Casino Guru will recognize individuals who work to reduce gambling-related harm through a new Player Protection Advocate of the Year award at the Casino Guru Awards 2027. Nominations for the fifth edition of the awards are open until February 15, 2027.
The new category is intended for individuals who make a real contribution to player safety in the area of gambling-related harm reduction. Casino Guru officially launched the 2027 awards with the opening of nominations earlier this month.
“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,” said Simon Vincze, Head of Sustainable and Safer Gambling at Casino Guru.
Thirteen categories in the 2027 lineup
The 2026 season had introduced several new categories, among them Woman Leader of the Year, Rising Star in Responsible Gambling, Young Changemaker Award and Company Culture Shaper.
The full list of categories for the Casino Guru Awards 2027 is as follows:
- 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
Both companies and individuals are eligible to submit nominations, either for themselves or for someone else. The process requires the selection of the relevant category and the completion of the official nomination form.
Participants may also send a more detailed nomination letter with supporting evidence to help judges assess each nomination. Nominations can be submitted through the official Casino Guru Awards website.
Expert panel and public vote determine winners
Casino Guru specialists and external industry professionals make up the judging panel. Their evaluation will include a review of submitted materials and online interviews with shortlisted candidates.
Expert judges will decide the winners in most categories. However, public voting remains part of the awards, and the Players’ Choice and Voice of the People categories will be determined entirely by public vote.
Awards return to Malta in May
After nominations close on February 15, 2027, Casino Guru will announce the shortlisted nominees on March 1, 2027. Public voting will open on that same date.
The judging period is scheduled from April 30 to May 7, 2027, and public voting will also close on May 7.
The Casino Guru Awards will return to Malta for a live, invite-only ceremony at Casino Maltese on May 26, 2027, where the winners will be announced. The event will take place during NEXT Summit Valletta 2027 and will bring together shortlisted nominees, judges, partners, and other industry professionals.