Following five weeks of open nominations, the Best iGaming Experts Annual Awards has published its 2026 shortlist. Eight experts from across the industry now advance to jury deliberation, with winners in all three categories to be announced on August 1.
The finalists
- Leo K. Weber — iGaming expert and DACH market specialist; industry educator and commentator on X.
- Lorenzo Vitali — editor-in-chief of a leading Italian gambling publication; publicist and author of academic research.
- Mike Betoray — betting and sports expert specialising in football predictions.
- Jan Woźniak — owner of iGaming ventures; expert consultant to casinos and casino software developers.
- Lina Murphey-Gaelle — speaker and advocate for iGaming legalisation.
- Markus Komovic — independent consultant to gambling companies; industry speaker.
- Giulio Caruso — slot designer and author of a gambling project for the Italian audience.
- Vasco Oliveira — editor-in-chief, freelancer and iGaming enthusiast covering the Portuguese market.
The shortlist reflects the award's international outlook, spanning the DACH region, Italy, Poland, Portugal and beyond, and covering analysis, publishing, sports betting, product consulting, policy advocacy and game design.
What happens next
The shortlist has been handed to the expert jury. Category assignments are made by the jury itself during deliberation: over three structured rounds, the panel will match finalists to categories and determine one winner in each — Best iGaming Expert 2026, Voice of the iGaming Industry, and Rising Star.
Jury deliberation runs from July 17 to July 31. The final decision will be published on this site on August 1, 2026.
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