About 160 nominees will compete across 25 categories in Eilers & Krejcik Gaming‘s 8th Annual EKG Slot Awards, set for February 26, 2026, at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
EKG describes the awards show as an industry program recognizing slot machine game development.
“We are very excited to announce the official nominees for the 8th annual EKG Slot Awards,” said Todd Eilers, Principal at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC. “This event continues to grow, and the list of nominees is very impressive and includes some amazing new games. We look forward to hosting a fun and exciting event to honor and recognize the winners in each category.”
Selection process
The award categories are determined by EKG principals and the EKG Slot Awards Board of Advisors.
For land-based categories, winners will be determined using a “data-driven approach” that includes both proprietary game performance data and a survey of qualified slot managers.
For categories without proprietary data, the award winner will be determined solely by survey responses. For social casino and iGaming segments, winners will be determined by a panel of industry experts combined with EKG proprietary data.
Land-based categories and nominees
Top Performing 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
Top Performing 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
Top Performing 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
Top Performing 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
Top Performing 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
Top Performing 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
Top Performing Electronic Table Game (ETG) Supplier: Interblock; Light & Wonder; IGT; Gaming Arts; Alfastreet
Top Performing 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
Top Performing NEW Game from an Emerging Supplier: Legendary Sword – Avalon, Zitro; Super Burst – Bouncing Lions, Sega Sammy; Wild Temple – Panda, Gaming Arts; Outback Adventure, Velvix
Top Performing 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
Top Performing 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 considered
Most Improved Supplier – Premium: All Suppliers considered
Best Overall Supplier of Slot Content: All Suppliers considered
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
Top Performing 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
Top Performing NEW Online Table Game: 10c Roulette, Aristocrat; Go Craps, Play’n GO; Casino Hold Em, Pragmatic Play; Jinzi Roulette, Everi; Blackjack Single Deck, AGS
Top Performing 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 considered
Most Improved Supplier of Online Content: All Suppliers considered
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 said the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame Inductees will be announced “in the coming weeks,” including Hall of Fame Inductee – Game Development and Hall of Fame Inductee – Slot Operations.
Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC is a boutique market research and consulting firm focused on the gaming equipment, interactive gaming, and sports betting sectors. Its services include market research, company research, and consulting and advisory work for land-based and online casino operators, suppliers, social gaming businesses, regulators, and institutional investors.
More info and highlights from last year can be found here.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/01/15/117144-eilers-krejcik-gaming-names-nominees-across-25-categories-for-2026-ekg-slot-awards
