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Casino Guru Awards returns for 2nd edition with nominations now underway

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Casino Guru Awards have returned and the nominations for one of the world’s most transparent iGaming ceremonies are now open. Casino Guru Awards 2024 will continue the message and mission outlined during the inaugural event, and this is to introduce a new, transparent, and fair approach towards distinguishing accomplishments and achievements in the iGaming industry.

Last year’s success was based on the painstaking work that Casino Guru’s team did in bringing judges together, and creating the opportunity for each nominated brand to demonstrate and convince the panels why their brand should win the respective silverware.

Casino Guru has set a new golden standard for conducting such ceremonies by relying on an expert of internal team members who are prominent industry experts on matters ranging from social responsibility to casino terms and conditions, and an external panel of judges represented by some of the world’s best experts on responsible gambling.

In 2024, Casino Guru Awards sets to improve its track record and ensure that the Awards will be bigger, better, and more exciting, with more applicants joining us at the official ceremony.

Nominations for Casino Guru Awards 2024 are now open, and applications will be accepted until the end of October 2023. The Awards process will follow the same timeline as last year, with the shortlists announced in December 2023. The Voting for “Voice of the People” will get underway in December 2023 as well. All winners will then be announced during the official ceremony in February 2024.

Casino Guru Awards Project Lead Daniela Kianicová had this to say, celebrating the beginning of the latest application process:

“I cannot believe that it’s time for nominations again! When we introduced the Casino Guru Awards in 2022, we couldn’t dream of how far the project would go. Now, the journey continues as Casino Guru Awards has the opportunity to do something amazing for the industry and how companies and professionals are distinguished.

We are excited to open the nominations for the new edition, and we are confident we will see many new and former applicants join us as our event is going to once again offer a great opportunity for participants to demonstrate the value they have been bringing to the industry and consumers.”

Casino Guru Awards 2024 will bring back the seven categories previous participants are already familiar with, including:

The Fairest Bonus Policy
The Fairest General T&Cs
The Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative
The Best Implementation of RG Tools
The Most Transparent Casino
The Most Effective Handling of Complaints
The Most Ethical Approach to Marketing
Voice of the People

The Voice of the People category where you get to decide the winner is also going to be featured as part of the upcoming edition. The innovation here is also the inclusion of “The Most Ethical Approach to Marketing” category which will once again raise the bar for participants by distinguishing companies who have demonstrated that they have a responsible approach to their marketing.

Casino Guru continues to aspire to achieving a new transparent standard for nominating and awarding companies, something which company Sustainable & Safer Gambling Lead Šimon Vincze said last year was an ever-evolving process that Casino Guru will strive to continuously improve upon. This commitment will be undoubtedly reflected in the upcoming edition. Stay tuned for more updates as more information about Casino Guru Awards 2024 is forthcoming.

Latest News

Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026

Published

13 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

Former WBC cruiserweight champion to appear at PartyPoker Tour UK stops and take part in online activations.

PartyPoker has appointed former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion Tony Bellew as a brand ambassador for the remainder of 2026, with appearances tied to the operator’s live PartyPoker Tour and online poker offering.

The company said Bellew will be “a regular face” at its remaining UK tour stops this season following an earlier appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. Bellew will also take part in online activity linked to the PartyPoker schedule.

“I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me,” Bellew said.

PartyPoker said Bellew is scheduled to attend each remaining UK stop on the 2026 PartyPoker Tour: London in July, Glasgow in August, Cork in November, and London in December. The operator also referenced a series of exclusive online events running alongside the live calendar.

The post Tony Bellew signs as PartyPoker brand ambassador through 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Arizona

Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity

Published

13 hours ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

arizona-regulator-orders-five-operators-to-stop-alleged-illegal-gambling-activity

Cease-and-desist letters cite alleged felonies and underage access tied to BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator.

The Arizona Department of Gaming said it has issued cease-and-desist orders to five online platforms—BetOpenly, Bookmaker, Club WPT Online Poker, Kutt Inc., and Raffle Creator—after investigations that the Department says involved alleged illegal gambling activity and underage access in Arizona.

In its announcement, the Department said each enforcement action alleges conduct giving rise to three felonies under Arizona law: promotion of gambling, illegal control of an enterprise, and money laundering. The agency cited Arizona’s prohibition on gambling unless specifically authorized (Ariz. Rev. Stat. Tit. 13, Ch. 33) and said the legal gambling age in the state is 21.

“Arizona is taking decisive action against illegal gambling operators that put Arizonans at risk,” said Jackie Johnson, Department Director. “Our top priority is protecting Arizonans and I’m grateful for the efforts of our intelligence unit led by Chief Law Enforcement Officer Doug Jensen to do just that. Through these cease-and-desist orders we are putting operators on notice: their conduct runs contrary to Arizona law and they must stop promoting illegal gambling.”

The Department’s letters describe different alleged violations by operator. For BetOpenly, the Department said peer-to-peer gambling rules prohibit third-party benefit, and alleged the platform benefited via a commission structure while enabling event wagering and daily fantasy sports contests without the required state licenses, including availability to underage Arizonans. For Bookmaker, the Department said its investigation found wagering on horse racing, casino games, and sports betting without an event wagering license or an advanced deposit wagering provider license, adding that online casino games are not legal in Arizona.

For Club WPT Online Poker, the Department alleged the platform enabled individuals under 21 in Arizona to enter pay-to-play online poker tournaments for prizes while using deceptive “no purchase necessary” language; the Department said online poker is illegal in Arizona. For Kutt Inc., the Department said Arizona “social” gambling prohibits third-party benefit and directed the operator to stop allowing Arizona users to deposit money and wager on sports, politics, pop culture, and casino-style games. For Raffle Creator, the Department said the operator did not meet requirements that allow Arizona nonprofits to conduct lawful raffles and alleged it allowed people under 21 to purchase tickets for prize chances.

The Department said the notified entities are directed to immediately stop all gambling operations and activities in Arizona “whether through mobile applications, online, or otherwise,” and to cease any future illegal gambling in the state. It added that future actions may include criminal charges or civil action against entities, principals, and employees, and that operators “may be subject to a potential award of restitution” and forfeiture of monies acquired due to the alleged conduct.

The post Arizona regulator orders five operators to stop alleged illegal gambling activity appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

Former WBC World Champion Tony Bellew Joins PartyPoker as Brand Ambassador

Published

13 hours ago

July 10, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Tony Bellew has officially joined the PartyPoker Brand Ambassador team for the remainder of 2026, strengthening the brand’s growing roster of ambassadors and reinforcing its commitment to bringing poker to a wider audience.

A former WBC Cruiserweight World Champion and one of Britain’s most recognisable sporting personalities, Bellew will play an active role across both PartyPoker’s live tour and online offering throughout the rest of the year.

Speaking about joining the team, Tony Bellew said: “I had such a great time at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham. The atmosphere, the people and the passion for the game were incredible. I’m really excited to be joining the PartyPoker team for the rest of the year, getting involved at the live events, meeting players and seeing where the cards take me.”

His return follows a hugely successful appearance at the PartyPoker Tour Birmingham earlier this year, where he embraced the atmosphere, spent time with players and immersed himself in the event. After thoroughly enjoying the experience, Bellew will now become a regular face at the remaining UK stops on the PartyPoker Tour throughout the rest of the 2026 season.

As part of his ambassadorial role, Bellew will attend every remaining UK stop PartyPoker Tour in 2026:

London – July
Glasgow – August
Cork – November
London – December

With four live festival stops and a series of exclusive online events still to come, players will have plenty of opportunities to meet Bellew at the tables throughout the remainder of the 2026 PartyPoker calendar. Look out for opportunities to take him on online, and at the PartyPoker Tour in Glasgow, Cork and London.

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