Global Gaming Awards: Looking ahead to landmark 10th EMEA ceremony
Global Gaming Insider previews the 10th EMEA edition of the industry’s most prestigious Awards, set to be held at the Fira Gran Via Barcelona in January.
It seems only yesterday that the industry was readying itself for another calendar year after a pivotal 2025 that changed the shape of the market... hopefully for better – definitely for always. Yet time continues to march on and we now find ourselves at the intersection of 2026’s final quarter... which can only mean one thing.
Indeed, the conclusion of the third quarter places ICE Barcelona and the 10th edition of the Global Gaming Awards EMEA ceremony firmly on the horizon.
After over half a decade of memories at the Hippodrome Casino, the Global Gaming Awards EMEA has found a solidified new home in the Catalan capital of Barcelona as it returns to the Fira Gran Via’s Market Restaurant for its third Spanish iteration. What makes the 2027 Awards special, however, is not just a milestone anniversary that has seen a decade of championing the industry’s best and brightest with full, transparent integrity – but also the addition of a brand new category.
History in the making
When the Global Gaming Awards first arrived in the EMEA region, the market was in a very different place. Online sports betting across the pond remained outlawed outside of Nevada, and the European landscape was scrambling to adjust to the explosion of the digital market.
Over the past 10 years, the Awards and the industry they serve have been on quite the journey. Yet, through it all, one principle has remained unchanged: credibility. Powered by Global Gaming Insider, the Global Gaming Awards remain independently adjudicated by KPMG, with the voting process meticulously designed to ensure full transparency. A wide panel of Judges is drawn from senior industry executives, with conflicts of interest excluded, while the reasons behind every nomination are made public.
The 2026 ceremony was the ninth edition of the EMEA Awards, bringing together the region’s leading operators, suppliers and affiliates and more in Barcelona. The winners provided a fitting snapshot of an industry operating across an increasingly broad spectrum. Indeed, bet365 and Sportradar claimed the Sports Betting Operator and Supplier awards respectively, while The Hippodrome Casino retained the spotlight in land-based gaming by taking Casino of the Year. Aristocrat Gaming added Casino Supplier of the Year to its growing repertoire of Global Gaming Awards.
Online excellence was represented by BetMGM, alongside Pragmatic Play and its Gates of Hades slot, while bet365 Partners took home the Affiliate Program of the Year. Elsewhere, Soft2Bet, Fast Track and Spribe took home Platform Provider, Services Provider and Crash Game of the Year, respectively. Aristocrat also secured Product Launch of the Year for The Baron Upright – adding to its haul as the biggest winner of the night.
Over the past 10 years, the Awards and the industry they serve have been on quite the journey. Yet, through it all, one principle has remained unchanged: credibility
Elsewhere, Betsson Group’s commitment to responsible gaming earned it Social Responsibility of the Year, while Betby took home its first-ever award for Breakthrough Company of the Year. Betsson CEO Jesper Svensson was also proudly crowned the EMEA Executive of the Year.
Now, with a decade of history behind it, the 2027 Global Gaming Awards EMEA ceremony offers the opportunity to celebrate another year of transformation.
In with the new
Of course, that transformation is reflected by the exciting introduction of a new category for this year’s Awards – Casino Product of the Year. Designed to recognise the products, technologies and innovations helping physical casinos evolve alongside their digital counterparts, this new arrival marks a new era for the ceremony and signifies the shifting tide of an industry that refuses to sit still.
Across Europe, regulation continues to develop market by market, while new forms of gaming and betting are testing existing frameworks. Gibraltar, for example, issued Europe’s first prediction-market licence in 2026, underlining the speed at which new verticals are emerging. Meanwhile, the UK market continues to field an increasing trend of M&A consolidation as neighbouring Ireland settles further into its own new regulatory framework with each passing month.
Naturally, technology will remain another defining theme at this year’s Awards, with increasingly sophisticated AI and data capabilities reshaping the market, as mobile-first products and evolving player experiences redefine how operators and suppliers interact and compete.
Beyond Europe, Africa is becoming an increasingly important growth engine. Regulated online gambling revenue across the continent rose from $4.4bn for 2024 to $5.2bn for 2025, while mobile remains overwhelmingly dominant among bettors.
Elsewhere, a revelation of land-based and online opportunity has arrived in the Middle East with the opening of the UAE market – with 2027 still scheduled as the year the industry will finally welcome the arrival of Wynn Resorts’ Al Marjan Island casino resort.
At a pivotal point in the industry’s evolution, the Global Gaming Awards EMEA 2027 ceremony promises to be a memorable celebration of the industry’s best and brightest.