Casino Guru is proud to announce the addition of two distinguished industry professionals, Duncan Garvie and Monica Shafaq, to the panel of judges for the upcoming Casino Guru Awards 2025.

The Casino Guru Awards 2025, now in their third edition, celebrate excellence, transparency, and social responsibility in the iGaming industry. With Duncan and Monica joining the judging panel, the awards continue to uphold their commitment to fairness and integrity.

Meet the New Judges

Duncan Garvie – Founder and Trustee of BetBlocker

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Duncan Garvie has been a leading advocate for consumer protection in the gambling industry for over a decade. As the founder of ThePOGG, the first affiliate-based complaint service approved as an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) provider, Duncan has pioneered initiatives to improve player safety and resolve disputes fairly. In 2017, he founded BetBlocker, a registered charity offering free tools to help individuals manage their gambling habits. Today, he continues to champion responsible gambling as Chair of the Board of Trustees for BetBlocker.

Duncan shared his enthusiasm for the role, stating:

“I’m thrilled to participate as a judge for the Casino Guru Awards 2025. Casino Guru has been setting the bar for the affiliate sector with their player protection initiatives for years now, which have significantly improved the dialogue around several key areas in the safer gambling space. Being invited to take part in the judging process is an honour in itself.”

Monica Shafaq – CEO of Gordon Moody

Monica Shafaq brings a wealth of experience from the charity sector, with a focus on mental health and gambling addiction. Since January 2024, Monica has served as CEO of Gordon Moody, an international charity addressing gambling addiction and raising awareness. Previously, as CEO of the Kaleidoscope Plus Group, Monica led the organisation to multiple accolades, including inclusion in The Sunday Times Top 100 Companies to Work For.

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Beyond her charity work, Monica is a recognised leader in promoting equality, diversity, and social justice through various non-executive roles in football and public health. Her dedication has earned her recognition as one of Europe’s Top 50 most influential Muslims.

Monica expressed her excitement, saying:

“I’m thrilled to join the panel of judges for the Casino Guru Awards 2025, an initiative that celebrates excellence and innovation in the gambling industry. This is a fantastic opportunity to recognise the individuals and organisations driving positive change and promoting responsible practices. I look forward to collaborating with my fellow judges and contributing to the selection of outstanding nominees and winners.”

About the Casino Guru Awards 2025

The Casino Guru Awards continue to set high standards in the iGaming industry by recognising achievements across categories such as fairness, responsible gambling, and social responsibility. This year’s event introduces two new categories:

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• Players’ Choice: Empowering players to vote for their favorite game provider.
• iGaming Changemaker of the Year: Honouring individuals whose leadership and projects have significantly influenced the online gambling sector.

The awards will culminate in a live ceremony on June 6, 2025, at the prestigious Hilton Hotel in St. Julian’s, Malta. This invite-only gala promises an unforgettable evening of recognition, networking, and celebration.

The Casino Guru Awards 2025 welcomes nominations until February 28, 2025. Shortlisted nominees will be announced in March, with the public voting for select categories opening soon after.

Vixio, a leading provider of regulatory intelligence solutions, unveiled its 2024 Global Regulatory Awards (GRAs) winners last night during an event in London.

More than 300 industry leaders, regulatory experts, and esteemed professionals of the global gambling industry attended the prestigious event. The independently judged GRAs recognise and celebrate the achievements of individuals, teams, and organisations in the gambling industry who have excelled in compliance, corporate social responsibility, and safer gambling.

The eighth annual awards ceremony recognised winners across 20 categories. Notable winners on the evening included Betsson Group, Mindway AI, and Paysafe, each winning two awards. Vixio also recognised outstanding individuals, such as Jessica Feil of OpenBet, named Compliance Professional of the Year, and Laura McAllister Cox of Rush Street Interactive, awarded Chief Compliance Officer of the Year. “A big thank you to everyone who attended last night’s Global Regulatory Awards event in London. Vixio has been proud to host independently judged awards for the last eight years. Our selection process ensures that each winner is the best in class and has displayed clear dedication to trustworthy gambling and regulatory compliance, so huge congratulations to all the winners.” stated Mike Woolfrey, CEO of Vixio.

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Docaposte, Draft Kings, eCOGRA, Gaming Associates, Scientific Games, and charity partner Ygam were among the sponsors for this year’s Global Regulatory Awards. The 2025 Global Regulatory Awards presentation will take place on November 19th, returning to the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London.

The official 2024 winners are as follows:

AML or MLR Professional of the Year – Brian Doran, Metropolitan Gaming

Award for Commitment to Compliance by an Operator – Betsson Group

Chief Compliance Officer of the Year – Laura McAllister Cox, Rush Street Interactive

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Compliance Innovator of the Year – Mindway AI

Compliance Professional of the Year – Jessica Feil, OpenBet

Compliance Lifetime Achievement Special Award – David Rebuck

Compliance Rising Star Special Award – Jamie Delaney, Apricot

Compliance Team of the Year – Betsson Group

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Head of Regulatory Affairs or Government Relations of the Year – Martin Lycka, Entain

Legal Team of the Year – Paysafe

Outstanding Contribution to Safer Gambling – Flutter Entertainment

Outstanding Contribution to Sports Betting Integrity – Entain

Outstanding Individual Contribution to Safer Gambling – Paul Buck, EPIC Global Solutions

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Payment Service or Solution Provider of the Year – Paysafe

RegTech Provider of the Year – Mindway AI

Regulatory Initiative of the Year – National Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program, idPair

Regulatory Law Firm of the Year – Bird & Bird

Regulatory Lawyer or In-House Counsel of the Year – Sue Dawson, Light & Wonder

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Responsible Gambling Service or Solution Provider of the Year – BetBuddy by Playtech

Testing Service or Solution Provider of the Year – BMM Testlabs

The Scatters Club Streamers Awards, the first online awards dedicated exclusively to gambling streamers, return for their second year. Following the success of the inaugural event, the 2025 edition aims to recognize the most impactful streaming moments of 2024. With over 200 submissions received on the first day, the event promises to make a difference in the streaming community.

The awards ceremony will take place on February 27, 2025, and will include a formal gala featuring notable industry figures. In preparation for this event, fans and streamers are encouraged to engage with the nomination and voting process to ensure comprehensive representation.

Updated Categories and Opportunities for Community Input

For 2025, the awards have been expanded and refined to reflect the evolution of the streaming industry. This year’s program features 10 fan-voted categories and 5 data-driven “Legends of the Year” nominations, focusing on key achievements across the sector. Rules have been clarified, and nominations have been updated to cover all the essential aspects of the streaming landscape.

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The organizers are inviting community input throughout December. Fans and streamers can propose new categories or highlight moments they believe deserve recognition. Submissions, accompanied by supporting video materials and time codes, can be made via email – [email protected]. Selected contributions may influence next year’s categories and receive some prizes. Also, those getting votes from the community will be invited to participate in the live stream.

How the Voting Process Works

The selection process for the awards is divided into three phases:

Phase 1: Long List (January 13–27)

Fans will determine which nominees advance by supporting their favorites through online engagement.

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Phase 2: Short List (January 29–February 11)

The top-5 nominees in each category will be evaluated through a combination of fan votes and an expert jury.

Phase 3: Legends of the Year

This category is based entirely on statistical analysis conducted by Casinolyitics. However, fans may also participate by placing predictions on their preferred Legend from the top-5 contenders.

The winners will be announced during the live gala on February 27, 2025.

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