Awards
Recognising the Powerhouses of Performance: SBC Launches Affiliate Leaders Awards

This year’s SBC Summit will see the premiere of the Affiliate Leaders Awards – a bold new addition spotlighting standout contributions in the affiliate marketing industry.
The Affiliate Leaders Awards will take place on Wednesday, 17 September 2025, from 19:00 to 24:00 at the MEO Arena, marking the first time SBC is hosting a standalone ceremony dedicated entirely to celebrating the achievements of affiliates, their operator partners, and the suppliers driving the affiliate ecosystem.
The new ceremony builds on the incredible momentum generated by the Affiliate Leaders Summit, which was first introduced during last year’s SBC Summit and has since been rolled out at SBC Summit Rio and SBC Summit Americas. This event has quickly become a flagship feature within the broader SBC Events portfolio, offering a highly focused environment for affiliates and their partners to connect, learn, and do business.
According to SBC Founder and CEO Rasmus Sojmark, the creation of the Affiliate Leaders Awards is a natural next step in SBC’s ongoing efforts to elevate and support the affiliate community within the iGaming and sports betting industries.
“Over the last year, we’ve doubled down on providing dedicated spaces and meaningful content for the affiliate community,” said Sojmark. “We’ve listened closely to what this community needs and the Affiliate Leaders Awards is the next phase – not just recognising their contributions, but celebrating them in the way they deserve.”
The Affiliate Leaders initiative – which includes the summit, community, magazine, news portal, and now the awards – has always been about empowering the affiliate sector and making business easier for its members. Whether it’s curated expo zones for affiliates and their partners, deep-dive content on SEO, AI, and acquisition strategies, or networking formats built for deal-making, SBC continues to create spaces where affiliates thrive.
Historically, affiliate-focused awards were limited to just a handful of categories within the broader SBC Awards. The introduction of a standalone ceremony enables SBC to significantly expand the recognition offered to this important segment of the industry.
This year’s Affiliate Leaders Awards will feature multiple categories, covering three key stakeholder groups:
- Affiliates – Featuring categories that showcase the full spectrum of affiliate excellence, from top networks and niche verticals to standout campaigns, content leaders, and rising stars.
- Operators – Celebrating operator teams and strategies that actively support, engage, and collaborate with affiliates.
- Suppliers – Honouring the platforms, tools, and service providers that drive affiliate performance and innovation.
Award categories include Affiliate Network of the Year, Affiliate Content Manager of the Year, Affiliate Campaign of the Year, Social Media Campaign of the Year, and Affiliate Technology of the Year — all designed to spotlight the creativity, strategy, and innovation fueling affiliate success.
“With the launch of the Affiliate Leaders Awards, SBC adds a new layer of visibility and recognition. We want to highlight the innovation happening across the affiliate world – not just from the biggest names, but from rising stars, emerging content formats, and the tech providers enabling it all,” added Sojmark. “And we want to do that in a setting that brings everyone together – affiliates, operators, and suppliers – in a night of celebration, inspiration, and connection.”
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Applications Now Open
Entries for the Affiliate Leaders Awards are now officially open and will be accepted until Friday, 4 July. Entrants are invited to submit their applications via the Affiliate Leaders Awards website, where they can also review the full list of categories and entry criteria.
To attend the Affiliate Leaders Awards, participants must purchase a separate ticket. Attendees can choose between individual tickets or book full tables for their teams. For ticket information, please visit the Affiliate Leaders Awards website or contact [email protected] directly.
The Affiliate Leaders Awards will be followed the next evening by the long-established SBC Awards, now in its 12th year, continuing the tradition of honouring excellence across the entire sports betting and iGaming ecosystem.
Affiliate Success
ReferOn Wins Prestigious “Rising Star Provider of the Year” Category at the AffPapa Awards 2025

ReferOn, a state-of-the-art affiliate management system, has won the “Rising Star Provider of the Year” title at the 2025 AffPapa Awards — a milestone that recognises the platform’s bold innovation and rapid growth in the affiliate tech space.
This award reflects ReferOn’s ability to deliver fast, transparent and scalable affiliate solutions that answer key industry demands. The category highlights the best rising companies in the iGaming and affiliate marketing industries, celebrating innovation and problem-solving solutions.
The AffPapa Awards is an annual event that recognises greatness in iGaming. The ceremony celebrates developments and innovations among affiliates, operators and B2B providers who have raised the bar and set new standards.
Vladyslav Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the achievement, “ReferOn wasn’t built to impress, it was built to solve. From day one, we challenged how affiliate platforms should work, look and feel — because the existing ones simply didn’t. More than a win, this award highlights the value of asking the right questions and building with purpose.”
2025 has been a crucial year for ReferOn, with the company receiving widespread industry recognition and implementing core product developments. Heading into Q3 and Q4, ReferOn is preparing a range of new features and enhancements focused on elevating the user experience and streamlining affiliate operations. The team will travel to iGB Live in London this July ready to share what’s next, meet with partners and discuss how ReferOn is refining affiliate management.
Awards
Casino Guru shortlisted for AffPapa iGaming Awards due on May 28

Casino Guru is part of the upcoming AffPapa iGaming Awards due to take place in Malaga, Malta on May 28, with the company shortlisted in both the “Branding of the Year” and “Casino Affiliate of the Year” categories.
This marks another major milestone for Casino Guru this year, as the company has been shortlisted for both the iGB Affiliate Awards and the SBC Awards Europe.
These achievements have clearly demonstrated Casino Guru’s lasting influence in the iGaming industry and the prominent status it holds thanks to its ongoing efforts to make the sector more transparent, responsible, and safer for players.
Daniela Silva, Public Relations and Creative Projects Director, said: “The nomination for the ‘Branding of the Year’ category is an exceptional achievement for Casino Guru. The company has worked tirelessly to establish itself as a brand synonymous with player trust and recognition, and I am confident this nomination exemplifies exactly that. Our creative projects extend beyond Casino Guru alone, as the brand continues to expand and promote best practices in iGaming that help players stay safe, informed, and responsible.”
Casino Guru’s nominations for the AffPapa iGaming Awards reflect the painstaking work the company has put into ensuring that it builds a brand that is synonymous with player trust and confidence.
Through the Complaint Resolution Center and Safety Index, Casino Guru has consolidated its presence in the industry as the foremost authority on guiding players to the best casinos.
Casino Guru uses the world’s most advanced evaluation process and regularly reviews entries into the database to ensure impartiality and objectivity in offering players the opportunity to choose from a list of established and carefully-assessed brands.
Awards
Industry praised as finalists announced for July’s iGB Affiliate Awards

Stephen Carter, Clarion Gaming’s Head of Affiliate Content and internal judging lead for the IGB Affiliate Awards has praised both the number of submissions received and their overall quality.
Speaking as organisers published the list of finalists across the 20-strong categories, he confirmed: “Our external industry judges who are selected for their expertise and their depth of knowledge of the iGaming affiliate sector have been hugely impressed by the overall quality of the individual submissions and the number of companies that have chosen to participate in the 2025 edition of the Awards.
“Both metrics are indicative of how seriously the Awards are taken and how they are widely recognised for being the most prestigious and transparent merit-based awards in iGaming.
“It’s also significant that 40% of the submissions which have progressed to the finals are from businesses not previously shortlisted. This level of engagement demonstrates the relevance and reputation enjoyed by the iGB Affiliate Awards across the iGaming ecosystem.”
Madrid headquartered Betandeal has achieved the most shortlisted entries, making the cut in five categories. The affiliate agency is closely followed by Gambling.com Group, which has put itself in the running across four categories, for best affiliate in casino, sports and bingo (via its WhichBingo brand) as well as Affiliate Employer of the Year.
Newcomer WagerWire has also been shortlisted in four categories across sports, Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year, Employer of the Year and Best Affiliate Campaign.
Interest is mounting in the showpiece black-tie event, with the industry celebration being presented by broadcaster and musician Myleene Klass MBE.
The critically acclaimed television personality, part of the original Britpop era, will host the Cool Britannia-themed event being held 3 July at the Troxy, the stunning Art Deco masterpiece situated in the heart of East London.
The Troxy has an 80-year musical heritage and has featured performances by Liam Gallagher, Jarvis Cocker, Garbage and the Cure.
Members of the iGaming affiliate community can still participate in the public vote for Game of the Year by following the link found at https://www.igblive.com/igb-affiliate-awards-2025. Votes must be cast before 3 June.
The iGB Affiliate Awards shortlist can be viewed at: https://www.igbaffiliate.com/en/articles/121752/igb-affiliate-awards-2025-shortlist-revealed/
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