On 6 February 2026, the publication iGaming News kicked off public voting for its inaugural awards programme — the iGaming News Awards. The organisers made it clear from the start: this isn’t just another trophy ceremony. It’s a genuine effort to spotlight the companies and solutions truly pushing the industry forward through technology, innovation, transparency, and fresh operational standards.
The shortlist spans more than twenty categories, covering everything from sportsbook and casino platforms to slot studios, live providers, payment solutions, crypto services, standout marketing campaigns, and affiliate programmes. That broad scope instantly signals the intent. To recognise the full value chain — from backend infrastructure right through to what players actually experience on the front end.
Voting is live right now, and it’s a solid opportunity to back the teams and products making a real, positive difference in iGaming.
Sports Platform of the Year
This category honours the companies building the technological backbone for sports betting operators, Think line engines, risk management, live betting tools, analytics, and personalisation features.
The shortlisted nominees are:
- GR8 Tech — ULTIM8 Sportsbook. The platform handles up to 180,000 live events per month, offers flexible interface customisation via a visual CMS, and supports seamless integration through API or iframe. It leans heavily on personalisation tools and AI-driven elements.
- GammaStack — GammaBet. They focus on modular architecture and rapid integrations tailored for operators looking to move fast.
- Kambi. One of the best-known sportsbook providers, renowned for rock-solid risk management and consistently reliable odds stability.
This category highlights a clear market shift: sports betting is increasingly defined by technological agility and the ability to scale quickly and efficiently.
Casino Platform of the Year
The casino platform is the beating heart of any online casino operation. It includes back-office tools, bonus engines, full reporting, slot and live-game integrations, plus payment gateway connections. This year’s shortlist brings together some of the heaviest hitters in the B2B space.
The nominees include:
- SOFTSWISS — a consistent market leader. Their aggregator packs in over 40,000 games, delivers exceptional stability (uptime hitting 99.999% — near-perfect even during peak loads), and integrates effortlessly with sportsbook, promo tools, and more. It’s no surprise they’ve already scooped multiple platform and aggregator awards in 2026 from other programmes — they’re visibly driving real progress across the industry.
- Gamingtec — offering a comprehensive modular “turnkey” solution that covers casino, sports, loyalty systems, and even legal support. Long-established on the market, they regularly pick up industry gongs, and their approach appeals strongly to operators who want a fast, hassle-free launch.
- NuxGame — emphasising a single unified API for effortless connection to a massive game catalogue, plus built-in gamification features (tournaments, missions, and retention mechanics to keep players engaged longer). Their focus is on operator convenience and plug-and-play functionality with minimal custom development required.
Live Casino Supplier of the Year
Live casino remains one of the fastest-growing segments in the industry. Providers are competing not just on studio quality and dealer professionalism, but on technological edge, scalability, and player experience.
The shortlist features:
- Evolution — the undisputed heavyweight of the segment. They plan to release over 100 new games in 2026, including major brand collaborations, and continue to push the boundaries with innovative game-show formats.
- Swintt — focusing heavily on mobile-first live gaming through SwinttLive, a product optimised specifically for seamless smartphone play.
- Vivo Gaming — operates its own studios across multiple regions and specialises in localised content, with a strong push into Latin American markets.
- Imagine Live — has dramatically expanded its table count over the past two years and secured licences in several key jurisdictions, including Europe and Brazil.
This category clearly shows the shift in competition: localisation, mobile-first optimisation, and rapid studio scaling are now the main battlegrounds.
Slots Studio of the Year at iGaming News Awards
Slots are still the undisputed king of online casino revenue, and this category judges not only technical execution but also graphics, innovative mechanics, fresh concepts, and — crucially — how much actual revenue the games generate for operators.
The nominees are:
- BGaming — industry veterans with a portfolio exceeding 250 titles, integrated with thousands of casinos. Their standout strength is brand customisation and fully branded slots, consistently placing them at the top for both volume and innovation.
- 1spin4win — a younger but rapidly rising studio. Their catalogue has already surpassed 190 games, and the growth in player bets is explosive — clear evidence they’re quickly gaining serious traction and market share.
- Relax Gaming — legends behind the iconic Money Train series that still dominates. They develop their own blockbuster hits while also acting as a powerful aggregator for third-party content, giving them massive industry influence.
- Peter & Sons — stand out for pure artistic style: their graphics are consistently breathtaking, their marketing is bold and unconventional, and their in-house FUSE platform helps independent studios launch. They prioritise creativity and uniqueness over mass-market volume.
This nomination lineup reflects a clear market evolution: the winners now are the studios that deliver fresh ideas and genuinely emotional engagement. Creative risk-taking and daring promotion matter just as much as RTP and volatility these days.
Crypto Casino of the Year at iGaming News Awards
Crypto in iGaming has long since moved beyond being a trendy gimmick — it’s now the foundation for entire businesses. This category recognises projects built around digital assets as a core element. The iGaming News Awards 2026 shortlist brings together some genuine heavyweights.
The nominees include:
- BC.Game — one of the absolute giants in the crypto space. The platform combines casino, sportsbook, and its own BC Originals games, supports over 150 cryptocurrencies (including niche ones), and has been a consistent winner of top crypto awards (including Best Crypto Casino at SiGMA in 2025). In 2026 they continue to dominate.
- 1win Partners — while heavily known for their affiliate programme, the core 1win brand has aggressively built out its crypto vertical. Millions of users, thousands of affiliates, and deep crypto integration at every level — from deposits to withdrawals. It’s not just an operator; it’s a full ecosystem where crypto is embedded, especially in the affiliate model.
- MyStake Casino — a hybrid that appeals to players who aren’t ready to go 100% crypto-only. It supports both fiat and crypto (BTC, ETH, USDT, and more), offers over 6,000 games, a massive sportsbook, lightning-fast withdrawals (often instant on crypto), and a strong 10% cashback incentive on crypto deposits.
This category demonstrates that crypto casinos are no longer a niche — they’re a fully fledged, high-volume segment competing head-on with traditional operators. They deliver faster, cheaper transactions, greater anonymity (where permitted), and more player freedom. What used to be “for crypto geeks” has, by 2026, become mainstream with serious scale.
iGaming Aggregator of the Year
Aggregators make life dramatically easier for operators. Instead of signing dozens of individual contracts, they get instant access to thousands of games through a single, unified API. That slashes both technical headaches and legal overheads.
The shortlisted nominees are:
- Slotegrator — offers access to tens of thousands of games via one API, plus full support with licensing and payment-system integration. A true one-stop shop for operators looking to launch or expand quickly.
- Hub88 — puts heavy emphasis on analytics and data. Beyond the massive game catalogue, they provide powerful marketing tools and jackpot-management features to help operators maximise player lifetime value.
- SoftGamings — delivers integration of over 10,000 games from hundreds of providers, complete with built-in bonus engines and payment solutions. Their strength lies in the depth of additional services wrapped around the content.
In this category, sheer volume of content is no longer enough. The real winners are those who layer on meaningful extras: advanced analytics, marketing optimisation tools, and seamless, flexible integration.
Payments Provider of the Year
Payments remain one of the most nerve-wracking parts of online gambling. Transaction speed, full regulatory compliance, and a frictionless player experience are often the difference between keeping a user or watching them leave after one failed deposit.
The shortlist for 2026 features true professionals who are currently driving the shift towards open banking and alternatives to classic card payments.
The nominees include:
- Paysafe — long-established players pushing digital wallets (Skrill, Neteller, PaysafeCard) and aggressively expanding into open banking. In 2026 they’ve published extensive materials on iGaming payment strategies, focusing on instant transfers, payment orchestration, and how these directly boost conversion and retention.
- Rapyd — a global powerhouse covering hundreds of local payment methods worldwide. They use machine learning to maximise approval rates (fewer declined transactions), and hold direct acquirer licences across Europe, the UK, and other key regions. Strong presence in gaming.
- Paytently — a newer but rapidly growing force in payment orchestration. They specialise in open banking (recently launched a solution with Mastercard), intelligent routing for maximum speed and reliability, automatic recovery mechanisms, recurring billing, and over 200 methods including strong local alternative payment methods (APMs). Their focus is squarely on high-volume gambling transactions.
- Neosurf — the classic prepaid voucher brand that has evolved significantly. They now offer the myNeosurf digital wallet, robust compliance tools, and coverage in dozens of countries.
Almost every major player is moving away from pure card reliance towards open banking, localised alternatives, and hybrid models. These are faster, cheaper for operators, more compliant, and far more convenient for players — especially on mobile. In 2026, anyone who can’t deliver instant deposits/withdrawals and cover local payment preferences is simply bleeding traffic.
Crypto Payment Company of the Year
This category spotlights companies providing dedicated infrastructure for accepting and processing cryptocurrency payments. The leading contenders are:
- DAW Global — focuses on regulated industries that struggle to get traditional banking support. They offer tailored, compliant crypto solutions for operators in challenging jurisdictions.
- Cryptadium — stands out for low fees, automatic conversion to stablecoins, and highly scalable infrastructure built for high-volume environments.
- Crypto Processing by CoinsPaid — well-known for lightning-fast transaction speeds and Layer-2 integration to minimise fees while maintaining reliability.
- Bitpace — emphasises instant confirmations and strong alignment with European regulatory standards, making them a go-to for operators prioritising compliance.
The rapid growth of this category proves that crypto payments have matured into a distinct, critical infrastructure vertical within iGaming — no longer an add-on, but a core pillar for many modern operations.
Betting Exchange of the Year
Betting exchanges stand apart from traditional bookmakers because players bet against each other, while the platform simply takes a commission. This peer-to-peer model often delivers better odds and appeals to more experienced, value-seeking punters.
The shortlisted nominees are:
- Betfair Exchange — still the largest and most liquid betting exchange by a significant margin. It remains the benchmark for depth of markets and overall reliability.
- Smarkets — attracts users with significantly lower commission rates and a clean, modern interface that feels noticeably more user-friendly than many legacy platforms.
- Matchbook — focuses on razor-thin margins and special commission deals to draw in serious traders and professional bettors.
- Betdaq — competes strongly on low commissions and consistently solid liquidity, especially on major football, horse racing, and tennis markets.
Despite the continued dominance of traditional retail bookmakers, the exchange model retains a loyal, high-value audience — particularly among those who prioritise price and control over convenience.
Affiliate Programme of the Year at iGaming News Awards
Affiliates remain one of the most powerful and cost-effective traffic acquisition channels in iGaming. This category rewards programmes that stand out for transparency, payment reliability, long-term partner support, and overall scale.
The leading contenders include:
- N1 Partners — ran a massive year-long N1 Puzzle Promo campaign, culminating in a high-profile final event in Barcelona with substantial prizes for top-performing partners. The combination of gamified motivation and real-world rewards set a high bar.
- 50 Partners — a large, well-established affiliate network with a rock-solid reputation for consistent payouts and dependable support across multiple brands and verticals.
- Big Betty Partners — focuses heavily on building a diverse brand portfolio while prioritising high-quality SEO and PPC traffic sources.
In this nomination, long-term trust, crystal-clear terms, and genuine partner-first mentality have become the real competitive edge.
Marketing Campaign of the Year at iGaming News Awards
Marketing in iGaming is increasingly moving beyond basic ads and becoming a core part of brand identity and long-term strategy. This category celebrates campaigns that deliver genuine impact, creativity, and measurable results.
The standout nominees are:
- The House of Roaches — Endorphina — a brilliantly viral LinkedIn campaign built almost entirely on user-generated AI content. It gained massive organic traction across the industry with zero paid promotion budget — a textbook example of smart, low-cost buzz creation.
- N1 Puzzle Promo — N1 Partners — a full-year motivational programme for affiliates, blending gamification, ongoing rewards, and a spectacular offline finale. It kept partners engaged and motivated for twelve solid months.
- Grab Success — SOFTSWISS — a conceptually strong campaign centred on themes of persistence, strategic growth, and seizing opportunity. It earned widespread industry recognition and multiple awards for its clarity and emotional resonance.
Marketing is no longer just about short-term clicks. It’s becoming a powerful tool for building lasting reputation, trust, and emotional connection with both players and partners.
And the Rest of the Line-up
Beyond the categories covered, the iGaming News Awards 2026 also feature awards for:
- Independent bookmakers
- New betting sites
- Affiliate media outlets
- HR and recruitment companies in iGaming
- Responsible gambling initiatives
In Summary
The iGaming News Awards 2026 perfectly capture where the industry stands today: technologically mature, increasingly ecosystem-driven, with rapid growth in crypto and fintech verticals, and a clear shift towards marketing and reputation as genuine strategic weapons.
The nominations show that the real winners in 2026 are no longer just the biggest budgets or the flashiest promos. They’re the companies that combine genuine innovation, operational flexibility, strict regulatory compliance, and a clear long-term vision for sustainable growth.
Voting is still open! So, if you haven’t cast yours yet, now’s the perfect time to support the teams and solutions you think are truly moving the industry forward.
