Player Protection: 
The Global Gaming Awards EMEA are organised by Gambling Insider, the leading B2B gaming publication, and independently assessed by KPMG in each country. A total of 23 executives from the European gaming industry were nominated in the “Executive of the Year” category. After extensive research and consultations with independent industry experts, the submissions were reduced to a shortlist, and the selection itself was then made by an international jury of experts.
Erwin van Lambaart, Director General of the Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries: “I’m truly delighted to receive this award, which also serves as a valuable confirmation from the industry of our corporate strategy to focus even more on our shareholder value and the experiences we offer our guests and customers, especially in the post-Covid period. Our guests, players and customers as well as their safety and well-being are our highest priority. I would also like to express my sincere thanks to my fellow Board member Martin Škopek and all the employees and shareholders who successfully supported this direction. We’re always keenly aware of our social responsibility and have set important priorities in this area, most recently with Playsponsible, our social responsibility programme, in 2023.”
Mariya Savova, Event Manager, Global Gaming Awards: “It’s a great achievement to be recognised for one’s hard work and dedication by industry peers. In the case of Erwin van Lambaart, of course this is a well-deserved honour, and we would like to congratulate him on behalf of our entire team! He has achieved so much during his career in the gaming sector and is a real asset to our industry. I’m sure he will continue to lead Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries to new heights, and as Chairman of the ECA he will also support the European gaming sector in the best way possible.”
In 2024, the gaming industry’s most prestigious awards were presented in London for the seventh time. This year’s event was doubly exciting from an Austrian perspective, as Casino Baden was also shortlisted for the “Casino of the Year” award. The Global Gaming Awards EMEA recognise and reward the best-performing companies in the gaming industry over the past 12 months, with a focus on the EMEA region. These are the most prestigious awards in the international gaming industry.
About Erwin van Lambaart, Director General of the Casinos Austria and Austrian Lotteries:
Erwin van Lambaart was born on June 22, 1963 in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. He began his professional career in 1985 and spent over 20 years in various management positions in the hotel, event, media and entertainment industries. In 2016, he took over as CEO of Holland Casinos NV, where he established himself as a recognised casino and gambling expert. Erwin van Lambaart moved to Austria on March 14, 2022 and took up his position as Chairman of the Managing Board of Casinos Austria AG and Österreichische Lotterien Ges.m.b.H. Since April 1, 2022, Erwin van Lambaart has also served as Director General of Casinos Austria AG. In February of 2023, van Lambaart was also appointed Chairman of the European Casino Association. Erwin van Lambaart is married and has two children.
About the Global Gaming Awards:
The Global Gaming Awards, presented by Gambling Insider, the leading B2B publisher for the gaming industry, have earned a reputation as being the most prestigious awards in the gaming industry due to their rigorous selection and voting processes. Every year, there are three Global Gaming Awards that recognise the best achievements in three regions – EMEA, Asia-Pacific and the Americas. The EMEA edition of the Global Gaming Awards, held at London’s Hippodrome Casino, recognises operators, suppliers and individuals who have made their mark on the gaming industry in the EMEA region over the preceding 12 months.
Each company and each person is shortlisted for a specific reason, which is made public. The winners are selected by 50 executives with many years of experience in the EMEA industry, with only one executive per company allowed to participate in the jury. KPMG independently assesses the voting process in each country to ensure that jury members do not vote in categories where they have a conflict of interest.