The Global Gaming Awards: Rewarding Excellence

In October 2023, the stage was set. The Bellini Ballroom at the Venetian was filled with the most reputable executives in the industry, as the sector’s biggest companies sat in anticipation, hopeful of claiming one of the most prestigious Awards in gaming. Host Mariya Savova, Global Gaming Awards Event Manager, took to the podium, accompanied by Micky Swindale of KPMG in the Crown Dependencies, speakers from the Awards’ sponsors and, of course, Lead Partner BetConstruct. As the ceremony unfolded, Aristocrat, Wynn Resorts, FanDuel, MGM Resorts, Circa and more would all return home triumphant, marking a special occasion within the Awards’ history.

Looking back

Flash back 10 years and the Global Gaming Awards in Las Vegas were facing a very similar scenario, with a room full of guests and, again, some of the industry’s biggest contenders going toe to toe. Quickly, the fledgling event established itself as gaming’s most prestigious Awards ceremony. Now, we head into the Awards’ 11th edition, following a decade of growth for gaming, a decade of change and, most of all, a decade of excellence. How time flies. Whoever claimed a Global Gaming Award, however, there were always several constants. Our Judging process, independently verified by KPMG in the Crown Dependencies and boasting a panel of 100+ C-level executives from across the industry, is unwavering. Our Shortlist procedure, taking into account company success and distinct achievements from the past 12 months, means only those who truly deserved it are nominated. And the occasion, only emphasized during our 10th edition, always offered a grand sense of celebration – rewarding an industry that truly deserves to shout about its success.

“Every year we reiterate how strict we are with the shortlisting and voting processes, which is why the Global Gaming Awards remain the most prestigious in the industry” reflects Savova. “Only 10 companies are shortlisted in a category and 25 individuals in Executive of the Year. We all know how many companies and executives work in the gaming industry across the Americas, so as you can imagine, narrowing the Shortlist down and ensuring the best of the best are recognized is no easy task. “Similarly, we put a lot of effort in ensuring we have the best Judging Panel. We only invite senior industry leaders with years of experience in the relevant market and we ensure we only have one executive per company on the Panel. The industry has seen that we do everything we can to create an Awards event that is credible and fair, and it fills me with pride to see the growing interest and respect for our event year after year.”

Looking ahead

As the 11th annual ceremony approaches in 2024, the Global gaming Awards Americas are already looking ahead. Self-nominations are now open and will close on April 26 – so be sure to heed that deadline if you are interested in submitting your organization. On August 1, our Shortlist will be finalized, with a full reveal of the Shortlist scheduled for September 6. Voting will commence September 9, when the Judging Panel casts its votes online for a winner and runner-up across all categories. Once again, voting will be adjudicated by KPMG in the Crown Dependencies, with Judges excluded from voting in categories where they have a conflict of interest.

Why self-nominate?

If your company has enjoyed a stellar year, the chances are the Global Gaming Awards Americas will already be very aware when compiling our Shortlist. But why leave anything to chance? Organizations are encouraged to self-nominate to provide any internal data and information that can help the Judging Panel make as informed a decision as possible. You can nominate your company for as many categories as you consider relevant – but it’s worth considering where you truly think your best chances lie. Another important note to consider is our internal deadlines. Given the rigorous nature of the Shortlist process, it is vital all self-nominations are submitted in time for our deadline. So put it to the top of your priority list and get those nominations to us – it might make all the difference for your company.

“No one knows more about a particular company’s achievements than said company itself, which is exactly why self-nominations are so important.” concluded Savova. “I would advise to include stats and facts about your company/products that aren’t necessarily known to those outside your organization. We keep up with everyone’s press releases throughout the year, so we’d like to find out the details about your new product launches or property renovations that were omitted from the media release. We don’t expect you to reveal any trade secrets of course but, for example, if you’re a land-based manufacturer, perhaps you can share how many properties your most-popular product from 2023 was installed in and how it resonated with players.”

Sarah Chen

Editor

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