This story is sponsored by 888 PokerPaddy Power walked away with an impressive haul of four awards from last night’s annual eGR Operator Awards, including best marketing campaign for its headline-grabbing Lucky Pants stunt at Euro 2012.
The Irish operator received the trophies from comedian Jimmy Carr at a black-tie ceremony held at London’s Roundhouse, with the company’s eponymous head of comms even treating the assembled audience to a flash of the Lucky Pants made infamous by Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner during Euro 2012 as he went up to receive one award. The online and retail bookie also won Social Marketing Campaign of the Year for its tireless activity on channels such as Facebook and Twitter, and Innovation in Mobile. Its Betdash social sports betting game also won out in the prestigious Innovation in Gaming category.
Sky Bet however collected the evening’s most coveted award at the eighth edition of the ceremony established to recognise outstanding achievement among the leading operators in the European online gambling industry. The UK-facing business walked away with Operator of the Year for the exponential growth across its Sky Bet, Sky Vegas and Sky Poker brands in recent years, making long-serving MD Richard Flint the happiest man in the room.
The other big winner of the night was Jackpotjoy owner and operator Gamesys, which picked up three gongs, for Customer Services Operator of the Year, Social Casino Product of the Year in recognition of launching the first real-money games on Facebook, Bingo & Slots Friendzy, and Affiliate Programme of the Year for Market-Ace, the programme for Jackpotjoy.
William Hill Online, despite not defending the Operator of the Year crown it won last year, did manage to edge out bet365 to walk away with the hard-fought Sports Betting Operator of the Year category, as well as the coveted Slots Operator award.
Hill’s rival bet365 however didn’t go home empty handed, beating off tough competition from Europe’s leading sports betting operators to scoop In-play Sports Operator of the Year.
One operator which did manage to mount a successful defence of the title it won last year was 888Poker, following a 12 months in which it consistently delivered double-digit revenue growth and expanded successfully into the newly regulated Spanish market.
eGR Operator Awards 2012 - winners
Operator of the Year: Sky Bet
Sports betting Operator of the Year: William Hill Online
Casino Operator of the Year: Betsson
Bingo Operator of the Year: Tombola
Poker Operator of the Year: 888
Innovation in Gaming: Betdash
Rising Star: Akamon Entertainment
Socially Responsible Operator of the Year: Mr Green
Affiliate Programme of the Year: Jackpotjoy (for Market-Ace)
Continental Operator of the Year: Winamax
Customer Services Operator of the Year: Gamesys
Financial Betting Product of the Year: GoldenBoys Bet
Innovation in Mobile: Paddy Power
In-Play Sports Operator of the Year: bet365
Marketing Campaign of the Year: Paddy Power
Mobile Product of the Year: mFortune
Slots Operator of the Year: William Hill Online
Social Bingo Product of the Year: Akamon Entertainment
Social Casino Product of the Year: Jackpotjoy
Social Marketing Campaign of the Year: Paddy Power
Social Operator of the Year: Diwip
Spread Betting product of the Year: Sporting Index
