Meet the Nominees: SBC Awards 2026 Shortlist Revealed

SBC has officially announced the shortlisted nominees for the 13th edition of the SBC Awards, set to take place at Lisbon's MEO Arena on Thursday, 1 October, bringing down the curtain on SBC Summit 2026.

Bringing together 1,200 industry professionals, the ceremony will present 38 awards recognising outstanding achievements across the global betting and gaming industry, spanning operators, suppliers, payments, compliance, marketing, platforms and data.

Leading this year's shortlist in nominations is Kanggiten, securing nine nominations across the evening, followed closely by Betsson Group and Sportradar, with seven nominations apiece.

Other notable nominees include Kaizen Gaming, securing six nominations, whilst BetConstruct AI, Evoplay, GR8 TECH, Playtech and Soft2Bet have each received five nominations.

Rasmus Sojmark, CEO and Founder of SBC, said: “Making the SBC Awards shortlist is never easy, but it's also one of my favourite moments in the entire process.

“It truly shines a light on the incredible work happening across our industry, whether it's household names returning to defend their titles or newcomers enjoying a breakthrough year. That mix is what makes the SBC Awards so special. We can't wait to welcome everyone to the MEO Arena and celebrate these achievements together.”

In the operator categories, Kaizen Gaming will seek a third consecutive Operator of the Year – Large award, facing competition from businesses including Codere Online, LeoVegas Group and Megapari.

Meanwhile, Betsson Group returns to defend its Casino Operator of the Year title, while 1xBet and NOVIBET are once again shortlisted for Marketing Campaign of the Year and Innovation in Casino & Gaming Entertainment, respectively.

This year will also see separate Employer of the Year awards presented to operators and suppliers. The supplier shortlist includes reigning champion SOFTSWISS, alongside names such as Alea, BETBY, GR8 TECH and Playtech. Operator nominees include Allwyn Hellas, Bally's, and Parimatch.

The highly anticipated Leader of the Year award will remain under wraps until the night, with the recipient revealed live during the ceremony.

In the payments and compliance categories, GeoComply will attempt to retain its Fraud & Compliance Solution of the Year title. PayPal, Trustly, Worldpay and Yaspa are among the businesses shortlisted for Payment Solution of the Year, while MiFinity, OKTO Payments, Pay4Fun and Paysecure feature in the Payment Innovation of the Year category.

The supplier categories will span 22 awards covering casino content, sportsbook technology, data, platforms, marketing and player acquisition.

Sportradar returns in pursuit of consecutive wins for Sports Data Product and Land-Based Betting & Gaming Product, while Optimove will seek to retain both Marketing & Services Provider of the Year and Acquisition & Retention Partner.

Elsewhere, GR8 TECH will defend its Platform Provider of the Year title against a field featuring EveryMatrix, Playtech, Soft2Bet, SOFTSWISS, Sportingtech and Sportradar.

The ceremony will once again recognise the industry's emerging businesses through four Rising Star awards spanning casino, sports betting and software innovation.

For those interested in the affiliate sector, SBC will also host the dedicated Affiliate Leaders Awards at the MEO Arena on Wednesday, 30 September. The ceremony will recognise the companies, campaigns, technologies and individuals driving progress across affiliate and performance marketing.

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

Please note that a separate ticket is required for attending the ceremony. You can find the available table and ticket options here.

FAQs – SBC Awards 2026 Shortlist

What are the SBC Awards 2026?
The SBC Awards 2026 are annual industry awards recognising excellence across the global betting and gaming sector, celebrating achievements in operations, technology, payments, compliance, marketing and innovation.

When will the SBC Awards 2026 take place?
The ceremony will be held on Thursday, 1 October 2026, at Lisbon's MEO Arena, concluding SBC Summit 2026.

Where are the SBC Awards 2026 being held?
The awards ceremony will take place at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal, one of Europe's largest indoor event venues.

Which company received the most nominations?
Kanggiten leads the SBC Awards 2026 shortlist with nine nominations, followed by Betsson Group and Sportradar with seven nominations each.

How many award categories are included?
The SBC Awards 2026 feature 38 award categories, covering operators, suppliers, payments, compliance, marketing, platforms, data and other industry segments.

Who organises the SBC Awards?
The awards are organised by SBC, the company behind SBC Summit and several leading betting and gaming industry events.

What is the Leader of the Year award?
The Leader of the Year award recognises an outstanding industry leader, with the winner announced live during the awards ceremony.

What are the Rising Star awards?
The Rising Star awards recognise emerging companies making significant contributions to casino, sports betting and software innovation.

Are tickets required to attend the SBC Awards 2026?
Yes. A separate ticket is required to attend the awards ceremony, even for those attending SBC Summit 2026.

Where can I see the complete shortlist?
The complete shortlist is available on the official SBC Awards website, where visitors can also find event and ticket information.