Industry Awards
SiGMA Group Acquires Majority Stake in iGaming Academy
SiGMA Group has announced it has acquired a majority stake in iGaming Academy, which offers vocational and compliance training in over 25 jurisdictions, to more than 60,000 gaming professionals yearly, for an undisclosed figure.
This acquisition is set to greatly complement their current portfolio by embedding various forms of industry education throughout SiGMA’s global event schedule and online network.
Eman Pulis, Founder of the SiGMA Group, said: “The acquisition comes at a perfect time for us. We’ve been working closely with iGaming Academy for many years now. I love what Jaime and the Conexus Group have built and look forward to supporting this growth with new initiatives and a wider offering of educational programs globally. The industry is crying out for more talent and regulatory insight, with new markets continuing to regulate. As a result, we want to be very active in this business.”
Robert Dowling from Conexus Group said: “Conexus will remain actively involved in the iGaming Academy and our clients will continue to receive the outstanding training they expect from this brand,” said Rob Dowling, CEO of The Conexus Group. “We are confident that this strategic acquisition by SiGMA will allow the iGaming Academy to expand and improve its services offering to better serve the evolving training needs of the iGaming industry.”
Jaime Debono said: “This acquisition marks a major milestone for iGaming Academy – our mission has also been to educate the industry – both on key regulatory compliance topics as well as vocational training for existing and new markets. With the support of SiGMA Group, we will be able to accelerate this strategy through their global event calendar, enrich both training and event content and reach a much wider audience than ever before.”
Vinicius Moraes de Carvalho, Investment Partner at Ikigai Ventures, said: “The acquisition of IGA is another important milestone for SiGMA’s vision. IGA’s extensive training library rounds up our offer of services for the igaming industry by allowing us to be at the forefront of educational and regulatory tools for the market. We have strong confidence in Jaime and his team and are thrilled about the next chapters.”
iGaming Academy will continue to work in their current organisational structure with Jaime Debono remaining as company CEO and continuing to work alongside his team.
The deal will continue to see the management at iGaming Academy at the helm, with SiGMA’s corporate governance and marketing arm supporting the business to go from strength to strength.
Following the acquisition, the iGaming Academy is setting up an office in Cyprus to build its online offering and content development. In addition, its revenue streams will also be bolstered through new affiliate partner deals. More courses will also be made available in multiple languages, thus meeting the global demand for training.
The post SiGMA Group Acquires Majority Stake in iGaming Academy appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The supplier is nominated for Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year ahead of SBC Summit Malta on April 29.
Alea has been named a finalist in two categories at the upcoming SBC Awards Europe: Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year. The company announced the nominations on April 28 from Barcelona.
Founder Alexandre Tomic said the double shortlisting reflects a link between product delivery and company culture. “If people don’t care about what they’re building, it shows immediately. In the product, in the details, everywhere. Reliability can’t be bolted on later, it’s a consequence of that care.”
“We’ve spent years building a team that takes ownership and holds a certain standard. Seeing both nominations together just tells me we’re doing something right.” Tomic added.
The news comes ahead of SBC Summit Malta, where Alea said Tomic and COO Ramon Glieneke will take part in conference sessions on April 29. Tomic is scheduled to appear on “Casino vs Sports: Can Gamification Truly Cross Over?” while Glieneke is due to join “The COO Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in 2026/27.”
Alea said its wider team will be onsite throughout the summit at Booth D22.
More relevand data as follows:
- SBC Awards: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-awards/ Primary source for the awards programme, categories and shortlisted companies.
- SBC Summit Malta: https://sbcevents.com/sbc-summit-malta/ Event page for agenda context and verification of sessions and timing.
- Alea: https://alea.com/ Company website for background on the supplier and its product offering.
The post Alea shortlisted for two SBC Awards Europe categories appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Casino Guru has started its final evaluation phase for the Casino Guru Awards 2026, with winners set to be announced on May 25 at Xara Lodge in Malta, ahead of the NEXT Valletta conference.
The company said nominations have closed and shortlists are finalized, with the Casino Guru team now reviewing shortlisted nominees’ track records through judge discussions and meetings with candidates. Winners are selected using what Casino Guru describes as a mix of data-led evaluation and expert assessment, drawing on its Safety Index and Complaint Resolution Center.
Public voting remains open for the Player’s Choice and Voice of the People categories, giving players and industry stakeholders a direct vote alongside the judging process.
“The Casino Guru Awards are not about who is the biggest or most visible,” said Daniela Sliva, PR & Creative Projects Director from Casino Guru. “They are about who is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”
Casino Guru expects around 150 guests at the Malta event, which it positioned as an industry networking evening alongside the awards announcements.
The post Casino Guru Awards 2026 set for May 25 in Malta as final evaluations begin appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
ELA Games’ Managing Director Marharyta Yerina
ELA Games Scoops Up Triple Nominations at the European iGaming Awards 2026
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The studio picks up three major nominations going into 2026
ELA Games is proud to announce that it has received three major nominations at the European iGaming Awards 2026, reflecting the studio’s creative direction, performance-driven development, and leadership in innovation.
The nominations include:
- Most Innovative Slot Game — Joker Winpot
- Slot Game of the Year — Joker Winpot
- Rising Star — Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director of ELA Games
Joker Winpot Shines
Joker Winpot has continued to perform spectacularly, quickly becoming one of the studio’s standout titles. Its strong visual identity, simple-to-understand mechanics, and innovative format with the Winpot feature make it a game that gives players agency with high replayability.
Operators who have connected to the ELA Games catalogue have reported significant increases in key metrics following the adoption of Joker Winpot in their casino lobbies, including a GGR increase of +1128%, Actives: +878%, and Turnover: +1517%. These impressive results have helped the game gain recognition among peers, with it being shortlisted for two major categories at the upcoming European iGaming Awards.
Value in Creativity
ELA Games’ core operational philosophy of blending bold creativity with user- and operator-focused performance has propelled the studio to become a significant newcomer in the industry. Players recognise ELA Games’ signature visually rich art style and actively seek the studio’s games out in casino lobbies, as evidenced by impressive year-on-year growth.
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director, was also nominated for the “Rising Star” individual award. Her contributions to the iGaming space and leadership in managing ELA Games as one of the fastest-growing studios have garnered her acclaim amongst her peers.
Marharyta commented on the nominations, “Receiving three nominations at an award ceremony reflects every one of our team members’ excellence and commitment to setting new standards in the industry. Joker Winpot continued to exceed our expectations and shows what’s possible when you develop a game with intention, user experiences, and operator performance in mind. I’m also honoured to receive the Rising Star nomination: we will continue delivering content that truly matters for players and partners alike.”
The post ELA Games Scoops Up Triple Nominations at the European iGaming Awards 2026 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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