ELA Games, an innovative casino game studio, has secured a major leadership victory at the SBC Awards Europe on April 30 at the Xara Lodge in Malta. Its Business Development Team Lead Yaroslav Soloshenko has secured the Manager of the Year title at the event.

This recognition showcases the studio’s leading role in the industry and the exceptional internal culture steering the company forward. It amplifies its overall success, revealing how a solid foundation of studio leadership at ELA, along with Yaroslav’s vital contributions, guides the team to its recent achievements and shapes its reputation for excellence.

Earning the trophy places the studio among the biggest names in the space. The ELA Games team stood tall in the company leadership categories alongside Employer of the Year winner Betsson Group, with Yaroslav honoured among some of the best individual leaders in the industry, including Alea’s Alexandre Tomic and Playtech’s Elena Rousseva, who were jointly awarded Leader of the Year. Being recognized shoulder to shoulder with these industry giants comes down to the entire team’s passion for the games they produce, starting from the very top.

The SBC Awards Europe took place on April 30 at the Xara Lodge. Hosted by renowned sports broadcaster Alison Bender, the ceremony celebrated the operators, affiliates, and suppliers setting new standards across the industry.

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Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, is proud to announce that Reactoonz 100 has been named Game of the Year at the SBC Europe Awards 2026, held last week in Malta.

The award recognises the outstanding creative ambition, commercial performance and cultural impact of Reactoonz 100, which has quickly established itself as one of the most significant releases in Play’n GO’s history. Building on the legacy of the much-loved Reactoonz series, the title has delivered exceptional engagement across regulated European markets since launch.

Reactoonz 100 was supported by a record-breaking launch campaign as part of Play’n GO’s 20th anniversary celebrations, most notably sending the series’ iconic character Garga into space – a first for the iGaming industry, since copied. The activation captured attention far beyond traditional industry channels and reinforced Play’n GO’s reputation for creativity that extends well beyond the game itself.

Andrew Pink, Head of Brand & Communication at Play’n GO, said: “Winning Game of the Year is a huge moment for Reactoonz 100 and for everyone across Play’n GO who brought this project to life.

“Reactoonz is one of the most important franchises in our history, and with Reactoonz 100 we set out to push both the creative and cultural boundaries of what a game launch could be. This award is a powerful validation of that ambition, and of the belief that bold ideas, executed properly, still cut through in this industry.”

Since its release, Reactoonz 100 has achieved near-universal rollout across Play’n GO’s partner network in more than 35 regulated markets, delivering strong and sustained performance well beyond launch. Its success reflects both the enduring appeal of the Reactoonz brand and Play’n GO’s continued focus on innovation within a responsible, regulation‑first framework.

The Game of the Year win at the SBC Europe Awards further strengthens Play’n GO’s position as the leading supplier of premium casino entertainment, following a year defined by landmark launches, creative ambition and industry recognition.

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Kaizen Gaming has won three operator awards at the SBC Awards Europe 2026, held during SBC Summit Malta on Thursday, 30 April. The company, which owns the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, picked up “Sportsbook Operator of the Year”, “Casino Operator of the Year” and “Operator Innovation in Gaming”.

Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer, said: “Customer experience has been the foundation for Betano’s international success over the years. We concentrate our efforts in optimising it and bringing in new innovations that advance our capabilities, differentiate us from the competition and make the Betano experience unique for our users. These awards represent that exact philosophy. Managing to stand out among fierce competition within the European igaming landscape is a great honour. We would like to thank the awards’ judges for the recognition and our people for making it possible. We are more driven than ever, and are working to ensure that we provide a top-tier experience for everyone who entrusts us with their entertainment, across every market where we operate.”

Earlier in 2026, Kaizen Gaming announced it had acquired UK-based, AI-driven sports trading and analytics provider GameplAI. The company said it will integrate GameplAI’s features to strengthen its in-house capabilities across sports trading, player markets and performance analytics for Betano.

Kaizen Gaming also highlighted Betano’s European sponsorship portfolio, including the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Conference League, plus club deals with FC Bayern München, Aston Villa FC, FC Porto, Sporting CP, SL Benfica, AC Sparta Praha, FCSB and Brøndby IF.

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