Many awards are given within the online gambling industry.  And many of these awards do not have clout.  Some do not even have legitimacy.  Sadly, it is not uncommon for some online casinos to create an awards system, only to give out the awards to themselves or to a network of online casinos they manage and operate.

However, that is clearly not the case for the series of awards given out by egrmagazine.com (eGaming Review or EGR).  Last week - in preparation for the European iGaming Conference - EGR threw a dinner banquet capped off by what was received as some coveted awards.  Just exactly who was in attendance at the event, as well as who paid for it still remains food for fodder.  However, what was for sure was the fact that representatives from some of the industry's largest online casino and sports betting sites were present.

EGR is a highly respected online news source as it is - And so, did not have any trouble getting its dignitaries to attend the dinner and awards ceremony.  Those online casino sites that took home awards were especially glad to be in attendance, for the award can now serve as a great marketing tool.

Top honors went to 888.com for Best Online Casino Operator of the Year, while PokerStars took home the prize for Best Poker Operator of the Year.  There were several other awards, many of which are not usually handed out, but rightly so.  For instance, BetFair was honored as being the Most Socially Responsible Casino Operator of the Year, and Midasplayer scored high after winning the Best Non-Traditional Games Operator.