SBC Awards 2019 sees mix of winners

In it’s sixth year, the SBC Awards 2019 saw wins from established industry players as well as some newer names.

The event, which celebrates the achievements of operators, affiliates, and providers in the betting and gaming industry, was a prestigious affair in Battersea Evolution London. It was hosted by some familiar faces- broadcaster Kirsty Gallacher and Dutch football favourite Ruud Gullit- who ensured that the evening was enjoyable and a suitable celebration of the performances and innovations of the winners and nominees over the past year.

Big winners

LeoVegas was one of the big names that clinched a major win as it retained its title from the previous year as Casino Operator of the Year. It was also one of the few brands to win multiple awards as it took home the Innovation in Casino Entertainment Award.

Taking the win in the Sportsbook of the Year category was Bet365, with GVC named as highly commended. Bet365 also narrowly beat William Hill to win the Football Sportsbook of the Year award and also beat LeoVegas to the Best Affiliate Programme award, confirming its status as a major player in the betting industry.

Another big player that delivered the goods was NetEnt as it snatched the win from Microgaming in Casino Game Developer of the Year. As a major provider of many popular online games, it was unsurprising to see it rewarded! Evolution Gaming’s activities were rewarded with a win in the Innovation in Casino Entertainment category, as Red Tiger came Highly Commended.

New talent

It wasn’t just the big brands that were celebrated at the SBC Awards; the achievements of the newcomers and rising talent were similarly recognised.

Betano and Stoixman jointly won the Rising Star in Sports Betting, while PlayOJO won the Rising Star in Casino award. These names may not be so familiar as those listed above, but they are certainly names to look out for in the future judging by these awards!

The SBC Awards also recognise the suppliers that are integral to the functioning of online casinos and gaming sites. Taking home the Payment Solution of the Year award and the Payments Innovation award was Trustly; as MuchBetter took the win in Mobile Payment Solution of the Year.

Record number of entries

Andrew McCarron, Managing Director at SBC said after the event:

“Congratulations to all the winners selected by our voters and judging panels. We had a record number of entries this year and the quality of them was hugely impressive, so the victors had to be truly exceptional to stand out from the other contenders.

“The operational excellence, innovation and commitment to driving up standards demonstrated by the award winners and shortlisted companies is a really positive sign for the future of the industry, and we’re excited to see what further developments they come up with in 2020.”