SBC has unveiled the finalists for the 2026 edition of the SBC Awards Europe, set to take place at Xara Lodge, Malta, on Thursday, 30 April.

Closing the final day of SBC Summit Malta 2026, the ceremony will bring together 400 industry professionals to celebrate excellence across the European betting and gaming industry.

This year’s edition features 35 categories, recognising standout achievements from operators, affiliates, industry leaders, game developers and other suppliers.

Leading the shortlist is Betsson Group with seven nominations, followed closely by Sportradar with six.

“Success in this industry is about more than revenue. It is defined by resilience, creativity, and a willingness to take risks,” said SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark. “The SBC Awards Europe are not about recognising the biggest companies, but the boldest. I want to extend a huge congratulations to every company that has been shortlisted.”

In the operator categories, Novibet will look to defend its titles for ‘Operator Innovation in Gaming’ and ‘Sportsbook Operator of the Year’. Meanwhile, 1xBet will face competition from GG.BET, Allwyn, and Peter & Sons to retain the ‘Marketing Campaign and Sponsorship of the Year’ award.

Elsewhere, Megapari Partners, Parimatch Affiliates, and Vegas Legends will challenge reigning winners Betsson Group Affiliates for the ‘Best Affiliate Program’ title.

Alea will look to hold onto the title of ‘Employer of the Year’, facing competition from Altenar, BETBY, GR8 Tech, and SOFTSWISS.

Recognising the industry’s commitment to player protection, contenders for ‘Socially Responsible Initiative of the Year’ include 8888, EPIC Global Solutions, Play’n GO, and Stars Partners.

In the ‘SlotCatalog’ categories, Pragmatic Play and Hacksaw Gaming will be looking to defend their titles of ‘Game Studio of the Year – Large’ and ‘Game Studio of the Year- Medium’. Gamzix, Octoplay, Penguin King and Dream Play are amongst the names battling for the ‘Game Studio of the Year – Small’ award.

The highly anticipated ‘Leader of the Year’ and ‘Manager of the Year’ awards will be kept under wraps until the night, with nominees and the winner to be revealed live during the ceremony.

In the Game Developer Award categories, Bragg Gaming Group, Evoplay, Funky Games, and TaDa Gaming are all nominated across multiple categories.

In the affiliate categories, Flashscore and Casino Guru will look to retain their titles for ‘Sports Affiliate of the Year’ and ‘Casino Affiliate of the Year’, respectively. They face competition from the likes of Catena Media, BETANDEAL, Gentoo Media, Better Collective, Clever Advertising, and MediaTroopers.

Across the supplier categories, BetConstruct and Sportradar lead the way with four nominations each, followed by Delasport and Kanggiten with three nominations apiece.

It could be a memorable night for Trustly, having secured nominations for both ‘Compliance & KYC Partner of the Year’ and ‘Payment Solution of the Year’. They will face competition from the likes of BridgerPay, Paysecure, Paytently, BetComply, and GBG.

Additionally, the evening will highlight emerging talent through four dedicated Rising Star awards, recognising standout operators and suppliers making an impact in casino and sports betting.

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

Please note that a separate ticket is required to attend the ceremony. Table and ticket options can be found here.

Want to attend SBC Summit Malta?

For groups of three or more, purchase our Group Pass ticket. gaining you access to three days of networking, exhibition, and conference content for the discounted price of €400 per person (a discount of €200 off a standard ticket).

Additionally, you can purchase our ‘Expo Plus Pass’ for €150. This pass grants you access to the conference and exhibition only.

Operators and affiliates can apply for a complimentary pass here.