The Casino Guru Awards 2026 concluded this week, bringing together some of the most influential minds and companies in the industry for celebration.
Hosted by Denisa...
Casino Guru Awards 2026: Reflections from winners & leaders
Following the successful conclusion of the Casino Guru Awards 2026, winners, sponsors, and industry leaders shared their thoughts on an evening dedicated to celebrating excellence, innovation, responsibility, and positive change across the iGaming industry.
Beyond recognizing outstanding achievements across multiple categories, the event provided a valuable opportunity for professionals from across the sector to connect, exchange ideas, and reflect on the industry’s continued progress toward greater transparency and player protection.
Hosted in partnership with NEXT.io and supported by sponsors PayOp, 18Peaches, Bragg Gaming Group, RedCore, and SPRIBE, the ceremony brought together operators, providers, affiliates, responsible gambling advocates, and industry innovators for a memorable evening of recognition and networking.
Among the evening’s most successful winners was iWild Casino, which took home three awards: Fairest Bonus Policy, Most Effective Handling of Complaints, and the Voice of the People Award.
Irina from iWild Casino shared:
“It was a real evening of victories for our team! Going on stage to receive the award three times was a real adventure!”
Several winners highlighted the significance of being recognized for their efforts to improve standards across the industry.
Irina Veselkova, Head of Marketing at Endorphina and winner of the Young Changemaker Award, commented:
“Being seen and recognised as a Young Changemaker is a true honour. A massive thank you to Casino Guru for putting together such an outstanding awards programme. The work you do is absolutely stunning, and I’m so grateful to be part of it as an Endorphina representative.”
For GambleAware Nigeria, winner of the Rising Star in Responsible Gaming Award, the recognition carried particular meaning.
Winifred Diete-Spiff, Partnerships Manager at GambleAware Nigeria, shared:
“This recognition means a great deal to us, not just as an organization but for the vulnerable communities we support. What stood out about the Casino Guru Awards was the genuine focus on impact and how it helps people. That aligns deeply with how we work at GambleAware Nigeria.
The evening was a reminder that meaningful change in responsible gaming does not always come from scale or funding, but from staying close to communities, listening carefully, and building solutions that truly meet people where they are.”
Flutter UKI, winner of the Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative Award, also reflected on the importance of external recognition for safer gambling efforts.
Rich Clarke, Flutter UKI Managing Director Product Customer, said:
“Winning the Casino Guru award is especially meaningful because it reflects the work we do across the business to support our customers, promote safe and responsible play and help drive positive change across the wider betting and gaming industry. We believe we lead the industry in safety and trust and it’s particularly pleasing to have the recognition of external experts.”
Sponsors and partners also praised the event for creating meaningful opportunities to connect and celebrate progress within the industry.
Iryna Borkun, Head of Business Development at PayOp, said:
“Being at the Casino Guru Awards was truly a highlight for us. It’s rare to get so many brilliant iGaming minds under one roof, and the energy in the room was just incredible. It was the perfect, relaxed space to actually catch up with everyone, share ideas, and feel the pulse of the industry. The atmosphere was amazing from start to finish.”
Andy Barabash, Head of Gaming at RedCore, added:
“We’ve been supporting Casino Guru Awards for the second year in a row, and every time it reinforces what this event stands for: integrity, responsibility, and genuine contribution to the industry. Behind CasinoGuru Awards are people who move the industry forward through concrete action. Presenting the iGaming Changemaker of the Year Award was especially meaningful to us – driving industry growth and setting trends is one of RedCore’s core missions.”
SPRIBE Chief Commercial Officer Giorgi Tsutskiridze also reflected on the significance of the event:
“The Casino Guru Awards have become an important celebration of excellence, innovation, and responsibility within our industry. It was a pleasure to be part of an event that brings together so many passionate professionals and organizations committed to raising standards across iGaming.
The evening itself was exceptionally well organized and provided a great opportunity to connect with peers, exchange ideas, and recognize the achievements that continue to drive our industry forward. We would like to thank the Casino Guru team for creating a platform that not only celebrates success, but also encourages transparency, trust, and long-term growth across the sector. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.”
Aleksandar Dasic, Head of Affiliate Marketing, echoed the sentiment:
“We’re proud to be part of the Casino Guru Awards 2026 and to support an event that highlights achievement, dedication, and positive impact within the industry. It is a valuable opportunity to recognize the people and companies helping move the sector forward in a meaningful and responsible way.”
The Casino Guru Awards remains committed to its mission of recognizing the organizations and individuals helping shape a safer, fairer, and more transparent future for iGaming.
The Casino Guru team congratulates all winners, finalists, sponsors, partners, judges, and attendees who played a part in making the 2026 ceremony a memorable success.
With just one week to go until the Casino Guru Awards 2026, the event will take place on May 25 at Xara Lodge in Malta, ahead of the NEXT Valletta conference.
Since its...
