business, the organisation aims to provide a safe, secure and reliable payment solution through its One Touch digital wallet offering. AstroPay’s nomination for Payment Solution of the Year is evidently a testament to its hard work and achievements throughout 2021.

“From cashless booming across the globe to new ideas entering the space, it is an exciting category indeed” Our next well-deserving nominee is Trustly.

Its solution enables gaming operators to offer online players instant deposits and withdrawals, and the company’s suite of products includes full-cycle instant payment solutions across industry verticals.

Pay N Play® is an impressively popular payment solution that combines the registration and first deposit steps into one; through this, Trustly extracts the necessary KYC data and delivers it to the operator to register the player simultaneously.

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EveryMatrix’s brand added 25 new payment solutions in Q1 2021, as well as announcing a new partnership with PayPal during the same time, just one reason why the company is more than deserving of this esteemed nomination. Elsewhere, MoneyMatrix is the latest generation processing platform that encompasses all of an operator’s payment processing and risk management needs.

Based in Malta, the organisation is licensed by the Malta Financial Services Authority and can provide payment routing, risk management and KYS solutions globally through a single integration.

ConnectPay is one of the fastest-growing EMIs in Lithuania and a contender for the Payment Solution of the Year Award – one of the leading fintech hubs in continental Europe, the company provides high-end banking services for internet-based companies. By offering a One Stop Shop solution for all payment facilities under one roof, ConnectPay creates a smooth onboarding and boutique banking experience. ConnectPay’s main services are Sepa Instant & Cross-border payments, Business & Segregated Accounts, Online Banking&Merchant API, Corporate cards, BaaS, PIS. This impressive array of offerings undoubtedly makes ConnectPay a solution to keep your eyes on.

Praxis Cashier is a truly global company.

With staff in Costa Rica, Spain, Ukraine, and Cyprus, the penultimate nominee for Payment Solution of the Year boasts over 20 years of combined experience in online payments and marketing for a number of industries – not least of which is gaming itself.

Following a strong 2021, Praxis is integrated with over 300 payment service providers worldwide; and aims to improve the implementation of KYC and risk management policies, as well as increasing credit card acceptance rates.

Last but by no means least, VallettaPay prides itself on customer service and prefers to work with niche clients in sectors like gaming, rather than targeting the whole of the world wide web. Targeting organic growth, VallettaPay services clients who fall within its risk appetite – competing on the highest quality of service rather than the highest number of clients. This and many other reasons place VallettaPay as an important contender on this list.

As you can see, then, this is an impressive assortment of nominees, each deserving in their own right towin our Payment Solution of the Year Award. Indeed, while only one product can walk away with the prize, this list shows just how exciting and innovative the world of payments has become. From cashless booming across the globe to new ideas entering the space, it is an exciting category indeed. It has been a big year for payments, of that there is no doubt.

PRODUCT LAUNCH OF THE YEAR

Virgin Bet - Virgin Bet Fives Relax Gaming - Relax Apex

Spotlight Sports Group - Superfeed

Aspire Global - Integrated CRM (AspireEngage)

NetEnt - Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen™

SOFTSWISS - Jackpot Aggregator

Sportingtech - Quantum Platform

Neosurf is a world-renowned payments solution enabling gamers and gamblers to pay online without credit card usage and without disclosing personal information.

Founded in 2004 the Neosurf model is now regarded as one of the principal payment means globally.

It is fitting that our newest category at the GGAs, in many ways our own product launch, is dedicated to the Product Launch of the Year Award. Several new products made it to market over the past 12 months. Below, we preview the nominees...

M

Yggdrasil - Vikings Go Berzerk Reloaded Pinnacle Solution - Esports Hub

ONE.FUN

ore than anything, product launches keep the industry moving forward. A new product is the public face of an industry in a constant state of flux. That is why this next category – Product Launch of the Year – is so important. While industry insiders may know what’s happening behind the scenes, it is the new products which come out that serve to remind players and companies alike of the incredible advancements being made in the field of gaming.

It is an interesting time, to say the least, for new products. As online gaming booms and digital options proliferate, new products are having to race to keep up with the different opportunities offered by technology.

Below, there are 10 contestants, 10 new products that have changed the landscape of gaming this year, each bringing with them their own unique innovation to the playing field.

Our first contestant for the top product launch of the past year is Virgin Bet Fives, released by Virgin Bet, which currently holds the title of the UK’s fastest-growing sportsbook. The game has been hailed as transitional for the relatively young company. The game itself is free to play. Consumers reveal a new football player each day, spin a wheel to set a potential cash prize and then redeem the cash if the player scores in the corresponding fixture.

The game has proven to be extremely popular, with a high draw for repeat players. It has seen an astounding 816% growth over the last year. Also, displaying the game’s flexibility, Virgin Bet Fives had a special UEFA Euro 2020 version unveiled over the football-crazed summer.

Relax Apex, brought to us by Relax Gaming, brings something new to the table: a tool that removes the need to create multiple game versions and checks while ensuring full compliance across markets.

Relax Apex manages to pull this off in a way

that in no way impacts any of what makes an individual game unique. By reducing costs, improving delivery speed, and freeing up resources, Apex has introduced a game-changing integration overlay which will forever alter how partners deliver content. As proof of the product’s popularity, it has already been adopted by 140+ operators and 50+ studio partners.

Aspire Global brings us our next contestant, Integrated CRM. It was earlier this year when Aspire boosted its AspireCore iGaming platform with the integration of a new CRM system, AspireEngage.

The new AspireEngage immediately works to retain customers from the moment they enter the site, making them aware of the offers that will keep them engaged. Such a product is of great use when the competition is always an easy click away. The system offers real-time, top-level marketing capabilities, enabling operators to sharpen their approach to engagement, including bonus management, personalised messaging and segmentation.

The next product up for our Award is the Jackpot Aggregator, released this year by SOFTSWISS. It bills itself a unique multi-purpose iGaming solution that introduces the jackpot-as -a-service business model. The promise of the game is that it multiplies a player’s chances to win. The product provides access to a custom cloud jackpot system and can be integrated with any gaming and non-gaming projects through a one-time application programming interface (API). Jackpot Aggregator provides a library of configurable jackpot templates and enables clients to generate an unlimited number of jackpots.

Spotlight Sports Group brings us the next nominee, Superfeed. Superfeed serves as Spotlight’s content engine, offering impartial betting insight which is delivered by full API integration or a widget. It incorporates the group’s content into one product by delivering expert sports betting editorial and data, on any sport in over 70 languages. Besides this, Superfeed offers pre-match betting insights, as well as verdicts and projections on all sports. During a live game, it has the ability to provide users with in-play tipping, historical data and can react to on-field events.

The next contestant is brought to us by NetEnt: Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen. This game, which was released in March 2021, quickly found success in the UK, achieving high GGR, wagers and game rounds.

The gameplay replicates the excitement of the hit TV show about the caustic and foul-mouthed Scottish chef. In the game, Gordon throws knives, plates and

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pots at the reels, which transform into Wilds. In addition, free spins and a bonus game incorporate elements of the TV show into the game.

This slot feature adds extra player entertainment.

Quantum Platform is our next product, released by Sportingtech.

The product offers a comprehensive and robust sportsbook and casino solution that can be tailored to any operator’s needs.

By harnessing modular software for greater flexibility, the reliable and scalable system is able to deliver a player-centric betting experience.

Quantum’s broad appeal is widely considered to be attributable to its diverse range of features. Among these are a seamless wallet, automatic casino deposits bonus, automatic casino registration bonus, sportsbook jackpot and promo code bonus.

Vikings Go Berzerk Reloaded, released this year by Yggdrasil, has modified and improved a crowd favourite. The series has remained popular over the years and through several iterations. In this version, the title includes familiar features from prequels, including Berzerk Mode and Ragnarök Free Spins. There are also a wealth of new, immersive experiences. Among these are included new multipliers that surprise players as they enter the fray. The game became an instant hit due to its immersive engine and high-quality artwork.

Penultimately, Esports Hub was released

by Pinnacle Solution, providing the esports community with a next-generation betting experience. It features an esports-first UX, as well as Pinnacle Solution’s crowd-tested content; this includes the highest limits and lowest margins, all in one standalone destination. Also available through Pinnacle’s B2B arm to enhance partners’ esports authenticity, Esports Hub is making a move to take esports betting into its own vertical space, and deliver to the audience unique and exciting esports experiences.

The final contestant is ONE.FUN. Launched in 2021, ONE.FUN is the only integrated solution for gaming and entertainment fans that allows them to browse and book entertainment packages worldwide. In a single application, people get first-hand access to the world of gaming venues, and in various ways, too: all events taking place within these venues: concerts, tournaments and conferences.

Through the advanced content management system, venues can easily provide information about themselves, publish information about events and run marketing campaigns to gain access to interested players.

Let battle commence: which Product Launch will be the fairest of them all?

CORPORATE SERVICES PROVIDER OF THE YEAR

Global Betting & Gaming Consultants

RavenTrack

Enteractive

EM Group

Continent 8 Technologies

Gibtelecom

FDJ Gaming Solutions is a subsidiary of FDJ Group, delivering B2B Services for the betting and lottery industry. FDJ Gaming Solutions has prestigious references from around the world with nearly 300,000 lottery terminals installed, a growing number of lotteries connected to its digital content distribution platform, instant lottery services in strong development and over 40 sports betting operators connected to its price feeds, using its trading services or fully managed betting platform.

If there is a service that needs providing, these exciting and innovative service providers will be on hand with their very best.

In this competitive category, we take a look a the Services Provider of the Year Award nominees

S Internet Vikings

Maxima Compliance

Fast Track

Exacta Solutions

ervice providers play an undeniably important role in our industry. Be it for players, operators or suppliers, the companies that provide technology and services are pivotal in creating a streamlined and innovative sector.

From last year’s winner, Continent 8 Technologies, and its hosting, connectivity and security offerings, to the player retention services of Enteractive, the nominee list for this year’s Services Provider of the Year Award is hotly contested and certainly exciting.

Our first glowing nominee for the Services Provider of the Year Award is Global Betting and Gaming Consultants (GBGC). GBGC is a specialist, independent gambling consultancy, providing assistance with projects ranging from new product evaluations, feasibility studies, due diligence, development of corporate strategy and business planning.

Alongside the consultancy, GBGC also publishes specialist industry reports. In its Global Gambling Report, GBGC produces the most comprehensive and credible review of gambling activity in more than 250 jurisdictions around the world, making the group more than worthy of this nomination.

Not to be outdone, Enteractive is a leading “revenue generator” for iGaming operators, with increased demand in 2021 for its personalised player retention services taking the company’s organic production growth to over 200%. In 2008, Enteractive was founded with the mission to help iGaming operators build outstanding customer relationships. Investing into a customer relationship starts with communication.

In 2021, Enteractive expanded its global reach to Japan, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Romania, and Hungary and the ever-growing US market.

Our third nominee and last year’s prestigious winner is Continent 8 Technologies, which after an

impressive year features on our list.

The company offers global managed hosting, connectivity and security services, powering the industry’s biggest brands including Microgaming, Playtech, FanDuel, DraftKings and 888. Continent 8’s network is growing rapidly with 80+ connected locations across Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company is innovating and constantly evolving its product range: including developing hyperscale partnerships (AWS) and enhancing its Secure offering (SOC/SIEM).

Despite a turbulent time for the industry (and the world), RavenTrack has continued its trajectory as one of the fastest-growing affiliate tracking platforms in the iGaming space, making it more than worthy of this exciting nomination. Providing a bespoke service to each individual client, RavenTrack has built a portfolio of over 25 affiliate programs, providing tracking solutions to nearly 75 brands.

Fast integrations and migrations, unlimited customer support and powerful KYC tools have been at the forefront of this success.

Our next impressive contender, EM Group, assists both operators and B2B companies with their regulatory local, gaming and financial compliance requirements. On top of that, it provides assistance in local licence applications and day-to-day affairs such as executing payments, reviewing legal documentation, and provision of key functions. In 2021, EM Group was quick to launch a service label in the newly opened Dutch market and start helping companies wishing to operate there.

Sixth on our list is Gibtelecom, which offers a full portfolio of communications services and solutions.

In 2021, as part of the company’s international expansion plans, and following Malaysia opening its doors to online gaming companies, Gibtelecom started putting the finishing touches to its first Asian Data Centre in Johor Bahru. The company facilitates hosting, managed solutions and a full range of cloud services that can be connected directly to the company’s core private network, linking European businesses with their Asian operations and vice versa.

These impressive developments emphasise just how much Gibtelecom deserves its place on this list.

Internet Vikings is a global IT provider specialising in bespoke hosting solutions, domain management and marketing solutions in the field of brand traffic protection. Borne out of the need to fill in missing gaps in the market, our next nominee operates in an exciting niche for the industry. In 2021, the company witnessed the biggest growth it has seen in 13 years: territorially, client and employees numbers, revenue, services added and business acquired. Internet Vikings’ offering consists of a customisable hosting

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solution, including 24 cores, 64GB of RAM, 500GB storage and 50Mbit bandwidth per month.

Maxima Compliance supports gambling businesses as they navigate regulatory challenges and its efforts have earned it a deserving spot on the Services Provider of the Year Award Shortlist.

It serves operators and providers across the gaming sector, both large and small, by providing a range of services catered to their specific needs, including facilitating entry into new jurisdictions, audit, etc. In 2021 the company also launched a bespoke insourcing service.

Our penultimate nominee, Fast Track, provides the only player engagement platform built specifically for iGaming, a crucial offering that places this services provider firmly on our list. The company helps operators tackle scalability challenges in a heavily regulated landscape. In 2021, a number of leading operators chose Fast Track’s CRM. The company recently revealed a brand new product: the Singularity Model; which features an engine that observes every action the player makes in real time, and uses advanced machine learning and computations to establish a comprehensive player profile.

Our 10th nominee is Exacta Solutions, which rounds off our list. A young company with a strong pedigree, Malta-based Exacta Solutions brings years of experience to bear on the issues faced by new and growing businesses.

With experience in executive recruitment, headhunting and management consulting, and an unrivalled network of experts from various backgrounds, Exacta Solutions helps companies reach their business goals.

“These providers represent the best in the industry; the competition is wide open” Clearly, the Shortlist this year is an exciting and competitive one, with a variety of niches and technologies. Indeed, these service providers represent the best the industry has to offer and the competition is wide open. Tune in to the Global Gaming Awards London as we reveal who will come out on top for our Services Provider of the Year Award.

EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR

BRIGID SIMMONDS

Chair, Betting & Gaming Council

DAVID NEWTON

CEO, Paddy Power Retail

MICHAEL DALY CEO, Catena Media

GUSTAF HAGMAN Group CEO, LeoVegas

STÉPHANE PALLEZ

MARINA OSTROVTSOVA

Chairwoman and CEO, FDJ

ITAI PAZNER

Co-Founder & CEO, Better Collective

CARSTEN KOERL

EVP Business & Group Functions, Kambi

TODD HAUSHALTER

Founder & CEO, BetConstruct

Executive Director, BGaming CEO, 888 Holdings Group CEO, Sportradar

Chief Product Officer, Evolution

KATERINA BELORUSSKAYA Founder, Parimatch Tech

JOHN CONNELLY

Global CEO, Interblock Gaming

JESPER SØGAARD

CECILIA WACHTMEISTER VIGEN BADALYAN

AISTE GARNEVICIENE COO, BetGames

MARTINA ÅKERLUND CEO, Triggy

DIMA REIDERMAN COO, BtoBet

Bragg Gaming Group is a fast-growing global technology and content supplier to the gaming industry with a proprietary omni-channel PAM, content studios and advanced promotional and business intelligence tools. Group companies include ORYX Gaming and Wild Streak Gaming, serving customers in North America, Europe and globally.

Once again, we celebrate the individuals that make the global gaming industry as successful as it can be. Step aside the organisation, come forward the Executive of the Year

L MARIS CATANIA

Head of Responsible Gaming and Research, Kindred Group

DANIELA JOHANSSON

Chief Responsibility Officer & Deputy CEO, Paf

DYLAN SLANEY

CEO iGaming, SG Digital

RENATO ASCOLI

CEO Global Gaming, IGT

MOR WEIZER CEO, Playtech

DENISE COATES

Founder and Joint CEO, bet365

MARK LOCKE

CEO, Genius Sports

JETTE NYGAARD-ANDERSEN CEO, Entain

eaders are the lifeblood of their organisations, providing the drive, direction and inspiration for the countless others who follow in their footsteps. Everything from corporate strategy to employee culture flows from their fingertips.

While the success of any gaming company relies on the strength of the collective, the qualities of the Executives at the helm help steer the organisation through the good times and the bad. This category seeks to reward those at the pinnacle of the industry, following another year disrupted by tough operating conditions.

Our first nomination goes to the Chair of the Betting & Gaming Council, Brigid Simmonds, who has held the position since it was established in 2019. Simmonds has overseen another successful year, which has placed greater focus on the impact of gambling on younger players. She is followed

by Paddy Power Retail CEO, David Newton. Newton has overseen the growth of the retail brand, which now boasts 625 betting shops across the UK and Ireland.

Our third nominee is none other than BGaming’s Executive Director, Marina Ostrovtsova. She has successfully established all development and marketing processes from the ground up, allowing BGaming to become a reputable and creative game studio. Next up, we have the CEO of 888 Holdings, a company which has enjoyed a fine year under the stewardship of Itai Pazner. He guided the company through the £2.2bn ($2.96bn) acquisition of William Hill’s European business, while at the same time growing the company’s key product verticals.

At Sportradar, Carsten Koerl has continued to combine sports and analytics to spectacular effect.

As Group CEO, Koerl has guided the company for over 20 years. In September 2021, Sportradar debuted on Nasdaq with a valuation of nearly $8bn. Evolution CPO Todd Haushalter rightfully holds the next nomination.In 2021, Evolution brought the popular Lightning brand to blackjack; it also improved the

baccarat experience in Asia; and it introduced more decision-making and strategy into the company’s live game shows.

Nomination number seven goes to Katerina Belorusskaya, Founder of Parimatch Tech. She currently heads up Corporate Development, and has continued to oversee the company’s central operations and growth strategy into 2021. John Connelly is also a fully deserved nominee, with 2021 bringing further success as Global CEO of Interblock Gaming.

Connelly is a respected leader with a distinguished record of business development, innovation and M&A. He made health and safety a priority, while methodically ramping up R&D efforts.

From supplier to sustainability, our next nominee heads up Responsible Gaming and Research at Kindred Group. Maris Catania was key in organising the Sustainable Gambling Conference which has now become a crucial event for operators. Michael Daly is up next, the CEO of super affiliate Catena Media.

Daly has a wealth of experience across the iGaming industry, and transformed Catena’s growing US media operations prior to stepping into the role as CEO. Back to the operator side of things and a company which has enjoyed a brilliant 12 months. LeoVegas has earned two nominations of its own in this year’s Shortlist, for Online Casino and Social Responsibility, and it is now the turn of Group CEO Gustaf Hagman. Hagman has over 20 years of experience in entrepreneurship and the online gaming industry, and has previously built organisations to over 100 employees.

In France, Stéphane Pallez, in her role as Chairwoman and CEO, has managed to transform national lottery operator FDJ Gaming Solutions; she has led the company’s expansion into online sports betting. Under her leadership, the group reported growth across all areas in H1 and Q3 2021. Back to media, Jesper Søgaard earns a nomination for his continued success as CEO of Better Collective. Having founded the super affiliate in 2004, he has built the organisation into a 700-strong workforce, and partners with the likes of bet365, Betfair and Coral.

Sports betting supplier Kambi features next, with its EVP Business & Group Functions, Cecilia Wachtmeister, fully deserving of a nomination. Splitting her time between the company’s London and Stockholm offices, she has earned praise for her management of the commercial, marketing and strategic directives over the past year. Over at BetConstruct, Vigen Badalyan continued to take the company to new heights in 2021, in his role as CEO and Founder.

Staying on the supplier front, BetGames’ COO, Aiste Garneviciene, earns our next nomination. She has made BetGames the most exciting supplier across the Live Casino and Dealer verticals. Integral to developing BetGames’ unique products, including

her very own War of Bets, she has built the company’s success since 2012 across Europe and Africa, while her personal management style has nurtured a relaxed yet effective workplace.

Martina Åkerlund has performed strongly as CEO of Swedish data and technology firm, Triggy.

The brand has cut through the marketplace with its ability to connect sports data, live odds and user insights. Åkerlund has over 20 years of leadership experience in senior banking and finance positions.

Staying with technology innovators, BtoBet COO Dima Reiderman, has enjoyed a positive year. He was instrumental in BtoBet’s agreements with operators William Hill and Betfair in Latin America, with the leading bookmakers becoming one of the first global B2B partners to leverage BtoBet’s position in the market.

Daniela Johansson, Chief Responsibility Officer and Deputy CEO at Paf, is deservedly the next nominee. Johansson has overseen an important year in Paf’s 55-year history. The company recently lowered its loss limit further, ensuring players are responsibly protected while gambling.

Next up, OpenGaming by SG Digital is a leading digital content aggregation platform, thanks to the hard work and leadership shown by CEO iGaming, Dylan Slaney. Its OGS aggregation platform has reached new heights with new content added from major providers.

Elsewhere, Renato Ascoli has enjoyed a successful year as CEO of Global Gaming at IGT. Under Ascoli’s Leadership in 2021, IGT emerged as a leader in cashless gaming and launched a vast portfolio of new games and cabinets into the market. Next, we come to Playtech Mor Weizer, the company’s CEO, who has steered Playtech through the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, guiding it to a position where it has emerged as a stronger, more sustainable company; while retaining its commitment to its people.

Denise Coates is synonymous with the industry itself, as is the Coates family on the whole. Now into its third decade of operation, bet365 continues to go from strength-to-strength under Coates’ leadership.

It continues to push responsible gambling awareness, while Coates herself donates significantly to charitable causes on an annual basis.

Our penultimate nomination goes to Mark Locke, CEO of Genius Sports. The data and technology firm has enjoyed a successful 12 months, launching on the New York Stock Exchange. Locke is also the Co-Founder of the company, overseeing its growth over the past 21 years.

Finally, Entain has enjoyed another stellar year in 2021, and CEO Jette Nygaard-Andersen deserves a place on our Shortlist. Appointed CEO at the start of 2021, she has overseen another 12 months of growth for one of the world’s leading betting groups, including the expansion of several of its brands.

“Leaders are the lifeblood of their organisations”

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