The slot provider has been shortlisted for casino innovation, slots development and casino entertainment innovation
ELA Games has secured three nominations at the SBC Awards 2026, strengthening its position as a fast-growing supplier in the online casino sector.
The studio has been shortlisted for Rising Star in Casino Innovation / Software (Supplier), Casino / Slots Developer of the Year – Medium Organisation, and Innovation in Casino Entertainment (Supplier).
The nominations reflect ELA Games’ recent commercial expansion, internal growth and focus on premium game design.
The Rising Star in Casino Innovation / Software shortlisting is linked to the company’s European growth. ELA Games says its network now includes more than 150 partnerships, with operator and aggregator relationships helping increase active users and bet counts in regulated markets such as Romania, Greece, Sweden and Denmark.
Marharyta Yerina, Managing Director at ELA Games
“We are deeply honoured to receive this industry recognition at the upcoming SBC Awards. Being shortlisted in three unique categories shows our team’s ongoing dedication, as well as their versatility and ability to excel in different parts of game creation.”
The nomination for Casino / Slots Developer of the Year – Medium Organisation points to the studio’s development model and creative structure.
ELA Games works under a “For Players, By Players” philosophy, giving its in-house artistic and development teams creative control over game production. The studio says its visual elements are drawn from scratch, helping create a distinct style while keeping a consistent release schedule.
Product innovation also played a role in the Innovation in Casino Entertainment shortlisting.
Recent titles and mechanics such as Winpot and Shoot Happens have been designed to give players more interactive options than conventional slot formats. The studio says this approach has helped support player retention and increased gross gaming revenue for titles including Piñatas Festival and Joker Winpot.
ELA Games has already built awards momentum around those games. Piñatas Festival and Joker Winpot were previously recognised in SBC Awards Europe shortlists, while Joker Winpot has also been positioned by the company as one of its standout releases.
The wider portfolio reflects a studio trying to compete through presentation, mechanics and narrative-led entertainment rather than volume alone.
That matters in the current supplier market. Online casino operators receive a constant flow of new slot content, so smaller and mid-sized studios need clearer product identity, stronger mechanics and more visible commercial performance to stand out.
ELA Games’ nominations suggest the studio is gaining traction on both sides of the supplier equation: operator distribution and game quality.
The Rising Star category recognises growth and market expansion. The Developer of the Year nomination highlights the studio’s organisational progress. The Innovation in Casino Entertainment shortlisting focuses on mechanics and player engagement.
Together, the three categories give ELA Games a broader awards profile than a single title nomination.
The SBC Awards 2026 winners will be announced at the official ceremony at the MEO Arena in Lisbon on Thursday 1 October 2026. The awards will close SBC Summit 2026, which runs from 29 September to 1 October and is expected to bring together 40,000 industry professionals.
Founded in 2022, ELA Games develops premium slot content for the iGaming market. Its portfolio is built around graphic quality, interactive features and entertainment-led design.
The studio’s latest recognition comes at a useful stage in its growth. Stronger distribution gives its games more market exposure, while awards nominations help build supplier credibility with operators, aggregators and commercial partners.
