Few industry events get operators talking like the EGR Operator Awards. Organised by EGR, one of the best-known business media brands in online gambling, the awards single out the operators that set the pace on growth, product and customer experience. Here is how EGR and its awards work, using the 2017 edition as a case study.
What is EGR?
EGR – originally eGaming Review – is a business publication covering the online gambling industry. Alongside its main title it runs specialist channels such as EGR Marketing, EGR Technology and EGR North America, each focused on its own part of the market.
Its output spans news, interviews and commentary from senior executives, plus research reports on sportsbooks, casinos, bingo, poker, affiliates, jurisdictions and payments, published online and in print. The audience is mainly B2B: operators, suppliers, investors and regulators.
EGR’s events calendar
EGR also runs a busy programme of events – briefings, summits, webinars and awards ceremonies. In 2017 alone, 41 events were planned. One example from that year was the EGR Future Digital Summit, held on 13–14 November 2017 in Hampshire, England. The invitation-only event focused on technology, product and digital marketing, with sessions on data, cyber security, artificial intelligence and customer acquisition.
Other fixtures include the Power 50 Summit, linked to EGR’s ranking of leading online gambling operators, and separate awards for suppliers. The Operator Awards remain the headline event.
How the Operator Awards work
The awards recognise operators across a long list of categories, from sports betting and casino to customer service, fair play and affiliate programmes, culminating in Operator of the Year. Entries are assessed by a judging panel drawn from across the industry, including consultants, analysts and technology specialists. Shortlisted nominees are announced ahead of the ceremony, and the winners are revealed on the night.
Because the judges look at a full year of performance, a win carries weight with partners, investors and staff, and a place on the shortlist is often treated as an achievement in its own right.
The 2017 ceremony in numbers
- Date and venue: 26 October 2017, London
- Categories: 30, including bookmakers, rising stars, game of the year, affiliate programmes and Operator of the Year
- Judges: 22 industry professionals, with representatives of Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, Regulus Partners, Degree 53, 1710 Gaming and Google among them
- Host: comedian Patrick Monahan
The evening opened with a drinks reception and dinner before the awards were presented later in the night.
The Operator of the Year shortlist
- bet365
- Ladbrokes Coral
- LeoVegas
- Lottoland
- Mr Green
- Pinnacle
- Sky Betting & Gaming
- The Stars Group
The winner: bet365
The top prize went to bet365. The judges pointed to twelve months of exceptional revenue and profit growth, driven by continual product development and strong execution, and to a customer base spread across more than 150 countries.
What operators can learn from award winners
Most operators will never collect a trophy on that stage, but shortlists are a useful benchmark. The qualities judges reward are the same ones that drive long-term performance:
- Consistent product investment – regular improvements rather than one big launch.
- Customer service that resolves issues quickly across every channel.
- Fair play and responsible gambling built into the product, not bolted on afterwards.
- Data-driven marketing that measures acquisition and retention.
- Execution – shipping changes reliably and at scale.
Strong foundations make all of that easier. Our casino platform and sportsbook software give operators the tools to build on – talk to us about your plans.
Written and reviewed by the iGaming Software Solutions Editorial Team.
