Excellence Recognized
Small yet formidable iGaming studio Peter & Sons claimed two major European game design honors at a dazzling gala that saw both emerging challengers and industry giants celebrate significant victories.
Well-known soccer presenter and podcaster Alison Bender invited Peter & Sons to the stage twice during the SBC Awards Europe held in Malta last week.
Among the two, the standout achievement was winning Game Studio of the Year in the small studio category. In comparison, Pragmatic Play secured the large studio title, while Hacksaw Gaming took the medium category.
For players, the highlight among the 36 awards presented by Bender came in the Game Developer segment, which focused on excellence in slot creation.
Pushing the Envelope
Peter & Sons’ second award of the evening recognized Best Game Soundtrack, which the company attributed to its “Spotify project.”
The winning title was Barbarossa: Dragon Empire, the newest addition to the Barbarossa series, following earlier releases like Barbarossa Revenge and Barbarossa Double Max. The franchise also features a dedicated 2026 playlist on Spotify.
In its LinkedIn statement, Peter & Sons praised its team, noting that the awards honored “every sound, every animation, every line of math, every deal closed, every stand built, every message sent.”
SBC CEO Rasmus Sojmark commented that iGaming companies continue to raise standards annually. Looking at 2026, he said the winners were those who not only kept up with change but adapted quickly and pushed boundaries even further.
Among those innovators was TaDa Gaming, which earned Game Feature/Mechanic of the Year for its Win Card gamification system.
The Taiwan-based developer described Win Card as its “secret weapon,” allowing players to store or instantly activate bonuses, enhancing engagement through progression and earned rewards. The feature is integrated across its slot portfolio, from collaborations with streamers like Fortune Yuri 500 to newer releases such as Mr Null’s Wicked Wardrobe, a high-volatility slot offering up to 5,000x potential wins.
Best Games
Top honors in game design were also awarded during the event, with Swedish studio Play’n GO winning Game of the Year for Reactoonz 100. The title belongs to the popular Toonz series, led by fan favorite Gargantoonz, which also earned recognition as 2026 SBC Game of the Year.
Second place went to Evoplay Entertainment for Uncrossable Rush, a slot powered by SlotCatalogue’s CrossyRun mechanic, featuring adjustable volatility and a maximum win potential of up to 75,000x.
Meanwhile, Spribe secured Best Crash Game with Aviator, shortly after regulatory changes by the UK Gambling Commission lifted its national restrictions.
In the Game Design & Art Direction category, Creedroomz won with The Road to Eldorado, followed by Massive Gaming with Slot Mart: Three Little Pigs.
Elsewhere, BGaming took Casino Supplier of the Year, ahead of Evolution, while EveryMatrix was named Platform Provider of the Year.
