SBC unveils finalists for the SBC Awards 2026

Meet the Nominees: SBC Awards 2026 Shortlists Revealed

Bringing together 1,200 industry professionals,  SBC Awards 2026 will present 38 awards recognising outstanding achievements across the global betting and gaming industry, spanning operators, suppliers, payments, compliance, marketing, platforms and data.

Top contenders lead this year's nominations

Leading this year’s shortlist of finalists in nominations is Kanggiten, securing nine nominations across the evening.

Other notable nominees include Kaizen Gaming, securing six nominations, whilst BetConstruct AI, Evoplay, GR8 TECH, Playtech and Soft2Bet have each received five nominations.

SBC CEO highlights the importance of the awards

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said:

“Making the SBC Awards shortlist is never easy, but it’s also one of my favourite moments in the entire process.

“It truly shines a light on the incredible work happening across our industry, whether it’s household names returning to defend their titles or newcomers enjoying a breakthrough year. That mix is what makes the SBC Awards so special. We can’t wait to welcome everyone to the MEO Arena and celebrate these achievements together.”

Operator awards feature returning champions

In the operator categories, Kaizen Gaming will seek a third consecutive Operator of the Year – Large award, facing competition from businesses including Codere Online, LeoVegas Group and Megapari.

Meanwhile, Betsson Group returns to defend its Casino Operator of the Year title, while 1xBet and NOVIBET are once again shortlisted for Marketing Campaign of the Year and Innovation in Casino & Gaming Entertainment, respectively.

This year will also see separate Employer of the Year awards presented to operators and suppliers. The supplier shortlist includes reigning champion SOFTSWISS, alongside names such as Alea, BETBY, GR8 TECH and Playtech. Operator nominees include Allwyn Hellas, Bally’s, and Parimatch.

The highly anticipated Leader of the Year award will remain under wraps until the night, with the recipient revealed live during the ceremony.

Payments and compliance categories showcase leading innovators

In the payments and compliance categories, GeoComply will attempt to retain its Fraud & Compliance Solution of the Year title. PayPal, Trustly, Worldpay and Yaspa are among the businesses shortlisted for Payment Solution of the Year, while MiFinity, OKTO Payments, Pay4Fun and Paysecure feature in the Payment Innovation of the Year category.

Supplier awards span 22 industry categories

The supplier categories will span 22 awards covering casino content, sportsbook technology, data, platforms, marketing and player acquisition.

Sportradar returns in pursuit of consecutive wins for Sports Data Product and Land-Based Betting & Gaming Product, while Optimove will seek to retain both Marketing & Services Provider of the Year and Acquisition & Retention Partner.

Elsewhere, GR8 TECH will defend its Platform Provider of the Year title against a field featuring EveryMatrix, Playtech, Soft2Bet, SOFTSWISS, Sportingtech and Sportradar.

Rising Stars and Affiliate Leaders also take centre stage

The ceremony will once again recognise the industry’s emerging businesses through four Rising Star awards spanning casino, sports betting and software innovation.

For those interested in the affiliate sector, SBC will also host the dedicated  Affiliate Leaders Awards at the MEO Arena on Wednesday, 30 September. The ceremony will recognise the companies, campaigns, technologies and individuals driving progress across affiliate and performance marketing.

Full shortlist and ticket information available online

The complete list of shortlisted companies is available on the SBC Awards website.