ELA Games takes silver at SBC Awards for casino software innovation

ELA Games took the silver medal in the Rising Star in Casino Innovation Software category at the SBC Awards ceremony held on the final night of the SBC Summit in Lisbon on 5 October 2026. The company attributed the award to work carried out over the past 12 months, with an emphasis on slot mechanics and original artistic design. After the ceremony, ELA Games returned to its development activities and said it is now focused on the next round of title releases.

ELA Games wins silver at the SBC Awards: company announcements

ELA Games said the silver distinction reflects twelve months of activity focused on product innovation. The company highlighted two specific areas: the development of slot mechanics and the creation of original art for its titles. They did not provide investment figures or concrete release dates for upcoming games, but confirmed the team has already returned to development.

The award was presented during the SBC Summit Lisbon’s final ceremony, an event that brings together suppliers, operators and other stakeholders in the iGaming sector. Receiving the silver medal is a visibility signal for ELA Games within the ecosystem of emerging developers.

Presence of ELA Games at the SBC Summit Lisbon and booth activity

ELA Games said its team held meetings with delegates, operators and potential partners throughout the week of the event. That schedule included meetings on the SBC Summit exhibition floor, where companies in the sector show demos, present product roadmaps and seek commercial deals.

The company did not disclose the list of specific operators it met with, nor did it detail any deals closed during the event. It did say that the conversations in Lisbon were part of its strategy to place upcoming titles on markets and platforms, and that direct interaction with operators and partners was a central objective of its participation.

Importance of the ela games silver sbc awards recognition in Rising Star in Casino Innovation Software

Winning silver in the Rising Star in Casino Innovation Software category places ELA Games among emerging studios that have demonstrated technical or design innovation over the past year. The SBC Awards evaluates candidates on several criteria including creativity, execution and market potential; the company stressed that its advances in game mechanics and art were key factors for nomination and the subsequent award.

The recognition also has practical effects for a growing studio: greater visibility with operators and platforms, increased partner appetite to view demos and, potentially, easier negotiation of distribution agreements or technical integrations. ELA Games said it will leverage that momentum while advancing its roadmap.

What ELA Games said about next steps and the product pipeline

According to the company, its team has returned to active development and is working on the next batch of releases. No titles, release windows or target markets were shared. The public statement focused on asserting that the immediate priority is to complete and polish the portfolio of products in development after participating in Lisbon.

ELA Games explained that its presence at the SBC Summit helped to calibrate creative and technical aspects based on feedback received from operators and sector peers. That feedback will, the company said, translate into adjustments to mechanics and iterations on the original art that characterises its games.

Implications for operators and the casino content market

For operators seeking differentiation in catalogue, a studio that combines new slot mechanics and a distinct art direction can offer more distinctive propositions. ELA Games now has public recognition that makes it easier to present demos to potential clients and negotiate integration trials.

Operators interested in emerging content typically prioritise three elements in their evaluation: product quality, the studio’s ability to deliver its roadmap, and integration support. The SBC Awards silver gives ELA Games validation on the first point; the company will need to demonstrate operational capacity and deadline compliance to convert that recognition into commercial agreements.

What remains open after Lisbon

ELA Games did not share concrete dates or target markets for upcoming releases. It also did not explain its distribution strategy (for example, whether it will prioritise direct operator deals, aggregator integrations or licensing agreements). The company did confirm the team has returned to development and that the immediate focus is to complete the next round of games.

Industry engagement at trade shows and upcoming events

Participation in the SBC Summit Lisbon was the occasion on which ELA Games concentrated meetings with delegates and potential partners. For operators, platform providers and aggregators, the operational message is clear: the studio has gained visibility at a relevant industry forum and will be actively presenting its pipeline in the coming months.

"The award reflects our work over the past 12 months," the company said in its statement after the ceremony, referring to advances in mechanics and artistic design.

Operators and partners interested in viewing demos or requesting meetings with ELA Games should follow the sector’s usual channels and professional trade show calendars to arrange encounters.

Final observations

The silver medal is a timely recognition of ELA Games’s creative and technical work during the last year. The company returns from Lisbon with contacts and visibility and with plans focused on completing its next series of releases, although without public dates or market details for now. For the sector, the appearance of studios like ELA Games on the awards and trade show radar underlines the ongoing search for differentiation in mechanics and art direction within casino content catalogues.