In just a few months, the Global Gaming Awards Americas will return. The Global Gaming Awards are the most prestigious and trusted Awards in the industry and are respected by industry heavyweights due to the strict shortlisting and voting processes put in place. Companies are shortlisted based on merit and the reason for their nomination is made public in the official Shortlist magazine. A panel of over 100 C-level executives from the industry decide the winners, with KPMG US independently adjudicating the voting process to ensure full transparency and fairness.

Now in its 13th year, the Global Gaming Awards 2026 will once again take place in Las Vegas on the Monday during Global Gaming Expo (G2E), to honor and reward the industry’s top performers across North and South America over the past 12 months. The self-nomination window for this year’s event opened on April 27 and will run through June 26, prior to the official shortlist being finalized on July 27. At that time, shortlisted companies will be notified and invited to submit a brief supporting statement, all leading up to the celebration on September 28 from The Venetian Resort Las Vegas.

Reflecting on last year 

During last year’s event in Las Vegas, awards such as Land-based and Digital Operator of the Year were handed out, along with recognitions for Digital Product of the Year, Class II and Class III Land based Suppliers and, of course, Executive of the Year. Wynn Resorts managed to take home Land-Based Operator of the Year, while FanDuel was named Digital Operator of the Year for 2025. Aristocrat Gaming saw victories for both Land-Based Supplier Class II and Class III of the Year, and completed the trifecta with a Slot of the Year win for its Phoenix Link title.

In addition to its Land-based Operator of the Year award, Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings fittingly won Executive of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards 2025, celebrating his impact with the operator and across gaming as a whole. The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation was also able to double up at last year’s event, having taken home awards for both Responsible Business of the Year and Property of the Year for Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel.

With many of the industry’s top executives also set to be in attendance, the Global Gaming Awards 2026 will once again serve as a headline attraction to open the G2E conference in September. And what’s more, the Global Gaming Awards 2026 event will debut a new honor to celebrate those shaping engagement and progress across North and South America.

A matter of influence 

Indeed, the Industry Influencer of the Year award will recognize a prominent influencer, creator or industry voice that helped broaden gaming’s presence within either region. Given the role influencers play in new launches, events and marketing, celebrating those who extend the industry’s reach to new audiences was a necessity for the Global Gaming Awards 2026.

Naturally, however, existing categories will continue – and one award that should never be overlooked is Responsible Business of the Year, especially with the amount of responsible gambling initiatives put forth across North and South America each year. In December, MGM Resorts International certified more than 2,000 employees as GameSense Advisors, consisting of frontline and executive MGM Resorts staff currently working in over 30 departments for the operator.

Shortly after, in January 2026, DraftKings formed a partnership with Mindway AI to integrate the solution provider’s Gamalyze tool within its Responsible Gaming Center, continuing efforts to utilize technology and research in helping promote informed play. Not to be outdone by its fellow sports betting goliath, FanDuel introduced a research-based responsible gaming campaign to promote “introspective decision-making” and proactive messaging. The Play with a Plan campaign looked to encourage FanDuel consumers to make their own informed decisions, while the operator also reported a 41% usage increase of its responsible gaming tools during 2025.

Monarch Casino & Resort’s slot machine change donation program, which currently runs on equipment developed by International Game Technology (IGT), surpassed $1m in donations to various nonprofit organizations on April 15. The program allows guests of Atlantis Casino Resort Spa and Monarch Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk to choose whether they would like to donate the remaining change of their slot machine winnings to organizations such as Food Bank of Northern Nevada, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Nevada and the Navy SEAL Foundation.

On with the old, but in with the new 

For new launches that could earn recognition on September 28, Aristocrat unveiled its new Monopoly Big Board Bucks slot title at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel in April, while American Gaming Systems (AGS) collaborated with the property to host a world premiere for its Ultra Werewolf slot family during March. Turning to digital releases, Caesars Entertainment debuted its first-ever proprietary online slot game, Ca$hline, on February 18, followed by BetMGM releasing new Survivor-themed titles following a partnership with Jogo Global and Banijay Rights.

Heading into its 13th year, the Global Gaming Awards Americas will once again capture the innovation and creativity displayed across gaming over the past 12 months this September. The Venetian Las Vegas has been home to numerous fantastic memories from not only the Global Gaming Awards celebration, but the G2E event as a whole as well.

With the self-nomination window now open, operators and suppliers have the ability to celebrate those who made the greatest impact in gaming since last October. In August, the judging panel will begin the Global Gaming Awards Americas 2026 voting process, followed by the official shortlist being revealed on September 1. Judges will be asked to submit a winner and runner-up for each of the categories, but are excluded from voting for any awards where a conflict of interest may lie.

The Awards are powered by Global Gaming Insider, which looks forward to bringing together the most distinguished figures in gaming on September 28 to celebrate the industry and its vast array of accomplishments. As North and South American gaming continue to grow each year, so too does the Global Gaming Awards Americas and its well-respected presence across the industry.