Following the presentation of the first Slot Team of the Year Award during the European Dealer Championship in Bregenz, Austria, and the enormous feedback received on this event, the ECA is expanding its recognition programme. The worthy winners of this first award of its kind were the slot team of Casino de Monte-Carlo.

The awards recognise the hospitality, professionalism and team spirit of the casino industry, celebrating both rising and established talent.

Hosted in partnership with Clarion Gaming, the ceremony will take place on Day Two of ICE (20 January 2026) at 5:00 PM on the Enterprise Stage at Fira Barcelona Gran Via.

The award categories comprise:

• Outstanding Slot Team of the Year: Recognising a team that has demonstrated exceptional collaboration, customer service, initiative and measurable success in slot floor operations
• Slot Floor Employee of the Year: Celebrating a frontline or operational employee whose ongoing commitment, leadership and positivity make them a role model for peers and a key driver of guest satisfaction
• Slot Floor Rising Star of the Year: Rewarding an early-career professional with a maximum of three years' experience, whose drive, fresh perspective and contributions set a motivating standard for future slot floor leaders

Entries will be judged by an independent panel comprising ECA representatives and leading global slot manufacturers, under the supervision of ECA Honorary President Ron Goudsmit. Finalists will be announced in December ahead of the live awards taking place at ICE Barcelona.

For more information about the award criteria and for submitting nominations, interested parties are invited to visit the ECA website. Full details will be available by the end of October.

Announcing the awards, European Casino Association CEO Erwin van Lambaart said: "Excellence in slot operations depends above all on the human qualities of the individuals and teams on the slot floor of casinos, whose professionalism, technical skill and world-class hospitality are the foundation stones of the European casino experience. Ours is a people business and the awards are a powerful recognition of the contribution of the slot floor staff to the overall success of a casino operation. I am delighted that the ECA Slot Floor Excellence Awards will be presented at ICE Barcelona together with our partner Clarion Gaming – the perfect showcase event for our members and a brand that shares our commitment to excellence.”

ICE Portfolio Director Margaret Dunn added: "ICE has enjoyed a long and successful relationship with the European Casino Association, whose members have made a significant contribution to the success of what has grown to be the world's leading gaming industry event. The ECA Slot Floor Excellence Awards sit perfectly with our values and it is an honour to host them."

The ECA represents land-based casinos and their online operations across Europe, promoting best practice and supporting the industry's continued growth and development. For more information on the ECA https://www.europeancasinoassociation.org/the-association

To register for ICE Barcelona, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, 19 -21 January 2026 visit: https://www.icegaming.com