Approximately 160 nominees will vie for honors across 25 categories in the 8th Annual EKG Slot Awards, scheduled for February 26, 2026, at Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas.
According to EKG, the awards ceremony serves as a key event celebrating advancements in slot machine game development.
“We are thrilled to unveil the official nominees for the 8th Annual EKG Slot Awards,” commented Todd Eilers, Principal at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC. “This event keeps expanding, showcasing an impressive array of nominees featuring outstanding new games. We eagerly anticipate hosting an enjoyable and dynamic event to recognize the winners in each category.”
Nomination Process
The award categories are selected by EKG principals along with the EKG Slot Awards Advisory Board.
In land-based categories, winners will be determined through a “data-driven method” utilizing proprietary game performance metrics and feedback from qualified slot managers.
For categories lacking proprietary data, the award winner will be decided exclusively through survey results. In the segments of social casino and iGaming, winners will emerge from evaluations by industry experts supported by EKG’s proprietary analytics.
Land-based Categories and Nominees
Outstanding NEW Core Video Game: Hi-Score – Alarm On The Farm, Everi; Super Hot Flaming Pots – Mr Lee, Light & Wonder; Crazy Stuffed Coins – Goat, Konami; Railroad Riches – Outlaw, Sega Sammy; Fortune Frenzy – Festival Frenzy, AGS; Wolf Run – Wild Moon, IGT; Five Fortunes – Panda, Ainsworth; Devils Lock – Slice N Dice, Bluberi; Boost Blast – Dynamite Daisy, Incredible Technologies; Cash Master Blaster – Treasure Hunt, Aruze; Spooky Link – Yo Yeti, Aristocrat; Legendary Sword – Avalon, Zitro; Wild Temple – Panda, Gaming Arts
Outstanding NEW Core Mechanical Reel Game: Smokin Hot Rubies, Everi; Blazing 777 Triple Double Jackpot Wild – Nudging Stacks, Light & Wonder; Top Notch – Clover, Everi; Flaming Reels, AGS; Jackpot Party – Make Some Noise, Light & Wonder; Double Chilia Mania Extremo, IGT; 5x 3x 2x Strike Deluxe, IGT; Diamond Nudge, AGS
Outstanding NEW Premium Game: Neons Bonus Blast – Geodia, Ainsworth; Phoenix Link – Queen Chiu, Aristocrat; Cash Express Legend – Buffalo, Aristocrat; Honey Bomb, Bluberi; Huff N Even More Puff Grand, Light & Wonder; Ultimate Fire Link Triple Nova – Desert Nights, Light & Wonder; Magic Treasures Gold – Emperor, IGT; Lion Cash – Princess Pingyang, AGS; Tiger & Dragon Super Bonus, IGT; Bingo Frenzy Stampede Shark, Konami
Outstanding NEW Core Cabinet: Baron Upright, Aristocrat; Baron Portrait, Aristocrat; Spectra SL75+, AGS; Spectra SL49+, AGS; Prism Skybox, Incredible Technologies; Concept Prime, Zitro; Muso Summit, Aruze; Cosmic Upright, Light & Wonder; Diamond RS Wheel, IGT; Rise 55, IGT; Revel, AGS; Mod Ex J55, Gaming Arts/Merkur; Player Classic Spin, Everi
Outstanding NEW Premium Cabinet: Wheel of Fortune Trio, IGT; Baron Upright, Aristocrat; Spectra SL75+, AGS; Spectra SL49+, AGS; Baron Portrait, Aristocrat; Rise 55, IGT; Cosmic Upright, Light & Wonder; Dynasty Luna, Everi; Landmark 7000 Transparent Digital Wheel, Light & Wonder; Diamond RS Wheel, IGT
Outstanding 3rd Party IP Branded Game: Wheel of Fortune – Trio – Cash Link, IGT; Monopoly Express Beijing Railroad, Light & Wonder; Casper Triple Fright, Everi; Whitney Houston – I Wanna Dance with Somebody, IGT; Kong Skull Island, Light & Wonder; House of the Dragon, Aristocrat; NFL Touchdown Link, Aristocrat
Outstanding Electronic Table Game (ETG) Supplier: Interblock; Light & Wonder; IGT; Gaming Arts; Alfastreet
Outstanding NEW Video Poker/Keno Game: Five Card Plus Two Poker, IGT; Wheel of Fortune Poker, IGT; Major Multipliers Poker, IGT; Wild Wild Wild Poker, IGT; Winners World, Aristocrat
Outstanding NEW Game from an Emerging Supplier: Legendary Sword – Avalon, Zitro; Super Burst – Bouncing Lions, Sega Sammy; Wild Temple – Panda, Gaming Arts; Outback Adventure, Velvix
Outstanding Game – EMEA: Money Gong – Emperor, IGT; Bell Link 2, Euro Games Technology; Wu Jin Pen – Panda, Light & Wonder; Clash Link, Merkur; Devils Link, Zitro; Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Blast – Blue Treasures, Aristocrat; Xtension Link 3, Novomatic; Clover Link Elements, Apex; Lian Lian Fa – Fortune Peach, Konami; Triple Treasure Pot – Heavenly Wealth, Aruze
Outstanding Game – Latin America: Mo Mo Mo Mummy – Midnight Treasures, Aristocrat; Huff N Even More Puff, Light & Wonder; King Fu Frog, Zitro; Fruits General, Euro Games Technology; Rising Rockets Emperor, IGT; Triple Coin Treasures – Reign of Anubis, AGS; Link Overdrive, Merkur; San Fa Tiger, Ainsworth; Superia Cash Connection 2, Novomatic; Firestorm Lion, Aruze; Lucky Honeycomb – Fortune Pots, Konami; Bomb Crush, Dreidel; Xing Fu Fortune Money Trees, FBM
Most Innovative Land-Based Game: Hi-Score – Alarm on the Farm, Everi; Wheel of Fortune – Trio – Cash Link – Big Money, IGT; Wizard of Oz – I’ll Get You My Pretty, Light & Wonder; Bao Zhu Zhao Fu Ignite – Red Prosperity, Aristocrat; Triple Troves – Reigning Rhino, Ainsworth; Fortune Frenzy – Festival Frenzy, AGS; Money in the Bank Bacon Blvd, Konami; Wild Temple – Panda, Gaming Arts; Boost Blast – Dynamite Daisy, Incredible Technologies; Devils Lock – Slice N Dice, Bluberi; Legendary Sword, Zitro
Most Improved Supplier – Core: All suppliers under consideration
Most Improved Supplier – Premium: All suppliers under consideration
Best Overall Supplier of Slot Content: All suppliers under consideration
Social Casino Categories
Social Slots Game of The Year: 88 Fortunes SciPlay – (Light & Wonder); Cash Rally – Bole Games (Netmarble); Lightning Link Casino – Product Madness (Aristocrat); Mighty Fu Casino – Product Madness (Aristocrat); Quick Hit Casino – SciPlay (Light & Wonder)
Retail-Branded Social Casino of The Year: Bally Play – Bally’s Corporation & Ruby Seven Studios; FoxPlay Casino – Foxwoods Resort Casino & Ruby Seven Studios; Hard Rock Neverland Casino – Seminole Hard Rock Entertainment; Stardust Social – Boyd Gaming; STN Play by Station Casinos – Red Rock Resorts & GAN
Social Casino Operator of The Year: IGS; KamaGames; Product Madness; SciPlay; Vertex Games
iGaming and Omni-channel Categories
Outstanding NEW Online Slot Game: 7s Fire Blitz Hot Stepper, White Hat Studios; Mo Mummy Mighty Pyramid, Aristocrat; Huff N Even More Puff, Light & Wonder; Straight Cash, AGS; Bigger Piggy Bank, Inspired; 3 Hot Chilli Peppers, 1×2 Network; Gates of Olympus Super Scatter, Pragmatic Play; Diamond Cash Mighty Elephant Win Ways, Greentube; Megajackpots Cash Eruption, IGT; 333 Boom Banks Power Combo, Games Global
Outstanding NEW Online Table Game: 10c Roulette, Aristocrat; Go Craps, Play’n GO; Casino Hold Em, Pragmatic Play; Jinzi Roulette, Everi; Blackjack Single Deck, AGS
Outstanding NEW Online Live Casino Game: Family Feud Live, Playtech; Fortune Roulette, Pragmatic Play; Race Track, Evolution; Red Door Roulette, Evolution; Money Time Live, Pragmatic Play
Most Innovative Online Game: Dolla Dolla Bill, 1×2 Network; Dolphin Thunder Ways, Light & Wonder; Almighty Pegasus Connect and Collect, Bragg Gaming Group; Jack Hammer 4 Chasing the Dragon, Evolution; Deco Diamonds Elite, Games Global; Wolf It Up Again, Inspired; 7s Fire Blitz Power 5 Jackpot Royale Express, White Hat Studios; Atlantis 10k Ways, Reel Play
Best Overall Supplier of Online Content: All suppliers under consideration
Most Improved Supplier of Online Content: All suppliers under consideration
Top Performing Omni-Channel Slot Game (Retail & Online): Huff N Even More Puff, Light & Wonder; Mystery of the Lamp Enchanted Palace, IGT; Rakin Bacon Jackpots Bonus Board, AGS; Gold Standard Jackpots, Everi; Buffalo and Friends, Aristocrat; Dragons Law Fortune Bags, Konami; Triple Troves Rhino, Ainsworth; Mega Money Catch Multipliers Jackpots Extra Picks, Incredible Technologies
Hall of Fame
EKG announced that the inductees into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame will be revealed shortly, including specific honors for Game Development and Slot Operations.
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC is a specialized market research firm addressing the gaming equipment, interactive gaming, and sports betting arenas. Their offerings encompass market research, corporate analysis, and advisory services for both land-based and online casino operators, suppliers, social gaming entities, regulators, and institutional investors.
For more information and highlights from previous events, click here.