2023 Categories
The categories for the EGR Operator Awards 2023 have been developed following a thorough research process to ensure they reflect the fast-moving nature of the sector. Each category has its own set of criteria to ensure that entering companies can fully demonstrate why they deserve to win and so that judges can decide on the true standout firm in each category.
Headline Categories
Affiliate of the year
Casino operator
Operator of the year
Sports betting operator
ESG strategy of the year (for operators and affiliates) *NEW FOR 2023*
Employer of the year (for operators and affiliates)
Affiliate Categories
Affiliate rising star
Bingo affiliate
Casino affiliate
Marketing campaign (affiliates only)
Sports affiliate
Operator Categories
Affiliate programme
Betting exchange operator *NEW FOR 2023*
Bingo operator
Crypto operator
Customer services operator
Esports operator
Football betting operator
Horse race betting operator
In-house product
In-play sports operator
Lottery operator
Marketing campaign (operators only)
Mobile casino product
Mobile sports product
Operator rising star
Poker operator
Safer gambling operator
Slots operator
Headline Categories
The Headline Categories consist of our most hotly contested awards. These categories have a different judging process than the other categories and are assessed on a live judging day, where the 2023 finalists can present their entries live to the judging panel. If you’re shortlisted for one of the Headline Categories you’ll be invited to this year’s judging day taking place on the 6th of September (TBC) in central London to convince the judges why you should win either in-person or virtually. This is a great opportunity to make your entry stand out from the rest of the competition, and for each headline category a bronze and silver award will be given in addition to the gold winner.
Affiliate of the year
The judges will reward the affiliate that has stood out from the pack in a competitive sector through innovation, traffic generation and growth, genuine ROI for operators and the ability to build strong partner relationships. This is not an award for the biggest affiliate site, but scale will be a factor in determining the winner. Entrants will need to provide evidence of growth, innovation, quality and scale of traffic and differentiation.
Key criteria include:
- Differentiation and quality of offering
- Quality and scale of traffic
- Growth
- Innovation
- Strong partner relationships
Casino operator
The winner of this award will be the casino operator that has been able to dominate the sector through their global reach and quality of their product. Entrants will be judged on the originality of their product, the strength of the brand and product, and innovations helping set their offering apart from its competitors. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success
- Innovation and differentiation
- Quality of product
- Customer acquisition and retention strategies
- Quality of brand and marketing
Operator of the year
This award recognises the operator that has set the standards for others to follow over the past year. The judges will be looking for a company that has acted as a driving force for innovation across all areas of the business and the winning operator will need to demonstrate a market-leading proposition. It is not a reward for the largest operator, but rather operational excellence in the markets where the company has a presence. Judges will be looking for a company that has clearly differentiated itself from the chasing pack in its sector, through a mixture of growth, innovation and strong product performance in one or more of the key verticals. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Operational excellence
- Quality and diversity of product
- Innovation and differentiation
- Growth and commercial success I
- Influence on wider egaming market
- Strength of brand and marketing
Sports betting operator
In the competitive sports betting field, the operator that has been able to differentiate itself from its key rivals through an excellent product offering, an effective marketing strategy and impressive global reach will be awarded this prize. Judges are looking for an operator that has enjoyed consistent growth over the past year and demonstrated operational excellence in the markets they operate within. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Scale and growth
- Geographical diversity
- Innovation and differentiation
- Quality of product
- Strength of brand and marketing
Employer of the year -
(for operators and affiliates)
This award will recognise the operator or affiliate that can demonstrate its commitment to organisational performance improvement through investment in the recruitment, personal and skills development and motivation of every individual employee. Special consideration will be given to the operator or affiliate that can show evidence of a clear plan towards integrating a strong company culture right across the business.
Key criteria include:
- Staff retention and employee engagement
- Positive leadership and management
- Incentive and benefit schemes
- Quality of training initiatives
ESG strategy of the year -
(for operators and affiliates) *NEW for 2023*
This award will recognise the operator or affiliate that can demonstrate a commitment and robust strategy towards ESG and sustainability goals. Special consideration will go to the operator or affiliate that can show evidence of company-wide implementation of ESG and sustainability priorities, as well as efforts to encourage and lead the wider industry in the pursuit of improved sustainability across the sector.
Key criteria include:
- Clear evidence of focussed ESG strategies
- Transparency of reporting and accountability
- Demonstrating responsible leadership within the industry
Affiliate Categories
Affiliate rising star
The Affiliate rising star award rewards an affiliate of up to three years in existence that, despite being new to the sector, is rapidly growing and establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. Innovation will be a major factor in the judging process, however operational excellence and early signs of commercial success will also be taken into account.
Key criteria include:
- Greatest promise
- Innovation and differentiation
- Growth and commercial success
- Profitability
Please note: This category is only open to affiliates that have been established for three years or less.
Bingo affiliate
The judges will reward the bingo affiliate that has provided significant traffic, player numbers, and genuine ROI for operators. An ability to build strong partner relationships as well as innovation in terms of brand, marketing, and player retention strategies will be key criteria for deciding a winner. This is not an award for the biggest affiliate site, but scale will be a factor in determining the winner. Entrants will need to provide evidence of scale of traffic and strong partnerships with operators as well as putting forward a clear case for differentiation and stand-out within their sector.
Key criteria include:
- Differentiation and quality of offering
- Quality and scale of traffic
- Growth Innovation
- Strong partner relationships
Casino affiliate
The judges will reward the casino affiliate that has provided significant traffic, player numbers and genuine ROI for operators. An ability to build strong partner relationships as well as innovation in terms of brand, marketing and player retention strategies will be key criteria for deciding a winner. This is not an award for the biggest affiliate site, but scale will be a factor in determining the winner. Entrants will need to provide evidence of scale of traffic and strong partnerships with operators as well as putting forward a clear case for differentiation and stand-out within their sector.
Key criteria include:
- Differentiation and quality of offering
- Quality and scale of traffic
- Growth
- Innovation
- Strong partner relationships
Marketing campaign (affiliates only)
This award is designed to reward any entrepreneurial marketing initiative and/or innovative new product or brand development that demonstrated new thinking and which can boast significant success.
Key criteria include:
- Commercial success and business growth
- Sales/market share figures
- Description of how market responded to the idea
- Description of future development possibilities
Sports affiliate
The judges will reward the sports betting affiliate that has provided significant traffic, player numbers, and genuine ROI for operators. An ability to build strong partner relationships as well as innovation in terms of brand, marketing, and player retention strategies will be key criteria for deciding a winner. This is not an award for the biggest affiliate site, but scale will be a factor in determining the winner. Entrants will need to provide evidence of scale of traffic and strong partnerships with operators as well as putting forward a clear case for differentiation and stand-out within their sector.
Key criteria include:
- Differentiation and quality of offering
- Quality and scale of traffic
- Growth
- Innovation
- Strong partner relationships
Operator Categories
Affiliate programme
This category rewards the operator affiliate team that can best demonstrate the use of innovative and effective marketing strategies to drive customers to their sites. Judges are looking for programmes that have used the full range of marketing tools available. In this highly competitive environment, evidence of strong affiliate partnerships and effective use of brand messaging will also play a vital role in selecting the winner.
Key criteria include:
- Innovation and creativity
- Brand messaging
- Acquisition or retention numbers
- Affiliate relationship management
Betting exchange operator *NEW for 2023*
This award will recognise the betting exchange operator that has achieved significant success ahead of its peers over the past 12 months. The category is open to exchange-exclusive operators and firms that operate both a sportsbook and exchange vertical. The judges will be looking for evidence of growth, product innovation, marketing success and financial performance.
Key criteria include:
- Customer acquisition and retention
- Product development
- Marketing prowess
- Strategic innovation
Bingo operator
This award is for the bingo operator that has created a stand-out proposition in a competitive market through a combination of product, marketing and/or significant revenue growth. The winner will be a site operating strong product(s) with a significant customer base, an effective marketing strategy, and a lively online community. Operators demonstrating innovation and that are pushing the sector forward will be given special consideration. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success
- Innovation and differentiation
- Quality of product
- Customer acquisition and retention strategies
Crypto operator
This award recognises the operator that has stood out from the pack within crypto gambling. The judges will be looking for evidence of innovation, growth, and the quality of products and service. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success
- Player metrics
- Product quality and functionality
- Innovation and differentiation
Customer services operator
This award will go to the operator that can best demonstrate that it truly has the customer at the heart of its business, and manages its resources to continuously improve its performance standards ensuring it can meet the needs of its entire customer base.
Key criteria include:
- Staff engagement in customer satisfaction strategy
- Continual training and development
- Continual measurement
- Competitive advantage
- Impact on retention
Esports operator
This award is for operators offering a B2C real-money betting product in the burgeoning Esports sector. The award will go to the operator that can demonstrate how it has found success in the field of Esports betting during the 12-month period, with judges taking into consideration product differentiation, presentation and ability to attract a new demographic into the egaming sector.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success
- Innovation and differentiation
- Quality of product
- Quality of brand and marketing
Football betting operator
This award will recognise the operator that has stood out in the football betting space, through quality of product, customer centricity, differentiation and commercial success. Judges will be looking for an operator that offers a market-leading product combined with an effective marketing strategy and CRM capabilities, as well as strong commercial performance.
Key criteria include:
- Quality and breadth of offering
- Scale and product diversity
- Growth and commercial success
- Quality of online and offline marketing
Horse race betting operator
This award will recognise the operator that has stood out in the competitive horse race betting space, through quality of product, customer centricity, differentiation and commercial success. Judges will be looking for an operator that offers a market-leading product combined with an effective marketing strategy and CRM capabilities, as well as strong commercial performance.
Key criteria include:
- Quality and breadth of offering
- Scale and product diversity
- Growth and commercial success
- Quality of online and offline marketing
In-house product
This award will recognise the operator that can demonstrate it has developed the most effective in-house product or platform which helped it stand out from its competitors and offered the biggest commercial boost to its business during the past 12 months. Relevant products include – but are not limited to – betting and gaming platforms, game content, mobile and tablet apps, and marketing technology. Judges will be looking for the success of the product, both commercially and in terms of solving a business need, as well as the level of innovation demonstrated in its conception and development.
Key criteria include:
- Quality of product
- Evidence of positive commercial impact
- Innovation and differentiation
- Link to solving direct business need
In-play sports operator
The judging panel is looking to reward the operator that has developed a product that stands out from the crowd, and provided a significant boost to sportsbook revenue in this vitally important sector of the business. Innovation and strength in mobile and tablet will be a key criteria for assessment. The panel will also be looking at breadth of markets offered and the ability to offer in-play on multiple platforms.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success of product
- Innovation and differentiation
- On and offline marketing strategy
- Breadth of markets and platforms offered
Lottery operator
This award is for operators offering both lottery and bet-on-lottery products. The award will go to the operator that can demonstrate how it has found success in the lottery sector with judges paying particular attention to growth, product innovation and the ability to appeal to a new demographic, which includes the transition of retail players into the online and mobile environment.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success
- Innovation and differentiation
- Quality of product
- Quality of brand and marketing
Marketing campaign (operators only)
This award recognises the operator that has run the most innovative, intelligent and creative marketing campaign over the past year. Judges will select a winner based on effective use of brand and contextual advertising along with other elements such as banner ads, affiliate programmes, use of SEO and viral marketing for a specific campaign. The award is not simply for the most effective campaign in terms of ROI, but the financial performance of the campaign or its success in recruiting new customers will be a factor in judging a winner.
Key criteria include:
- Innovation and originality
- Use of different channels
- Creativity ROI including growth in customer acquisition
Mobile casino product
This award recognises the operator that has made the biggest impact within the mobile and tablet space during the previous 12 months. The award is open both to mobile-only operators and traditional egaming operators with a mobile casino product. The judges will be looking for evidence of revenue growth, acquisition through the mobile channel, innovation and strength of product. The winner will be the operator that can demonstrate a successful cross-platform offering with strong functionality and growth.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success of product
- Player metrics
- Product quality and functionality
- Innovation and differentiation
- Cross-platform strategy
Mobile sports product
This award recognises the operator that has made the biggest impact within the mobile and tablet space during the previous 12 months. The award is open both to mobile-only operators and traditional egaming operators with a mobile sportsbook product. The judges will be looking for evidence of revenue growth, acquisition through the mobile channel, innovation and strength of product. The winner will be the operator that can demonstrate a successful cross-platform offering with strong functionality and growth.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success of product
- Player metrics
- Product quality and functionality
- Innovation and differentiation
- Cross-platform strategy
Operator rising star
The Rising star award rewards an operator of up to three years in existence that, despite being new to the sector, is rapidly growing and establishing itself as a force to be reckoned with. Innovation will be a major factor in the judging process, however operational excellence and early signs of commercial success will also be taken into account.
Please note: this category is only open to companies launched in the last three years and have not previously won this category.
Key criteria include:
- Greatest promise
- Innovation and differentiation
- Growth and commercial success
- Profitability
Poker operator
The poker operator of the year award will be given to the operator that has operated the most successful real-money poker offering over the past year. Judges will award the prize for originality, growth and marketing strategy, with special consideration given to innovation. Special consideration will be given to those operators who have shown growth in the current market and to operators that have been able to differentiate in a crowded sector. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success
- Innovation and differentiation
- Strength of brand and player acquisition strategies
- Quality of product
Safer gambling operator
Judges will award the prize to the operator that has done the most to implement procedures designed to protect their customers. The winner will be rewarded for age verification technology, problem gambling support, responsible gambling safeguards and comprehensive KYC procedures. Special consideration will be given to operators that have campaigned for wider industry controls to ensure socially responsible gambling.
Key criteria include:
- Advancement of research in gambling
- Age verification
- Problem gambling assistence
- Problem gambling safeguards
- CRM and problem gamblers
- KYC procedures
Slots operator
This award will go to the slots operator running the most successful and innovative offering. The judges will be looking for operators that have a strong product offering, brand identity and an effective marketing strategy. This is not an award for the largest operator, but scale, growth and revenue generation will be factor in determining the winner. Additional recognition will be given to operators with a strong regulated market business.
Key criteria include:
- Growth and commercial success of product
- Innovation and differentiation
- Strength of brand and player acquisition strategies
- Quality of product
General Categories
Diversity & inclusion model
This award will recognise the operator or affiliate that can demonstrate its commitment to diversity and inclusion. The award will honour the organisation that puts workforce engagement at the heart of their business strategy, communicating a strategy that provided clear support and inclusion for all.
Key criteria include:
- Details of D&I strategy
- Positive impacts on representation and retention
- Engagement, education, and commitment
Game of the year
The Game of the year category will recognise the game studio or operator that has produced the stand-alone game that has made the biggest impact during the past 12 months. To vote for the Game of the year category at the 2023 EGR Operator Awards, you must have been shortlisted for one of the Operator Awards. Please ensure that you have carefully read the information on each game and the entry criteria below.
Key criteria include:
- Quality of product
- Innovation and differentiation
- Commercial success
- Player metrics
Explain in a maximum of 1000 words why you think that your business should win the Award, giving supporting examples and evidence to illustrate your answer. Please ensure that you have carefully read the judging criteria and that your answer covers each of the points outlined in the criteria. Please submit any supporting material together with your entry form.
Should your entry be shortlisted, this statement will appear on the online voting form provided to the operators to help them select a winner (please note that the online vote will not be private, so do not provide any confidential information in this statement that you do not wish to be viewed by the operators).
Get in touch
If you have any questions or need any more information please contact Clark Beecroft.