“This award means a lot to me. Any recognition from within the industry in which one is privileged to work is a great honour and particularly so in this case as it reflects on long service throughout the companies that I have worked with during my time in the industry,” says a clearly grateful and proud David Orrick after the award ceremony. 

The European Casino Awards honour products, services, operators and personalities of the European casino industry in 21 categories. The award ceremony is organised by Datateam Business Media, publisher of the renowned trade magazine Casino International. With the Jimmy Thomas Outstanding Contribution Award, David Orrick has been honoured for his exceptional commitment to the European gaming industry. 

A British citizen, David Orrick is a true veteran of the international entertainment industry. Over the past decades, he has worked for numerous renowned gaming companies. Since January 2016, he has been contributing as Director of Industry Relations to the steadily growing success of Merkur Gaming, the international development and sales brand of the German Gauselmann Group. 

“David is an industry professional who knows and understands the world of gaming and its protagonists like no other. His expertise, professionalism and commitment are highly respected both within and beyond Merkur Gaming by industry and media representatives around the world,” says Athanasios “Sakis” Isaakidis, Chief Executive International at Merkur Gaming. “We are thrilled for him to have received this special award; it is an important acknowledgement of his contribution to the industry – which in David’s case has always been more of a passion than work.”

The award presented to David Orrick bears the name of one of the best-known icons of the British leisure and gaming industry: Jimmy Thomas, who died last August, led the industry from the front for over 70 years. As well as founding the company Automatics Co. Ltd., the crowning achievement of his career was acquiring the multi-award-winning Hippodrome Casino leisure centre in the heart of London.

David Orrick, too, can look back on an impressive career. Asked about the secret of his decades-long professional success, he replies: “Well, the ability to write cogently helps of course, as does being able to speak in public without embarrassment. But honesty is the key, telling the stories of the day in a clear and upfront way whilst retaining a sense of modesty, adding the occasional touch of humour but always keeping the company’s interests foremost in my mind.”