Some of the biggest names in the burgeoning US online gambling and sports betting industry were honored on the opening day of G2E 2020, as Rush Street Interactive, GeoComply, and DraftKings claimed Global Gaming Awards.

Since 2014, the Global Gaming Awards (GGA) have helped kick-off G2E (Global Gaming Expo), the preeminent gaming trade show and conference in North America. And like G2E, GGA 2020 took place online.

Awards are routinely handed out at conferences and trade shows, but G2E isn’t just another conference.

, the GGA’s are the “most trusted Awards in the industry.” The GGA is “powered by leading B2B-gaming publication Gambling Insider in association with G2E and independently adjudicated by KPMG Isle of Man.” is held at ICE London, the preeminent gaming trade show in Europe.

Here’s a quick look at how Tuesday’s ceremony went for some of the companies our readers are familiar with:

• Rush Street interactive bested DraftKings and Golden Nugget to take home the Digital Operator of the Year trophy.
• Evolution Gaming topped SBTech and Kambi, walking away with the Digital Industry Supplier award.
• GeoComply took home the Responsible Business Award, beating BMM Test Labs and San Manuel Casino.
• DraftKings’ Jason Robins was named American Executive of the Year. Robins was chosen from a group of finalists that included GeoComply’s Anna Sainsbury, Hard Rock’s Jim Allen, and the duo of Sheila Morago of the Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association and NIGA’s Ernie Stevens Jr.

A complete list of winners and nominees is provided below.

Further Reading

Betting USA has in-depth coverage and interviews with several of the nominees and winners:

• GeoComply: The Backbone Of Legal Online Gambling In The US, Part 1: Geolocation
• Kambi: Kambi CEO Discusses The US Market Before, During, And After COVID-19 and Exclusive Interview: Kambi Prepares For Life After DraftKings
• Golden Nugget: How Golden Nugget Conquered The US Online Gambling Market

The 2020 Global Gaming Awards Winners

Below is the complete list of GGA Las Vegas 2020 nominees and winners (bolded).

Land-Based operator (sponsored by IGT)

• Seminole Gaming
• MGM Resorts International
• Caesars Entertainment (formerly Eldorado Resorts)

Digital Operator (sponsored by Connective Games)

• Rush Street Interactive
• DraftKings
• Golden Nugget

Land-Based Product (sponsored by 1xBet)

• Aristocrat – MarsX Cabinet
• Interblock – Stadium
• Incredible Technologies – Crazy Money Double Deluxe

Digital Product (sponsored by Synergy Blue)

• Scientific Games – OpenGaming
• IGT – PlaySports
• Sportradar – OTT Solution

Land-based Industry supplier (sponsored by Global Payments)

• Aristocrat
• IGT
• Scientific Games

Digital Industry supplier (sponsored by Aristocrat)

• Evolution Gaming
• SBTech/DraftKings
• Kambi

Customer Loyalty Program (sponsored by Interblock)

• MGM Resorts International – M Life
• Caesars Entertainment – Caesars Rewards
• Penn National Gaming – mychoice

Property (sponsored by Scientific Games)

• The Guitar Hotel
• The Venetian Macao
• The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Product Innovation (sponsored by Newgioco Group)

• Scientific Games – Contactless Gaming Solutions
• Evolution Gaming – Mega Ball and Crazy Time
• IGT – PeakBarTop Cabinet

Slot (sponsored by FABICash)

• Aristocrat – Dollar Storm
• NetEnt – Divine Fortune
• Scientific Games – Dancing Drums Explosion

Responsible Business (sponsored by CasinoTrac)

• GeoComply
• BMM Testlabs
• San Manuel Casino

American Executive (sponsored by Continent 8 Technologies)

• Jason Robins – DraftKings
• Anna Sainsbury – GeoComply
• Jim Allen – Hard Rock
• Sheila Morago – Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association; Ernie Stevens Jr. – National Indian Gaming Association 

The Decision-Makers

The GGA follow a two-stage process in determining the winners.

First, several months before the show, a nomination panel short-lists the finalists.  

The nomination panel is made up of:

• Kate Lowenhar-Fisher, Gaming Chair, Dickinson Wright
• Mark Clayton, Chair of the Global Gaming Practice, Greenberg Traurig LLP
• Frank Fantini, CEO, Fantini Research
• Michael Corfman, CEO, Casino City Press

The winners are chosen by over 100 judges, representing every corner of the gaming industry (the full list of judges can also be ).