IGA 2017

James Casingdom

James, Author

The International Gaming Awards held its 10th awards ceremony this February in London. The IGA is supported by many of the greatest gaming clients from all aspects of online gaming. There are a number of categories that are voted on and each winner will hold a prestigious title. There were 26 awards handed out at this year’s IGA and many of these were to land-based casinos as well as some of the better known online casino sites operating. These awards include the great accomplishments, awards for being socially responsible, being a great place to work at and security innovation.

Recognized Software Providers

There were many categories that included online gaming software providers and a number of these awards were claimed by some of the most known names in the gaming industry. Not only does the receipt of the IGA award indicate the level if trustworthiness of these providers, but also gives players a great stating point when they are selecting online casinos to begin a gaming experience.

This year, there were some major software companies that collected their IGA Awards. The iGaming Software Supplier Award was presented to Betconstruct while Yggdrasil claimed the award for Innovator. Yggdrasil has a great year in 2016, when the company gained many new licenses, signed with some of the largest operators in the industry and introduced a number of new client retention tools and amazing promotions.

Another category was the Great Place to Work, which was presented to NetEnt. Playtech was declared the winner of the Technology Provider/Supplier of the year and Microgaming was proud to receive the Mobile Product of the Year award. Microgaming was the first company to introduce mobile gaming 12 years ago and since then, they have created the largest portfolio of mobile games. With over 350 brands supporting the company’s mobile products, Microgaming has been the preferred choice for millions of players.

Some of the other awards that were presented included the Socially Responsible Operator Online, which went to Amaya Inc. and the Slot Provider/Supplier Product, going to Play N’ Go. The award to Play N’ Go recognized some of the greatest slots to be introduced to players in 2016, including the titles of Fire Joker, Bugs Party, Huge, Grim Muerto and 7 Sins. On the past year, this company has launched 20 new releases and joined forces with over 20 online operators. Play N’ Go was also nominated for their Mobile Product of the Year award.

Top Gaming Operator

The 2017 award for the Top Gaming Operator of the Year went to Mr. Green, a well-known and respected online casino in the industry. This is one of the most prestigious awards presented to an online casino and Mr Green has been providing safe and secure access to some of the best games in the world for a number of years. The mission of the casino is to offer players a superior gaming experience and throughout 2016 the site launched many new offerings, including a sportsbook and a live casino. This award is one that will keep Mr Green on the map and will let players know they are about to play at one of the most trusted and recognized sites in the industry.

Various Operator Awards Presented

In addition to the Top Gaming Operator of the Year Award, IGA handed out a number of other awards to online operators. The Online Bingo Operator of the Year went to Unibet, known for offering amazing bingo variations, great tournaments and large pooled jackpot payouts.

IGA 2017 winner

The Online Casino Operator of the Year award was given to Leo Vegas, a gambling site that has a great reputation in the industry. This is the second year in a row that Leo Vegas had claimed this award. Leo Vegas is known to be one of the best online and mobile casinos operating in the industry and claiming this award two years in a row surely lets players know this site is one that should not be overlooked.
In regards to sites that host poker games, the Online Poker Operator of the Year award went to Aconcagua Poker. There was also a category for sportsbooks, where ComeOn took home the award for Online Sportsbook Operator of the Year. In 2016, ComeOn was acquired by Cherry iGaming and has successfully built an amazing presence in the sports betting industry.

Start-Up Success

Coolbet, a site that was just launched in May of 2016, claimed the Start Up of the Year Award. This is one of the newest categories to be added to the IGA and it recognizes a site that has the highest potential. The nominees for this category were sites that offered innovation and great passion for making a mark in the gaming industry. Coolbet offers an online casino as well as a sportsbook to Scandinavian and Estonian gaming markets. The platform was developed from scratch and the site quickly grew in popularity as well as member registrations. In fact, within months, there were more than 15,000 active members engaging in betting activities at the site.

Slots, Slots and More Slots

When it comes to offering the best array of slots and the greatest payouts, players turn their attention to VideoSlots.com the recent winner of the Slots Operator or the Year Award. The award was given to this site based on the unique features that are offered, such as Casino Races, Cashback program and the Battle of the Slots events. Videoslots had an extremely successful year and with much growth expected in 2017, this slots focused site will surely be a contender for the award next year as well.

Security and Payment Awards

Aside from being deemed Operator of the Year or receiving a software award, there were two other categories that were at the IGA 2017. The Payment Solutions Provider Award went to ECommPay. This payment provider has a great reputation in the industry and is known for offering complete banking solutions. The mission of the company is to provide e-Commerce clients with the best possible services, unique and innovative products and advanced technologies.

Another award was offered to Safecharge for Security Innovation. This company has designed unique deposit and withdrawal solutions and offers advanced payment technologies.

Land Casino Awards

While many of the awards at this year’s IGA went to online providers, software developers and operators. There were also a number of awards that were presented to land based casinos. These awards span across the globe and recognize casinos and resorts that have made a huge impact on the gambling industry. Though there were just five awards for land casinos, these awards were well received and were awarded to casinos and operators that have made vast improvements to ensure that players have the best possible experience with each and every visit.

One of the awards that is handed out at IGA is the Casino/Integrated Resort of the Year. This year, the winner was Galaxy Entertainment. This is the first year this award has been offered and it is the fourth major award that has been received by Galaxy Macau since they opened in 2011. The Galaxy Entertainment Group is a respected developer of resort facilities in Asia.

Galaxy Macau Winner IGA 2017

For the US based casino industry, the Las Vegas Sands was declared the winner of the Casino Operator of the Year Americas. The Casino Operator of the Year Asia/ Australia Award went to Star Sydney. Each year, the Star has more than 11 million guests and offers the very best experienced in dining as well as casino action. This IGA award recognizes the Star Sydney as having amazing accomplishments in 2016. With a newly opened Training Academy and property enhancements, the Star is now one of the most recognized in the Asia-Pacific region.

In Europe, the Casino Operator of the Year award was presented to Caesars, while the Casino VIP Room of the Year went to The Ritz Cub. This is the third time The Ritz has claimed this award. The judging panel reached their decision based on the evaluation of customer service, exceptional features, quality of design and the best use of technology. The VIP room at The Ritz is the Aida Room, and it is known to be one of the most attractive in the world, featuring silk clad walls, crystal chandeliers, ceilings that are quite ornate and so much more. Combines, these create the glitz, glamour and power players seek and VIP players. The room hosts private games of poker, roulette, blackjack and baccarat and it is one of the most private retreats available.

With so many awards being claimed by the best in the online and land gaming industry, the IGA 2017 was an exciting and memorable awards ceremony. Many of the top software providers, casino operators and land casinos took home awards that will place them on the gambling map for years to come.

The 10th International Gaming Awards Highlights

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