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!”

AI Solutions Provider

Yaspa takes AI Solutions Provider and Safer Gambling Supplier at EGR B2B Awards 2026

Published

1 day ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

yaspa-takes-ai-solutions-provider-and-safer-gambling-supplier-at-egr-b2b-awards-2026

Fintech supplier wins two categories at the 3 June ceremony in London, with judges citing its Intelligent Payments platform and open-banking approach.

Yaspa won two categories at the EGR B2B Awards 2026 on 3 June, taking home AI Solutions Provider and AI Solutions Provider at the ceremony in London.

The EGR B2B Awards, held this year at the HAC, recognise suppliers across the iGaming industry. In awarding the AI Solutions Provider trophy, judges said: “Yaspa has demonstrated a highly credible, research-backed, and socially responsible innovation that uses AI to address one of the industry’s toughest challenges: linking financial well-being with gaming behaviour. Yaspa’s Intelligent Payments platform combines technical depth, regulatory alignment, and real-world performance metrics, making it a standout entrant for categories focused on AI innovation, data analytics, or responsible gambling enablement.”

For Safer Gambling Supplier, the judges added: “Yaspa has delivered a strong and innovative submission focused on financial vulnerability and demonstrating a great take on open-banking’s ability to link to at-risk indicators. Intelligent Payments is well aligned to current affordability challenges and provides useful research validation.”

James Neville, CEO of Yaspa, said: “To win not one but two awards at the coveted EGR B2B Awards is an incredible achievement and testament to the great work the whole Yaspa team has done from the company’s inception to now.

“The recognition by the industry of how our technology is using AI to make gambling safer shows the direction the market is heading and how we are leading the technological innovation in this space, from the front.”

Yaspa said the wins follow a period of growth over the past 18 months, including a $12m investment round in July led by Discerning Capital. The company also referenced the opening of a new Atlanta office in the US and a tech hub in Leeds, UK, in August 2025.

The post Yaspa takes AI Solutions Provider and Safer Gambling Supplier at EGR B2B Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Affiliate Management

ReferOn shortlisted for two EGR B2B Awards 2026 categories

Published

2 days ago

June 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

referon-shortlisted-for-two-egr-b2b-awards-2026-categories

ReferOn has been shortlisted in two categories at the EGR B2B Awards 2026: “Affiliate Software Supplier” and “Full Service Platform of the Year (under 5 years)”. The winners will be announced at the ceremony on June 3 at City Central, HAC, in London.

The company said the nominations follow record growth for its affiliate management platform over the past year, as it focused on automating affiliate management processes and turning program data into operational insights for operators.

ReferOn also highlighted “Refie” as an “intelligent UX layer” designed to make performance data easier to interpret, with the aim of reducing time spent navigating reports.

Alex Bukin, CEO at ReferOn, commented: “These nominations reflect the momentum behind ReferOn’s evolution into an award-winning platform built for operators who refuse to compromise between sophistication and usability. We’re proud of how far we’ve come, but even more excited about the opportunities ahead.”

The post ReferOn shortlisted for two EGR B2B Awards 2026 categories appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Asia

EGT wins SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 for Best Land-Based Game Feature

Published

2 days ago

June 4, 2026

Wladimir P.

egt-wins-sigma-asia-awards-2026-for-best-land-based-game-feature

EGT has won the Best Land-Based Game Feature category at the SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 for the second consecutive year. The award was presented at a ceremony on 01 June, with EGT recognized for its multi-level progressive jackpot Sheng Sheng Bu Xi.

According to the company, Sheng Sheng Bu Xi is part of its Asian-themed products portfolio and is available in two titles: Bonus Boom and Bonus Craze. EGT said the feature runs across four jackpot levels with bonus mechanics including free spins and multipliers.

EGT said the feature is powered by its Exciter IV platform and is compatible with its Supreme, General and Phoenix Series slot cabinets. The company added that Sheng Sheng Bu Xi is deployed in “numerous gaming establishments globally.”

Mariana Manchina, Director of EGT Philippines Corp., said: “It is an honor to us to be acknowledged by the SiGMA Asia Awards again. Following the success of Zhao Cai Shuang Yu last year, the prize for Sheng Sheng Bu Xi is eloquent proof that our Asian-themed products are widely accepted by players, operators, and the professional gaming community as a whole. I would like to thank our customers, partners and friends for their continuous support and recognition, as well as our team, without whose creativity, talent and passion for innovation we would not have been able to have these remarkable achievements.”

The post EGT wins SiGMA Asia Awards 2026 for Best Land-Based Game Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.