The fifth edition introduces Player Protection Advocate of the Year, recognizing professionals working to reduce gambling-related harm. Nominations are open until February 15, 2027.
Casino Guru has officially launched the Casino Guru Awards 2027, with nominations now open for the upcoming edition. This year’s awards introduce a new category dedicated to professionals whose work helps strengthen player protection through policies, initiatives, and industry best practices.
Player Protection Advocate of the Year: a new recognition
The fifth edition follows a successful 2026 season, which introduced several new categories, including Woman Leader of the Year, Rising Star in Responsible Gambling, Young Changemaker Award, and Company Culture Shaper.
For 2027, Casino Guru is expanding the awards lineup with Player Protection Advocate of the Year, recognizing individuals who make meaningful contributions to player safety and efforts to prevent gambling-related harm.
Simon Vincze, Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling at Casino Guru, highlighted the importance of giving greater visibility to professionals working in this area.
“Player protection has always been closely connected to the Casino Guru Awards. With this new category, we want to give more visibility to the people across the industry who influence policy, develop better practices and bring organizations together around player protection.”
The 13 Casino Guru Awards 2027 categories
The 2027 edition features 13 categories recognizing social responsibility, leadership, transparency, and best practices across the industry:
- The Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative
- The Best Implementation of RG Tools
- Player Protection Advocate of the Year
- iGaming Changemaker of the Year
- Woman Leader of the Year
- Rising Star in Responsible Gambling
- Young Changemaker Award
- Company Culture Shaper
- The Most Transparent Casino
- The Fairest T&Cs
- The Most Effective Handling of Complaints
- Players’ Choice
- Voice of the People
How to submit a nomination
Companies and individuals can nominate themselves or someone else by selecting the relevant category and completing the official nomination form.
They can also submit a detailed nomination letter and supporting evidence to help the judging panel assess each candidate.
How are the winners selected?
The judging panel brings together Casino Guru specialists and external industry professionals. The evaluation process includes reviewing submitted materials and conducting online interviews with shortlisted candidates.
Public voting will also remain part of the awards. While expert judges will determine most categories, the Players’ Choice and Voice of the People awards will be decided entirely by public vote.
The awards ceremony returns to Malta in May 2027
The Casino Guru Awards 2027 will conclude with an exclusive, invitation-only ceremony on May 26, 2027, in Malta, held during NEXT Summit Valletta 2027.
The event will bring together shortlisted nominees, judges, partners, and other industry professionals to celebrate the achievements of this year’s finalists and announce the winners.
Key dates
- Nominations open: October 2026
- Nominations close: February 15, 2027
- Shortlisted nominees announced: March 1, 2027
- Public voting begins: March 1, 2027
- Judging period: April 30 to May 7, 2027
- Public voting closes: May 7, 2027
- Winners announced: May 26, 2027, Casino Maltese, Malta
Nominations for the Casino Guru Awards 2027 are now open. Companies and industry professionals can submit their entries through the official awards website.
