Shortlisted nominees and judges reflect on online evaluation calls for Casino Guru Awards 2025 as they prepare the first-ever live ceremony this June where the winners will be announced.

When the shortlisted candidates for the Casino Guru Awards 2025 met with the judging panel during online calls on April 23 and 24, the atmosphere was noticeably different from a typical awards evaluation.

Our panel of over 30 expert judges carefully evaluated the shortlisted nominees, chosen from more than 300 submissions to the Casino Guru Awards. It's worth noting that the sheer quantity and quality of nominations made the shortlist selection process a significant challenge in itself.

However, we made sure that the picked nominees reflect a high standard of excellence in their category, even though not everybody can be a winner. Award categories include:

• The Fairest General T&Cs
• The Most Impactful Social Responsibility Initiative
• The Best Implementation of RG Tools
• The Most Transparent Casino
• The Most Effective Handling of Complaints
• The Most Ethical Approach to Marketing
• iGaming Changemaker of the Year

The two remaining categories—Players' Choice and Voice of the People—were not evaluated by our judging panel. Instead, they are determined entirely by public voting. These categories received an overwhelming response, with over 150,000 public votes cast in total.

Casino Guru Awards 2025 Live in Malta

For the third time in the event’s history, online interviews in addition to the written nominations were held. But this time, the conversations also served as a warm-up for something new: a long-anticipated live invite-only event, set to take place on June 6 at Hilton Malta in St Julian's, Malta.

The transition to an in-person format has added a spark of excitement among finalists and judges alike. Yet, the individual interviews with shortlisted companies that preceded the ceremony still played a vital role in picking the winners of Casino Guru Awards 2025.

As in previous years, the individual evaluation calls were spread over two days and divided into more than 40 half-hour sessions (which is an increase from last year’s 30+ sessions). During these, the shortlisted candidates had the opportunity to present why they should win, as well as answer additional questions from the judges.

These questions helped nominees better showcase their submissions and gave judges deeper insight into each nomination, aiding in the final decision-making process.

This unique approach—rarely seen in the online gambling industry—is one of the things that truly sets the Casino Guru Awards apart. It places careful emphasis on excellence, transparency, and the willingness of companies and individuals to go the extra mile to improve a safer and more responsible gambling environment.

So, how was this year’s online evaluation process received by the shortlisted companies and judges? Read on to find out.

You can’t put culture into a PDF

For Matthew Curtis, Head of Safer Gaming at L&L Europe, the online evaluation interview was a moment to break free from the structural limitations of a written nomination.

"Writing the nomination creates finality," he reflected. "It’s an attempt to elicit the perfect version of text… But the essence of L&L Europe’s Safer Gambling team cannot be captured on paper."

In the online setting, Curtis sought to share something deeper—his team’s culture, their gratitude, their purpose. "If just one more person sees our systems in action and finds inspiration, we’re already winners," he concluded.

A human touch

For Giorgi Tsutskiridze, Chief Commercial Officer of SPRIBE, the value of the interview was simple but significant: "It allowed us to go beyond facts and figures and speak about our passion, our people, and the purpose that drives SPRIBE forward."

Others echoed this sentiment. Mila Borysko, Team Lead CPA Affiliates at OnlyWin Casino, described the call as "an exciting and valuable experience," comparing their preparation for online interviews to an exam. For her, the real-time dialogue made it possible to "highlight all of our features" and share the mission behind their work.

BETANDYOU’s Alexis P. noted the difference in tone between formality and face-to-face connection. "During the live interview… we could talk about our achievements in more depth, highlight key moments, and share much more than what fits on a page," she said.

Judging integrity over glamour

For the judges, the online discussions were not just supplementary, they were often essential.

Kevin O’Neill of the Responsible Gaming Foundation emphasized the importance of authenticity. "You can have a perfect submission," he said, "but the authentic passion is only visible when presenting." Being able to clarify, challenge, and see that the person knows what they’re talking about was a necessary strong point for many judges.

James Mpiirwe, CEO at Kiwibet, agreed. While he valued the written submissions for structured insight, he noted that "the nominees' enthusiasm during presentations really stood out."

Still, some judges, like Pieter Remmers of G4, faced logistical challenges. Different time zones prevented him from attending online interviews. "But even watching the recordings, what stood out was the knowledge—not the marketing language," he noted.

Transparency, complaints, and RG tools

Judges from Casino Guru’s internal team also weighed in on what made certain entries rise above.

Daniel Dolejsi, assessing The Most Transparent Casino category, described transparency as more than a buzzword. "It’s in the details," he said. "When a casino admits mistakes, clearly displays RTPs, and handles complaints openly—that’s when you know they mean it."

Matej Novota, who was present not only at The Most Effective Handling of Complaints category calls, found this year’s field more competitive than ever. "It was refreshing to see that the outcome wasn’t obvious. The industry is finally realizing that complaints handling really makes a difference."

?imon Vincze, evaluating TheBest Implementation of Responsible Gambling Tools, was impressed by one nominee who not only implemented tools effectively but also motivated players to use them, a key challenge when it comes to RG tool implementation. "They created an environment that encouraged engagement, and the data showed it worked," he said.

A journey worth celebrating

Whether seasoned participants or first-time entrants, the nominees shared a common theme: the Awards offered not just recognition, but reflection.

"The CG Awards sparked valuable self-reflection for us," said Tsutskiridze. "It gave us a broader perspective on our progress."

OnlyWin Casino’s M. Borysko called the process "one of our first major challenges in industry recognition".

For RoySpins’ Emīls Desainis, the process was seamless and professional: "Everything was awesome. Keep that same great vibe going."

And as BETANDYOU’s Alexis P. put it, "If we were judging this experience and the whole process, we’d give it a 10 out of 10."

Looking ahead

The 2025 Casino Guru Awards mark a turning point. The online conversations served their purpose, but the story continues offline. On June 6, for the first time ever, finalists, judges, and organizers will meet in Malta to find out winners of Casino Guru Awards 2025.

From online calls to the big stage, the Awards are evolving. But the goal remains the same: recognizing those in iGaming who lead with excellence and outstanding contributions.

Image credit: Casino Guru News