Gaming Awards

SBC Reveals Shortlists for Game Developer Awards, Recognising Top Industry Talent

Published

3 years ago

April 13, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

SBC is thrilled to announce that the shortlists, recognising and celebrating the game development studios and teams behind the industry’s most successful titles, for the prestigious CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards are now in.

Relax Gaming leads the pack with an impressive ten nominations across multiple categories. ELK Studios follows with six nominations, while Blueprint Gaming and Light & Wonder make a strong showing, boasting five nominations each.

The awards ceremony, which takes place during the CasinoBeats Summit conference and exhibition, will take place at the InterContinental Hotel on 25 May. The lavish event will be attended by 400 guests and presented by Trudy Kerr.

The ‘Streamer of the Year’ category, which recognises the rising importance of streamers who, with their influential presence, shape the landscape of the industry, saw the shortlist narrowed down to ten remarkable streamers: Brian Christopher, CasinoDaddy, Chipmonkz, Juicy_Spins, Kim Hultman, Roshtein, SlotsMarko, Trainwreckstv, William Barnes (Hideous Slots), and xQc.

The Game Performance categories, which were not open for nominations, saw a highly-contested Slot of the Year category with ten shortlisted entries, including two entries (Cowboy Coins and Down the Rails) from last year’s winner, Pragmatic Play. Relax Gaming is poised to challenge Pragmatic Play’s dominance with two entries of their own – Dead Riders Trail and Money Train 3, in hopes of claiming the coveted title.

In the Best Studio Debut Game category, four exciting slots will compete for the top spot, including Mustang Freedom by Barbara Bang, Dog Days by Nailed It! Games, Wildfire West by Rogue, and Barti’s Treasure by Wild Gaming.

In the Slot Legacy Title category, three titles from Blueprint Gaming (Deal or No Deal, Fishin Frenzy, Ted) and two from NetEnt (Gonzo’s Quest, Starburst) have been shortlisted, competing against five other established titles. Meanwhile, the Slot Collaboration of the Year category will feature a total of six contenders, and in the Slot to Watch category, three out of nine shortlisted titles are from Relax Gaming (Cluster Tumble Dream Drop, Money Train 4, and Money Train Origins Dream Drop).

The shortlisted companies for the Game Innovation Spotlight Award will have the opportunity to showcase their games at the CasinoBeats Summit’s Game Innovation Stage on the exhibition floor and pitch their games to a panel of esteemed judges. Among the entries are games from renowned companies such as Caleta Gaming, ELK Studios, Wazdan, Vibra Gaming, and many others.

In the six Game Creation categories that were open for nominations, Blue Guru Games has been shortlisted for two categories, including Game Music/Soundtrack with two entries, and Game Retro-style with one entry. ELK Studios has been nominated for Game Design and Art Direction, Game Mechanic of the Year, Game Music/Soundtrack, and Game Retro-style. Hacksaw Gaming has been shortlisted for three categories, including Game Design & Art Direction, Game Mechanic of the Year, and Game Music/Soundtrack. Relax Gaming has been nominated for four categories, including Game Design & Art Direction, Game Feature of the Year, Game Music/Soundtrack, and Game Retro-style. Swintt has been shortlisted for three categories, including Game Feature of the Year, Game Licensed Content, and Game Music/Soundtrack.

In the Game People categories that were also open for nominations, the list of talented individuals who have been shortlisted in their respective categories – Product Manager, Game Designer, Game Composer – for their notable contributions to the game industry can be accessed on the dedicated website.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of the event organiser SBC, said: “I am thrilled that this year we’ve added three Game People categories to the Game Developer Awards for the first time ever. It’s a fantastic opportunity to not only celebrate the best studios and titles in the business but also the amazing people who make it all happen. Can’t wait for the ceremony and want to give a big shoutout to all our sponsors for their support in making this night one filled with celebrations and positive vibes. Congratulations to all the shortlisted companies and individuals!”

Conferences

Alea lands two award nominations ahead of SBC Summit Malta panels

Published

2 days ago

April 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

alea-lands-two-award-nominations-ahead-of-sbc-summit-malta-panels

Alea will return to SBC Summit Malta this year as a finalist in two categories: Game Aggregator of the Year and Employer of the Year. The company will also have founder Alexandre Tomic and COO Ramon Glieneke on the conference agenda on April 29.

Tomic is set to appear on the Product Visionaries stage in a session titled “Casino vs Sports: Can Gamification Truly Cross Over?” (April 29, 10:45h, Conference Room 2). The panel includes Brian Christner (Grand Casino Baden), Alexis Wicén (Unibo Ltd), and Mykhailo Kachanov (SlotCatalog.com), moderated by Shahar Attias (Hybrid Interaction).

Glieneke will join “The COO Horizon: Challenges and Opportunities in 2026/27” on the Risk, Regulation & Resilience stage (April 29, 15:00h, Conference Room 3). The session features Tim De Borle (Casumo), Chris McGowan (Scatters), and Tom McGovern (Flutter UKI), moderated by Joe Streeter (iGaming Expert).

In the release, Alea linked the two award nominations to its internal culture and operating model. “Quality comes from ownership, not just execution. That’s been at the core of Alea since day one. We’ve always focused on building an environment and a tribe where people feel trusted and take real responsibility for what they’re creating.
Seeing us nominated for both our product and our culture is a meaningful milestone. It shows that the foundation we’ve built is working, and that the team’s approach is consistent across everything we do,” said Alexandre Tomic, Founder of Alea.

Alea said it will attend with teams across Business Development, Account Management, Partnerships, and Marketing, and will be based at Booth D22.

The post Alea lands two award nominations ahead of SBC Summit Malta panels appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BMM Testlabs

BMM Testlabs’ Marzia Turrini wins Best Executive Leadership at 2026 Italian Gaming Awards

Published

3 days ago

April 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

bmm-testlabs’-marzia-turrini-wins-best-executive-leadership-at-2026-italian-gaming-awards

BMM Testlabs said Marzia Turrini, Global President, iGaming & Cybersecurity, has won the ‘Best Executive Leadership’ award at the 2026 Italian Gaming Awards. The company said the award was presented last week during the Italian Gaming Expo & Conference (IGE) in Rome.

According to BMM, Turrini was selected from a shortlist of eight other industry executives. The company said the award recognizes her leadership and her role in growing BMM’s digital product compliance and cybersecurity services across regulated markets.

BMM said its digital services business gained momentum in 2025, growing nearly three times faster than the overall iGaming and sports betting market. The company also said Turrini led the expansion of BMM’s iGaming Center of Excellence in Barcelona to more than 120 professionals supporting compliance testing, cybersecurity services, and quality assurance.

Turrini said, “I am honored to receive this recognition from the Italian Gaming Awards. Italy has always been an important part of my professional journey, and I am proud to contribute to the continued growth and integrity of the regulated gaming industry both in Italy and around the world.”

BMM also noted previous recognition for Turrini, including ‘Leader of the Year’ at the 2025 SBC Awards Americas and inclusion in the iGB 2025 ‘Most Influential Women in Gaming’. BMM has an office in Bologna and said it tests and certifies regulated gaming products in Italy across land-based AWP and VLT machines and systems, retail sports betting and horse racing systems, lotteries and instant gaming, and online casino and sports betting technologies.

The post BMM Testlabs’ Marzia Turrini wins Best Executive Leadership at 2026 Italian Gaming Awards appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Betsson Group

Betsson Group Wins Three Awards at Italian Gaming Awards 2026

Published

3 days ago

April 21, 2026

Wladimir P.

betsson-group-wins-three-awards-at-italian-gaming-awards-2026

Betsson Group has won three awards at the Italian Gaming Awards 2026, recognising the company’s product strength, marketing creativity and mobile innovation in the Italian market.

The Group received accolades in the Best Casino Games Operator, Best Marketing Campaign and Best Mobile Operator categories, highlighting the strong performance of its brands and teams operating in Italy.

Best Casino Games Operator

Betsson Group was recognised for delivering a high-quality casino experience through a diverse portfolio of games and strong product performance. The award highlights the company’s focus on innovation, engaging content and a seamless player experience in the Italian market.

Best Marketing Campaign

The award-winning campaign stood out for its creative, multi-layered approach, combining compelling sports storytelling, premium partnerships, and responsible messaging. This recognition reflects the Group’s ability to engage audiences through innovative content, fan-focused activations and socially responsible initiatives in the Italian market. This marks the third year the Group has received this accolade.

Best Mobile Operator

For the second year in a row, Betsson Group was recognised for delivering a seamless mobile gaming experience optimised for speed, usability and performance. The award reflects the company’s continued investment in mobile innovation, ensuring players can enjoy high-quality entertainment anytime and anywhere.

The recognition at the Italian Gaming Awards 2026 further cements Betsson Group’s reputation as a trusted and forward-thinking operator committed to delivering excellence across all aspects of its business.

The post Betsson Group Wins Three Awards at Italian Gaming Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.