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Industry Awards

Casino Guru Awards 2025: Winners decided, spotlight turns to the Live Gala in Malta

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A Celebration of Fairness, Responsibility, and Innovation in iGaming

The countdown is on for the Casino Guru Awards 2025, where the most impactful and forward-thinking figures in the online gambling space will be honored. After an intensive evaluation period, the panel of expert judges has already cast their votes. The winners are now known—though kept under tight wraps—awaiting their official reveal during the gala evening.

The Gala Ceremony, taking place on June 6, 2025, at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in St. Julian’s, Malta, will bring together key stakeholders from across the industry to celebrate excellence in transparency, fairness, and player protection. This year’s event continues to spotlight initiatives that drive real change, showcasing responsibility and innovation at the heart of iGaming.

In addition to the categories evaluated by the judges, the Players’ Choice and Voice of the People awards have engaged the wider public—highlighting community involvement. Notably, the Voice of the People category attracted over 150,000 public votes, underscoring the growing influence and reach of the Awards.
“It’s truly inspiring to witness such a strong response from the global community. The number of nominations and public votes speaks volumes about how well-known and meaningful these projects have become,” said Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Projects Director at Casino Guru.

Since the launch of the 2025 edition, the Awards have attracted nearly 600,000 visitors, generated hundreds of nominations, and reflected a growing movement toward greater accountability in the industry.
The shortlist represents a diverse mix of organizations pushing boundaries and raising standards in responsible gambling—including notable names such as EveryMatrix, DraftKings, Pragmatic Play, BGaming, Soft2Bet and more. The evaluation phase involved detailed questionnaires, evaluation calls with shortlisted companies, and a transparent scoring framework. To preserve credibility and impartiality, judges disclosed all potential conflicts of interest before the review process began.

Gala highlights
Hosted by renowned presenter Martin Sepiano, the evening promises an engaging blend of insight and entertainment:

  • Panel Discussion with Judges – A rare behind-the-scenes look into the evaluation process and the values driving the Awards.
  • Live Performances by Jessica Micallef & Band
  • Special Dance Act by The Snake Venom Project Dancers
  • Afterparty at Tiffany Lounge with DJ Luke Panza

With anticipation building, the Casino Guru Awards 2025 Gala promises not only to reveal the industry’s top performers, but also to foster meaningful dialogue about the future of fair and responsible gambling. Whether judged by a panel of experts or chosen by the public, each nominee has contributed to shaping a more transparent and ethical iGaming landscape.

The post Casino Guru Awards 2025: Winners decided, spotlight turns to the Live Gala in Malta appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Affiliate Industry

ReferOn Earns Dual Nominations for Innovation and Marketing Excellence at SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025

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The company continues its growth in 2025 with key industry recognition

ReferOn, a next-gen affiliate management platform has been shortlisted for the “Affiliate Product Innovation” and “Best Marketing Solution Provider” categories at the upcoming SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025.

These nominations come after an important year for the company, defined by strong market traction, continuous product development, and an increased demand from operators and affiliate managers looking to transition from outdated legacy platforms to a more agile, transparent, and scalable solution.

Since its launch, the ReferOn team has demonstrated its commitment to solving real problems for affiliate teams. At the core of its value propositions is creating a simple and accessible platform that’s built for modern needs. Core developments like full-cycle automation, customisable dashboards, instant postbacks, and real-time data visibility help to reduce chaos and boost performance. Additionally, tools like the Sub-Affiliate System, No Bundling Model, and dynamic variables assist with increased operational control.

Vlad Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the nominations, “We didn’t build ReferOn to compete with legacy platforms — we built it to replace them. Every development, addition, and decision is guided by the goal of empowering our users to move faster, make more insightful decisions, and scale efficiently. These nominations have shown us that we’re moving in the right direction and that our incredible team is working towards something truly impactful.”

ReferOn’s roadmap remains ambitious and future-focused, with numerous investments in product developments, customer-facing services, and initiatives that help affiliate teams act faster and move smarter.

Voting for the SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025 is now open.

The post ReferOn Earns Dual Nominations for Innovation and Marketing Excellence at SiGMA Euro-Med Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Affiliate Industry

Meet the First-Ever Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 Shortlist and Cast Your Vote!

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SBC has announced the debut shortlist for the inaugural Affiliate Leaders Awards – a new ceremony spotlighting the companies shaping affiliate marketing’s next chapter. This time, it’s the public who holds the power, with open voting deciding which nominees will be celebrated on stage in Lisbon this September.

The ceremony will welcome 600 industry leaders to Lisbon’s MEO Arena, located just steps away from the main event venue, Feira Internacional de Lisboa, on Wednesday, 17 September. The evening will celebrate the standout companies shortlisted across 22 fiercely contested categories, and ultimately, honour the winners.

While the shortlist was selected by an independent panel of experts, the final decision lies with the public, who can now cast their vote online for the company they believe deserves the spotlight.

Speaking on the launch of the awards, Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: “Last year’s launch of the Affiliate Leaders Summit was a huge step forward for us, but this year we wanted to go even further and recognise the vital role that affiliates, operator programmes, and the suppliers that power them play in the industry’s growth by giving them their very own ceremony.

“By putting the final decision in the public’s hands, we’re able to honour the companies that truly resonate with the community and celebrate the ones people genuinely believe in.”

Leading the way for nominations at the Affiliate Leaders Awards are BetAffiliation and Hub Affiliations, who boast seven nominations each across both company-wide and individual categories. Boomerang Partners follow closely with six, while Game Lounge and Gentoo Media have each earned five, reflecting their strong performance and visibility across the affiliate industry.

Both BetAffiliation and Hub Affiliations will go head-to-head for Best Affiliate Network as well as Affiliate Campaign of the Year, but face stiff competition from the likes of KR3W and Gentoo Media.

Meanwhile, the hotly contested Sports Affiliate of the Year category features some of the industry’s most recognised names, including Better Collective, Catena Media, Oddschecker, and Flashscore Network.

The shortlist for Affiliate Traffic Source of the Year sees BetAffiliation pick up another nod, alongside the likes of Clever Advertising and Oddschecker. 

Workplace culture takes centre stage in Affiliate Employer of the Year, with BetAffiliation, Hub Affiliations, Clever Advertising, and Game Lounge recognised for their efforts in building positive team environments.

On the casino front, Catena Media, Game Lounge Ltd, Casino Guru, and Betting Hero are all in contention for Casino Affiliate of the Year.

In the operator categories, bet365 Partners is aiming for a third consecutive win in Best Affiliate Programme (Operator), having previously claimed the title at the SBC Awards. This year, they face competition from Betsson Group Affiliates, Boomerang Partners, and Kaizen Gaming. The Affiliate Programme of the Year – Large category will also feature major operators, with 1w, BetMGM, Betsson Group Affiliates, and PIN-UP Partners all in contention for the gong.

The awards also spotlight the tech providers underpinning affiliate growth. Aff.Tech, ReferOn, and other leading platforms have secured nominations in both Affiliate Management Platform of the Year and Affiliate Technology of the Year.

Other categories on the night include Casino Title of the Year and Marketing Agency of the Year, rounding out a comprehensive celebration of affiliate marketing excellence.

Individual leadership in the industry will also be recognised, with awards for Affiliate Leader of the Year, Affiliate Content Manager of the Year, and Affiliate Account/Community Manager of the Year, underscoring the critical role individuals play in elevating brand performance.

The post Meet the First-Ever Affiliate Leaders Awards 2025 Shortlist and Cast Your Vote! appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Peter Schmeichel Returns as SBC Awards 2025 Host as Finalists Are Announced

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SBC has officially announced the shortlisted nominees for the 12th edition of the SBC Awards, set to take place at Lisbon’s MEO Arena on Thursday, 18 September, the final day of SBC Summit 2025.

Celebrating excellence across the global betting and gaming industry, the ceremony will spotlight standout achievements from operators, industry leaders, and suppliers across a broad spectrum of sectors, including payments, marketing, and platform innovation.

This year’s edition has already broken records, with the highest number of nominations ever received across its 37 diverse categories, reflecting the industry’s growing commitment to delivering exceptional performance.

Leading the shortlist are Pragmatic Play and Sportradar, each earning seven nominations. Close contenders include BetConstruct and Betsson Group with six nominations apiece. Other standout nominees include Bragg Gaming, Campeon Gaming, Novibet, Playtech, and Top Bet, each securing five nominations.

Returning to co-host the ceremony is football legend Peter Schmeichel, former Manchester United goalkeeper and UEFA European Championship winner, who previously brought his trademark charisma to the stage in 2024.

The 2025 edition of the SBC Awards will also mark the first year without dedicated affiliate categories. Instead, SBC will host a dedicated and expanded Affiliate Leaders Awards on Wednesday, 17th September, at the same venue.

Commenting on the upcoming SBC Awards ceremony, Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “This industry never stands still. New talent, ideas, and technologies are constantly changing the game. The SBC Awards are our way of recognising those who are making a real impact and giving the community a moment to celebrate together.”

In the operator categories, alongside Betsson Group’s notable six nominations,  TotoGaming also stands out with four nominations, including Marketing Campaign of the Year and Innovation in Casino & Gaming Entertainment. Meanwhile, Kaizen Gaming and Campeón Gaming return to defend their titles in the Operator of the Year – Medium and Large categories, respectively.

The hotly contested Casino Operator of the Year category includes names such as  LeoVegas, Bally’s, Codere Online, and Winbet. 1xBet, EstrelaBet, and Sportsbet.io are among the frontrunners for Sportsbook Operator of the Year.

In the operator and supplier categories, competition for Employer of the Year includes Alea, Flutter Entertainment, Parimatch, and Play’n GO, all aiming to take the crown from reigning champions SOFTSWISS. The Socially Responsible Initiative of the Year category features nominees such as Associação de Mulheres da Indústria do Gaming (AMIG), BGaming, EveryMatrix, and Pay4Fun.

The highly anticipated Leader of the Year award will be kept under wraps until the night, with nominees and the winner to be revealed live during the ceremony.

In the payments and compliance categories, Noda and payabl. lead the way with nominations in all three awards: Payment Solution of the Year, Payment Innovation of the Year, and Fraud & Compliance Solution of the Year. MiFinity, Monnet Payments, OKTO, Pay4Fun, Paysecure, and Trustly have also earned multiple nods across the categories.

The supplier categories, which will span 22 awards, will include several new additions this year, such as Aggregator of the Year and Crash Game of the Year.

Fast Track and BETBY will look to retain their titles in Acquisition & Retention Partner and Esports Supplier of the Year, respectively. Meanwhile, Delasport, Evolution, Evoplay, iGP, Optimove, and Spotlight Sports Group are among the fifteen companies competing for the Industry Innovation of the Year award.

Soft2Bet will return in pursuit of back-to-back wins for Innovation in Casino Entertainment and Innovation in Mobile, while Digitain will aim to defend its title as Sportsbook Supplier of the Year.

The sought-after Platform Provider of the Year award features a strong field of contenders, including EGT Digital, GiG, GR8 Tech, Sportingtech, and White Hat Gaming.

Continuing SBC’s commitment to shining a light on the future stars of the industry, the evening will once again feature four ‘Rising Star‘ awards: Rising Star in Casino, Rising Star in Sports Betting, Rising Star in Sports Betting Innovation / Software, and Rising Star in Casino Innovation / Software.

The post Peter Schmeichel Returns as SBC Awards 2025 Host as Finalists Are Announced appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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