About the Awards
A well-known award dedicated to the iGaming industry — and, above all, to the people behind it.
Why we exist
The Best iGaming Experts Annual Awards was created with a simple purpose: to highlight the significance of the contribution made by people whose main passion and area of expertise is iGaming — and to extend the reach of the useful, high-quality publications they produce.
The industry moves fast. Regulation shifts, markets open and close, products evolve. Behind every clear explanation of a new licensing regime, every honest product review and every well-argued policy debate stands an individual expert. This award exists to make those individuals visible.
We also believe expertise is not a closed club. That is why we established a dedicated Rising Star category — ensuring the nominee list includes not only established names in the industry, but fresh voices and young talent as well.
What we stand for
Openness
Public nominations, a published shortlist and a documented jury process. Anyone can follow how a winner is decided, from application to announcement.
International outlook
Expertise has no home market. Our shortlist spans DACH, Italy, Poland, Portugal and beyond, and the jury judges contribution — not geography.
Inclusivity
Analysts, publishers, designers, consultants, speakers — established names and newcomers alike. The Rising Star category guarantees emerging talent a stage of its own.
Industry trust
The award is judged by practitioners the industry already listens to — regulation, marketing, social impact and media are all represented on the jury.
Expertise first
No popularity contests. The single criterion is the substance of a nominee's work: what they published, built, argued and proved over the award year.
What winners receive
This is not a monetary award — deliberately. What winners receive is something money doesn't buy: public recognition from the industry, a documented endorsement from an expert jury, and a platform to expand the reach of their work and their audience.
And, of course, the trophy itself — a solid glass award with a single red edge. It is fully transparent. Just like the award behind it.
- Recognition — the jury's decision is published openly, with reasoning, on this site.
- Reach — winners' publications and projects are featured across the award's announcements and press materials.
- The trophy — a physical, transparent glass award for each category winner.
How winners are decided
After the application window closes, the shortlist is handed to the expert jury. The jury determines the winners in each category through structured discussion held in three rounds. The jury's final decision is then published on this site.
Review
Each jury member independently reviews every shortlisted expert: their public work, publications, speaking record and contribution to the industry over the award year.
Discussion
The jury convenes to debate the merits of each finalist, assign candidates to categories and narrow the field through open, on-the-record argument.
Decision
In the final round the jury agrees on one winner per category. The decision is recorded and published on this site on August 1.
Who decides
Vera Vilchek
National Gambling Authority
Gregory Matesienkevic
Gambling SEO&PPC Club — CEO, Galaxticion LTD
Nick LeBraune
Charity & Non-Commercial Dept, NDA iGaming Holding
Craig Himsworthy
iGaming Expert, Journalist
Christian Heins
Founder, European Gambling Gathering — commercial iGaming strategy, digital marketing & growth; speaker and moderator
Karsten Kasteleiner
Head of Public Policy at Tipico
Alexios Isaakidis
Head of Product, MERKUR eSOLUTIONS