Casino Guru Awards

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Entering their fourth year, the Awards aim to use Casino Guru's years of expertise to give the industry's hard workers and innovative leaders the recognition they deserve, concluding with a gala ceremony in Malta.

Nominations for the Casino Guru Awards 2026 are now open. Fill in the online nomination form and take the first step towards winning the Casino Guru Awards 2026.

OCTOBER 2025 Nominations open

FEBRUARY 15, 2026 Nominations closed

MARCH 1, 2026 Shortlisted companies announced

MARCH 1, 2026 Voting for "Voice of the People" and "Players' Choice" categories begins

APRIL 30 TO MAY 7, 2026 Judging panel gathers to select winners

MAY 7, 2026 Voting for "Voice of the People" and "Players' Choice" categories closed

MAY 25, 2026 Winners announced at a live ceremony at The Xara Lodge, Malta

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Awarding ceremony

Casino Guru Awards will host in a second year around an exciting live ceremony, where we reveal the winners of each category. This exclusive, invite-only event will take place on May 25, 2026, at the stunning Xara Lodge in Malta followed by NEXT Summit Valletta (May 27-28) at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta.

Check out the photo gallery from Casino Guru Awards 2025 and read our coverage of this gala evening on Casino Guru News for more behind-the-scenes information and important milestones. You can also see the highlights from this exclusive evening in the aftermovie below.

Judges

Maris Catania Senior Safer Gaming Consultant at SG:Certified Maris Catania is a gambling industry veteran, with more than fourteen years of game integrity and safer gambling experience. Prior to joining SG:certified as a Senior Safer Gaming Consultant, Maris was Head of Responsible Gaming and Research at Kindred.

At Kindred, Maris led its overall RG strategy, as well as several RG research projects and coordinated university and treatment centre collaborations. She was also instrumental in the concept of behavioural detection system at Kindred known as PS-EDS (Player Safety – Early Detection System) alongside Karim Chikh, who together later formed Integrity Analytics.

Maris is an instrumental player in the SG:certified team. She leads and develops up-to-date and effective content for SG:certified on safer gambling issues. In addition, she supports our clients with their safer gambling needs using the SG:certified platform.

Maris has a Diploma in Gambling Addiction Counselling and Psychology, Msc in Psychology and has a PhD focusing on consumer protection, markers of harm, and responsible gambling, at Nottingham Trent University under the guidance of the leading distinguished Professor Mark Griffiths.

She has also been awarded the Gambling Compliance Most Significant Contribution to Responsible Gambling Research for three consecutive years.

Read our interview with Maris here.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

Kevin O'Neill General Manager of the Responsible Gaming Foundation Kevin O'Neill is the incumbent General Manager of the Responsible Gaming Foundation.

Kevin spent 13 years in the Telecoms industry where through his various roles within the operations department, he experienced all customer touch-points first-hand through which he developed a keen customer-centric philosophy. The move into the gaming industry happened in 2014 where he joined the Maltese Regulator, the then Lotteries and Gaming Authority, today the Malta Gaming Authority, where he headed the Authority's Player Support Unit for several years. In this role, Kevin brought a new sense of respect towards players as consumers and also developed a keen interest in promulgating responsibility during gambling activity to both player and operator, seeking to ensure that gambling remains a valid recreational activity and not become a source of harm to participants. Indeed, it is only through achieving this equilibrium that the future of the gaming industry can remain truly sustainable.

Mr O'Neill graduated from Dublin City University with an MSc in Leadership and Organisational Behaviour.

Read our interview with Kevin here.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Ewa Bakun Director of Industry Insight and Engagement of Clarion Gaming At Clarion Gaming since 2009, Ewa has held various roles focusing on industry research, market intelligence, key stakeholder engagement, product launches and strategic initiatives. Keeping track of the industry developments, she has seen the rise (and sometimes fall) of trends, brands and people, a testament to the dynamic pace with which the industry evolves. Amongst her most significant achievements are launch of the Sports Betting USA conference, introduction and growth of the Consumer Protection Zone to ICE London and oversight of Clarion's start-up initiatives.

In her current role in charge of insights, she is focusing on maximising research and insight drawn from both the external and internal sources to drive product improvement and development for the Clarion Gaming brands, such as ICE and iGB.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

Matthew Hickey Founder at Social Intent Matthew Hickey possesses six years of experience in the gambling sector, in addition to five years in the drug and alcohol treatment domain. He currently operates as a consultant, with a focus on safer gambling, gambling addiction, and suicide prevention in the United Kingdom. His extensive expertise has proven invaluable in collaborating with treatment providers, governmental departments, trade associations, and operators.

Notably, Matthew dedicated four years to the development of Gordon Moody, a leading residential treatment organization for men in the UK. His initiatives included the establishment of the first women's-specific residential treatment facility in 2022, as well as a significant expansion of the organization's capacity, increasing the number of individuals treated from 75 to over 500.

Read our interview with Matthew here.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Tracy Parker Senior Vice-President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights at Responsible Gambling Council Tracy Parker is Senior Vice-President, Accreditation, Advisory and Insights at RGC where she leads the development and execution of the RG Check accreditation program, advisory services, research strategy, and knowledge mobilization. Tracy's career has focused on how to improve and leverage the impact of business on society across multiple industries for nearly 30 years. Most recently, for the past decade, her work has focused on achieving positive outcomes for harm minimization through standards and assurance in the gambling industry. This work leverages best practice research through a comprehensive assessment of player education, player protection and employee training policies, procedures and impacts to help organizations deliver a safer gambling experience and drive continuous improvement.

Prior to RGC, Tracy held several positions with the Social Responsibility team at Ontario Lottery and Gaming (OLG) where where she developed and executed strategy related to culture building, player education and responsible gambling policy. Previous positions included Senior Associate, Interpraxis Consulting; Executive Director, Canadian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Policy; and Values Programs Manager, The Body Shop Canada. Tracy holds a Master of Business Administration with a specialization in Sustainability and Strategy.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

Dan Iliovici Vice-President of the Romanian Gambling Organizers' Association (ROMBET), and of the Responsible Gambling Association Dan Iliovici is Vice-president of ROMBET – the Romanian Gambling Organizers'Association, one of the most important associations of the industry. He is also Vice-president of the Responsible Gambling Association, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, dedicated to the prevention and treatment of problem gamblers.

Dan has started his career in the fascinating world of the gambling industry more than ten years ago, and since then he is committed to the transformation of this industry into a consolidated and transparent one, permanently involved in responsible gambling projects. Dan Iliovici is former President of the Romanian gambling regulator ONJN (2017-2018), where he continued to focus on player protection. During his mandate at the National Gambling Office, he published ‘The Ethical Code on Advertising in Gambling', an important invitation for self-regulation and responsibility of the gambling industry.

Read our interview with Dan here.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Martin Lycka SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain Martin Lycka is SVP for American Regulatory Affairs and Responsible Gambling at Entain, overseeing growth of the business across both new U.S. states and into other parts of the Americas, notably LATAM and Canada. In this capacity, he also oversees global esports related regulatory matters for Entain. He joined the business in April 2018, as Director of Regulatory Affairs.

Martin also serves on the boards of the Entain Foundation, the Entain Foundation US and the American Gaming Association as well as the Advisory Boards to the National Council on Problem Gambling, Seton Hall Law School Gambling Compliance program and My Wager Score. In the past, Martin has been a board member of the European Gaming and Betting Association, JDigital and the European Sports Security Association.

In total, Martin has been a senior legal, regulatory and RG advisor to listed gambling businesses for over 12 years. He is a regular conference speaker and has (co-)authored more than 80 academic articles and three books on gambling law and other legal matters.

He is the 2019 Global Regulatory Awards Head of Regulatory Affairs of the Year as well as a member of the 2020/2021 Emerging Gambling Leaders 40 Under 40 Class (a Judge's Choice). He leads the Entain team that has been awarded the 2021 SBC North America Socially Responsible Operator of the Year as well as the 2022 EGR North America Safer Gambling Provider of the Year awards. He also hosts the Safe Bet Show podcast.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Jo Abergel Founder – Rock Learning, Co-Founder – Ethical Gambling Forum Jo founded Rock Learning, a Gibraltar-based Learning & Development consultancy, in 2015 following a background in various private and third sector positions. Accredited by the Institute for Leadership & Management, Jo coaches and develops leadership capabilities across the private and public sectors. Following several years of bringing expert trainers to Gibraltar, Jo co-founded the Ethical Gambling Forum in 2022, with the aim of encouraging greater collaboration and challenging the gambling industry on some of the ethical dilemmas it faces. The inaugural conference on ESG was held in May 2022 and has been described as "groundbreaking".

In her spare time Jo has been Chairperson for Childline Gibraltar and Treasurer for the local CIPD branch.

Read our interview with Jo here.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

James Mpiirwe Partner, E.J Sendegeya and Associates Advocates, Chief Executive Officer at Kiwibet James Mpiirwe is a distinguished legal and business professional with over 15 years of experience in legal advisory, taxation, and gaming law, as well as leadership in the betting, casino, and lotteries sectors. He is an Advocate of the High Court of Uganda and a Partner at E.J Sendegeya and Associates Advocates, where he specializes in corporate governance, taxation, and gaming law, among other areas.

Previously, James served at the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, where he was instrumental in shaping Uganda's legal and regulatory framework for gaming. His contributions led to the enactment of the Lotteries and Gaming Act, 2016, and its supporting regulations. He also played a pivotal role in establishing the Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board Secretariat, including its organizational structure, staff recruitment, training, and operational departments.

As Head of Compliance at the Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board, James spearheaded efforts to clean up the gaming industry, streamline licensing, combat illegal operations, and promote legal compliance, resulting in significant growth in tax revenues and industry integrity.

Currently, as the CEO of Kiwibet, a new and progressive betting company in Uganda, James champions responsible gaming, player protection, and adherence to legal and regulatory standards.

James holds an MBA from the Eastern and Southern Africa Management Institute (ESAMI) and is a member of the Uganda Law Society and East African Law Society.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Jody Bechtold CEO of The Better Institute Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, IGDC, CGT is a highly regarded gambling addiction expert working extensively across the globe with individuals, organizations, and associations. She is the CEO of The Better Institute, a group practice located in Pittsburgh. She is the co-author of The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals (2021) and 2 chapters in the Social Worker's Desk Reference v 4 on Gambling and Gaming Disorders, published in 2022. She is the President of the International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization (IPGGC).

Jody holds a master's degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Social Work and has certifications as a Board-Approved Clinical Consultant (BACC), Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor Level II (ICGC-II). When Jody isn't working, you can find her providing pet therapy with her dog, Hanna.

Read our interview with Jody here.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

Matt Smith Head of External Affairs at Betknowmore Matt Smith is Head of External Affairs for UK charity Betknowmore and has lived experience of gambling with 8 years in continuous recovery. Matt is now part of the senior management team building relationships with stakeholders across the space and working across their communications and policy strategy. His working background was in the media industry where he spent over a decade working in management for UK radio station talkSPORT heading up major live sports events.

During the latter part of his time there was when his gambling became problematic. Matt is passionate about the work we do to provide support and training services that prevent and address personal and societal harms caused by gambling.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Pieter Remmers Chairman of the Board of G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group) Pieter Remmers is a veteran in the area of responsible gambling / safer gambling, consultancy and training of gambling industry professionals. He started his career as the director of an outpatient clinic for addiction problems, Jellinek, in the early 80's, and he has been involved in projects with the gambling industry since 1989.

Pieter's company works on responsible gaming policies and programs in a number of countries, and he is also a registered MI trainer with years of experience. Pieter is also a worldwide consultant for the gambling and betting industry, and he lends his services to land based and online casinos, slot machine halls, lotteries, and regulators or other governmental bodies.

Having been working for governments and regulators in a number of countries (Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, etc.), Pieter's current focus lies on projects dealing with the problem of match fixing and AML, as well as e-learning modules in different languages (English, German, French, Spanish and Dutch). He is a member of the Executive Committee and serves as Secretary General of the European Association for the Study of Gambling (EASG) since 1997.

Since 2004, Pieter is the Chair of the Board of G4 (Global Gambling Guidance Group). He is a member several organizations, such as the Responsible Gaming Committee of IMGL, Responsible Gambling Committee of AGEM, Spielerschutzkommission (Responsible Gaming Commission) of the Gauselmann/Merkur Group (Germany), advisory board of Merkur UK, and the Advisory Council of the AWI in Germany. Pieter is a regular speaker at many conferences all over the world and a freelance correspondent for a number of gambling industry magazines.

Read our interview with Pieter here.

You can also find on LinkedIn.

Jennifer Shatley Executive Director of the Responsible Online Gaming Association Dr. Jennifer Shatley is the Executive Director of the Responsible Online Gaming Association (ROGA), representing nearly 90% of the legal U.S. online gaming market by handle. With nearly three decades of experience in responsible gaming, corporate social responsibility, public policy, and harm mitigation, she has pioneered many of the industry's most recognized initiatives. Jen launched the first broadcast advertising campaign focused on responsible gaming, created enterprise-wide innovations in self-exclusion and player protection technology, and developed Caesars' Responsible Gaming Ambassador program, which has trained more than 100,000 employees and served as a template for today's proactive risk assessment practices. Today, she continues to set the standard for responsible gaming worldwide.

Read our interview with Jennifer here.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

Adrian Sladdin Managing Director at Seventh Wave Corporate Training Adrian is one of the founding partners at Seventh Wave Corporate Training, writing and delivering innovative corporate training as well delivering on large-scale international consultancy work for the financial and gambling sectors. His corporate clients include Ladbrokes Coral, Lottoland, BetVictor, Playtech Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan and Santander.

His work includes safeguarding qualifications, high-level presentation and communication skills as well as a range of leadership and management programmes. Adrian has delivered training around the world including China, Pakistan, Nigeria and most of Europe. He is also part of a United Nations group, writing and discussing responsible leadership.

Read our interview with Adrian here.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Paul Dent Trauma & Addiction Therapist / Gambling Consultant Paul Dent MSc PGDipHE is a trauma and addiction therapist focused on generational trauma and the impact it has on interpersonal-relationships, Gambling Consultant and Trustee / Board Member for a dynamic charity providing emotional and practical support for homelessness and rough sleepers.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Svend Aage Kirk CEO at SALK Consult Svend joined the industry in 2018 and since then he has been involved in several RG projects. Co-founding and the first CEO of Mindway AI made the start of the journey followed by a partnership in SG:certified, RG consultancy for Future Anthem and lately a partnership with The Digital Wellness Center, Canada.

The Digital Wellness Center brand, myStridePositivePlay™ is a pioneering mood repair system designed to act as a seatbelt for gamers. By providing mood-enhancing microbreaks, it moderates dopamine spikes that can lead to risky behavior, ensuring a safer, more satisfying gaming experience. This approach not only creates happier players but also boosts safety, making it an essential tool for any gaming platform that prioritizes player care.

Read our interview with Svend here.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Martin Calvert Marketing Director at ICS-digital Martin is Marketing Director at ICS-digital – Martin frequently speaks and writes about digital best practice in highly regulated sectors defined by fierce marketing competition, and spearheads the ICS: Everything Digital podcast on Apple and Spotify.

ICS-digital works with casino and betting brands in over 100 languages and dozens of markets. Martin draws on his experience in the industry as an objective judge, and has previously judged awards for EGR and SBC among others in the sector.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

James Bennett Group Communications Manager at EveryMatrix James Bennett is Group Communications Manager at EveryMatrix, a PR, communications, content and marketing specialist.

Formerly a journalist and editor, he has worked in the gaming sector since 2010 as editor of eGaming Review, Head of Communications at Playtech and has been a Director and board member at two specialist PR, communications and digital marketing agencies.

Read our interview with James here.

Dennis Algreen Marketing Director at SBC As a seasoned Marketing Director, Dennis brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the table.

With over eight years at SBC, he has developed a deep understanding of the intricacies of the betting and gaming industry. His contributions have played a pivotal role in propelling the company from its humble beginnings as a startup to becoming a renowned global event organiser and media powerhouse in the gambling sector.

His approach is marked by a genuine curiosity and a strategic mindset, which allows him to navigate the ever-evolving dynamics of the industry with a forward-thinking approach.

His comprehensive grasp of the motivations driving various stakeholders, enables him to come up with and drive marketing strategies that resonate with diverse audiences.

Throughout his career, he has successfully executed a wide range of marketing initiatives and delivered impactful results across multiple channels.

Leading an ever-growing team of dynamic professionals, he has adeptly managed digital marketing, email marketing, social media marketing, content, and PR initiatives within the events division of the company.

His management style is characterised by inclusivity, emphasising the value of each team member's unique contributions. With a results-driven mindset, he motivates and guides his team towards achieving tangible goals. However, he firmly believes in cultivating a creative atmosphere that encourages innovative thinking and out-of-the-box strategies.

Read our interview with Dennis here.

Duncan Garvie Trustee and Founder of Betblocker Duncan Garvie has been at the forefront of consumer protection for over a decade having founded ThePOGG in 2011, the first affiliate based complaint service to be approved as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service, and currently acts as the Head of ADR Services for CasinoReviews.com. Duncan also founded safer gambling charity BetBlocker in 2017. He continues to support the charity on a voluntary basis, acting as the Chair of the Board of Trustees and using his holidays to exhibit for the charity at conferences and regularly speaking on panels about responsible gambling and player protection.

You can also find him on LinkedIn

Monica Shafaq CEO at Gordon Moody Monica has been involved in the charity sector since 2010 and joined International gambling addiction and awareness charity Gordan Moody in January 2024 as CEO. Previous to this, she was the CEO of the national mental health charity Kaleidoscope Plus Group (KPG). Under her leadership, KPG was awarded a place on the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to Work For every year since 2015 and achieved Gold Investors in People accreditation.

Monica holds a MSc in Housing and before her time at KPG, spent several years working in the social housing sector.

She has a keen interest in football and holds a number of non-executive roles in the sector. She is a Senior Independent Non-Executive Director at Birmingham County Football Association where she has lead responsibility for equality and chairs the Inclusion Advisory Group. She is also a member of the Premier League's Equality and Diversity Panel and in February 2021, was appointed as one of the first women, and first woman of colour to the Professional Footballers Association Charity (now called the Players Foundation) She is also a Non Exec Director at Manchester United's Foundation, and Vice Chair of the FA's National Asian Inclusion Advisory Group. Monica set up her own charity, South Asian Football Collective (South Asian FC) in 2023 which aims to encourage, promote and celebrate South Asian inclusion in football, both on and off the pitch.

Monica became an honorary member of The Leaders Council of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in recognition of leading a multi-disciplinary charity on firm ethical values and as well as her Non Exec roles in football, she holds board positions at both Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust and Citizen Housing. These roles allow her to combine her passion of football, health, equality and diversity and social justice in a structured way.

In October 2024, Monica was voted as one of the Top 50 most influential Muslims in Europe.

Monica is an avid Wolves fan and loves cooking, travelling and going to the gym, although she really needs to work on making more time for the latter hobby!

Read our interview with Monica here.

Ihor Zarechnyi Chief Commercial Officer at Evoplay Ihor Zarechnyi is the Chief Commercial Officer at Evoplay, a multi-product iGaming company that develops award-winning slots, table games, crash games, instant games, lotteries, and bingo. With a portfolio of 250+ innovative products, Evoplay is dedicated to redefining the entertainment industry by setting new standards, introducing cutting-edge gaming experiences, and continuously innovating to enhance player engagement. The company focuses on trust, value, and continuous improvement, striving to be a trendsetter in the iGaming sector.

Evoplay's games are available in 100+ markets worldwide, and the company collaborates with 6,000+ online casinos and 100+ gaming platforms, making it one of the most recognised brands in the industry. The company's global expansion strategy focuses on delivering high-quality, engaging content tailored to diverse player preferences across different regions.

Since joining Evoplay in 2021, Ihor has played a key role in scaling the company's commercial operations, driving growth in strategically important markets, and optimising sales and account management processes. His expertise in business development, partnerships, and commercial strategy has helped Evoplay strengthen its partner network and cross-departmental collaboration, ensuring sustainable business growth.

Anastasiia Semenkova CEO at Payop Anastasiia has been working in the FinTech industry since 2019. Her team is responsible for the daily monitoring of iGaming merchants to ensure compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Terrorism Financing (CTF) regulations, as well as assessing the effectiveness of their complaint resolution processes. Anastasiia leads the development of new internal tools aimed at automating risk and compliance functions. She has obtained several compliance certifications and continues to stay up to date with emerging industry trends.

Aleksandar Dašić Head of Affiliate Marketing at Bragg Gaming Group Aleksandar Dašić is the Head of Affiliate Marketing at Bragg Gaming Group, where he oversees global affiliate, streamer, and media partnership strategies for the company's proprietary studios. With nearly a decade of experience in the iGaming sector, he specializes in performance-driven digital strategy, content optimization, and building scalable affiliate ecosystems that enhance brand visibility and long-term growth.

He began his iGaming career in 2016 at AskGamblers, contributing to content development, SEO initiatives, and affiliate expansion across key verticals.

At Bragg, Aleksandar continues to develop data-led marketing models that connect product innovation with strategic partnerships. His work with affiliates, streaming communities, and influencer networks drives audience engagement and strengthens exposure for Bragg's diverse game portfolio across competitive markets.

Peter Jesko Strategy Lead at Casino Guru Peter shapes the strategy of Casino Guru and influences the direction of company development. His experience and knowledge of the online gambling industry allows him to set the right course and provide strategic counseling to individual departments.

Peter found his way into the casino industry through his love of games and mathematics - especially combinatorics. This fascination sustained his ten-year-long professional poker career before he joined our ranks.

Maros Gasparik Head of Content at Casino Guru Maros is Casino Guru's Head of Content. Being part of the core Casino Guru team since 2017, he writes the cornerstone content, manages a team of expert writers and content specialists, and makes sure that everything presented on Casino Guru is well-written, truthful and correct.

Maros has been writing web content for more than 10 years, and he's always enjoyed exploring and explaining gambling-related topics. Over the years of writing about online casinos and gambling, he's become an expert on the topic keen on helping people understand complex gambling principles and make smart decisions when it comes to gambling.

He's also fully aware of the negative impact gambling can have on people's lives, which is why he pays extremely close attention to providing correct and factual information to the Casino Guru visitors, warning them about potential risks, and providing detailed information on gambling addiction and responsible gambling, with the goal to help players gamble in a more safe and smart way.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Matej Novota Head of Casino Research at Casino Guru Matej is Casino Guru's Head of Casino Research. He and his team spend their days collecting, evaluating, and updating casino-related data, making them the main driving force behind the internet's biggest and most up-to-date database of online casinos. On top of that, along with our complaint resolution team, Matej addresses players' complaints from all over the world and helps them resolve any issues they may have encountered when dealing with an online casino.

Before joining Casino Guru, Matej worked as a software specialist and later as a software engineer. He became a part of our Casino Guru family when our database contained only about 40 online casinos. Not long after joining, Matej played a crucial role in creating our sophisticated online casino review process.Through it, we can rate online casinos in a way that fully reflects their quality, reputation, and attitude towards players. Ever since its inception, Matej has tirelessly worked on improving our data-driven methodology, adapting it to the latest changes in the online gambling ecosystem, and ensuring our casino reviews are the best on the market.

Petronela Kontos Head of Complaint Resolution Center at Casino Guru Petronela has been working in the casino industry since 2004, which is when she started as a casino dealer in the Czech Republic. By working in the UK later on, she has found herself on ocean liners and cruise ships, where she was promoted to the Casino Host function. This job allowed Petronela to practically travel the whole world, which is something she's very grateful for. Petronela joined Casino Guru six years ago, and she's currently managing a Complaints Team of 24 hard-working professionals, with whom she's constantly working on resolving disputes between players and casinos.

Read our interview with Petronela here.

Šimon Vincze Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling at Casino Guru Šimon is Casino Guru's Head of Sustainable and Safer Gambling. He manages Casino Guru's long-term projects related predominantly to social responsibility and safer gambling, with the goal of making the entire online gambling industry better and safer for everyone.

The vision of safer gambling is reflected in everything Casino Guru does, from creating objective casino reviews to going the extra mile to protect people who gamble online. Šimon oversees these areas and makes sure the team's efforts are always in line with the best practices of sustainable and safer gambling and often reach beyond them.

Šimon is also working on two significant projects: the Casino Guru Academy, which focuses on improving industry knowledge through a series of free educational courses focused on various important areas of gambling, and the Global Self-Exclusion Initiative, whose main aim is to create a global self-exclusion system that will effectively reduce gambling-related harm and create an effective barrier between all self-excluded players and further opportunities to play.

Read our interview with Šimon here.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Jozef Krucay Branch Operations Lead at Casino Guru Jozef has teamed up with Casino Guru in 2018 and since then, he's tried several positions within the company: reviewing the content of thousands of casinos, resolving an enormous amount of player complaints, analysing terms and conditions of casinos in our online database, and even communicating with operators to make improvements based on what we found in their T&Cs. At the moment, Jozef is the Deputy Head of Data and Complaints, he delegates a team of 25 professionals, and, most importantly, he is making sure that everything within the Data and Complaints department goes as smooth as possible.

Read our interview with Jozef here.

Peter Matúška Head of Data Administration at Casino Guru Peter's journey at Casino Guru started a little over 4 years ago. At the time, he was responsible for adding new casinos to Casino Guru's database, and this was later accompanied by his involvement in complaints. This gave him the perfect opportunity to look at the casino industry from both the player's and the casino's point of view. He currently leads our data team, whose main goal is to give players the most accurate information about casinos through our honest reviews.

Read our interview with Peter here.

Daniel Dolejsi Social Media & Community Lead at Casino Guru Prior to joining Casino Guru, Daniel spent almost 4 years working for LeoVegas – one of the biggest online casinos based in Malta.

In Casino Guru, he is responsible for development of a multilingual gambling community forum and he also leads a team that takes care of our social media channels, user reviews and that also provides our newsletter subscribers with relevant information from the gambling industry. Considering his background and previous work experience, he is also available as an advisor to our team that is responsible for dealing with players‘ complaints against casinos.

You can also find him on LinkedIn.

Daniela Sliva Public Relations & Creative Projects Director at Casino Guru Daniela is the Public Relations & Creative Projects Director at Casino Guru. With her expertise in communication, marketing and strategic partnerships, Daniela plays a pivotal role in overseeing various aspects of the organization. Her responsibilities range from managing creative projects to leading both external and internal communications for Casino Guru.

In her role, Daniela spearheads partnerships with key industry players, ensuring fruitful collaborations that benefit both parties involved. Her keen eye for opportunities and her ability to forge meaningful connections have resulted in successful short-term and long-term projects, such as Casino Guru News or Casino Guru Awards. Daniela's forward-thinking approach has led Casino Guru to embrace new avenues of communication. From webinars to the ever-popular TikTok, she and her team continuously explore fresh and engaging ways to connect with their audience.

Read our interview with Daniela here.

You can also find her on LinkedIn.

Judging process

Our panel of judges will consist of Casino Guru experts and external specialists from related fields. Several categories will be judged solely by our Casino Guru team of experts based on our expertise in the relevant field. For the remaining categories, external specialists are invited to the table, and a joint decision regarding the winner will be made.

All judges are masters in their fields, and none of them have any conflict of interest that might interfere with their unbiased and truthful opinions. All data is highly confidential, and no information will be shared with third parties.