Aristocrat Technologies, International Game Technology, Scientific Games and other top slot suppliers were honored by gaming research and consulting firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming in the first EKG Slot Awards, staged in a gala event at the Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip.
The awards covered 21 individual categories of games in the slot sector, with the winners determined by votes from more than 100 slot operations officials from over 300 casinos across the U.S., who collectively operate around 300,0000 slot machines. A panel of social gaming experts determined the voting on social casino games.
The big suppliers led the way in the voting, with Aristocrat Technologies capturing seven top awards. Scientific Games took five awards, with IGT the only other supplier scoring multiple awards with three.
Aristocrat took home the EKG equivalent of the Best Picture Oscar, winning the title of Best Overall Supplier of Slot Content.
In addition to the individual game awards, the EKG judges kicked off the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame by inducting Joe Kaminkow as the inaugural member. Kaminkow was the long-time slot development VP at IGT, and was responsible for some of the biggest hits in the slot sector before leaving for his current twin roles as a game developer for Aristocrat and for Zynga, the online and social games leader.
Kaminkow’s roots were in the amusement game industry, with Williams Electronics beginning in the early 1980s. He cofounded Data East Pinball in 1986, and produced pinball games including RoboCop, Back to the Future and The Simpsons. He moved to IGT in 1999, where he oversaw the rollout of iconic games including Wheel Of Fortune, The Price Is Right, Sex and the City and many others before returning to the amusement sector with the creation o Spooky Cool Labs.
Kaminkow was inducted into the Pinball Hall of Fame in 2014.
“When we thought of who should be the first inductee into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame, it was a clear choice, Joe Kaminkow,” said Todd Eilers, principal at Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, LLC. “Joe has consistently been one of the top game developers in the land-based gaming industry and most recently has created some of the industry’s top social casino games. We are very excited to have him be our first inductee into the EKG Slot Awards Hall of Fame.”
In addition to the overall supplier award, Aristocrat—which typically tops the EKG monthly surveys for top-performing slot machines—scored awards for the top-performing games in the categories of Premium Game (Dragon Link), New Video Reel Core Game (Wonder 4 Boost), New Premium Game (Happy and Prosperous), Proprietary Branded Game (Dragon Link), Best New Special Slot Game (Lightning Link, Product Madness) and Most Improved Supplier-Premium.
Scientific Games won in the categories of Core Video Reel Game (Dancing Drums), Core Mechanical Reel Game (88 Fortunes), New Mechanical Reel Core Game (Quick Hit Triple Blazing 7s Super Wheel), New Cabinet-Core (Twinstar J43) and Best Land-Based Content in a Social Game (Jackpot Party Casino).
IGT won in the categories of New Cabinet (Megatower), Third-Party IP Branded Game (Wheel of Fortune Triple Red Hot 7s Gold Spin) and Video Poker Game (Ultimate X).
Other notable wins were AGS for Most Improved Supplier, Interblock for best Electronic Table Game (Interblock Roulette) and Gamblit for Skill Games (Match 3Volution).
“It was a great night celebrating excellence in the slot sector, with approximately 200 executives in attendance from all the major gaming equipment suppliers, as well as several of the industry’s largest casino operators and key media representatives,” said Eilers, according to CDC Gaming Reports.
Following is the complete list of awards:
Land-Based Awards
- Top Performing Core Video Reel Game: Dancing Drums, Scientific Games
- Top Performing Core Mechanical Reel Game: 88 Fortunes, Scientific Games
- Top Performing Premium Game: Dragon Link, Aristocrat
- Top Performing NEW Video Reel Core Game: Wonder 4 Boost, Aristocrat
- Top Performing NEW Mechanical Reel Core Game: Quick Hit Triple Blazing 7s Super Wheel, Scientific Games
- Top Performing NEW Premium Game: Dragon Link: Happy and Prosperous, Aristocrat
- Top Performing NEW Cabinet – Core: Twinstar J43, Scientific Games
- Top Performing NEW Cabinet – Premium: MegaTower, IGT
- Top Performing 3rd Party IP Branded Game: Wheel of Fortune Triple Red Hot 7s Gold Spin, IGT
- Top Performing Proprietary Branded Game: Dragon Link, Aristocrat
- Top Performing Electronic Table Game (ETG): Interblock Roulette
- Top Performing Video Poker Game: Ultimate X, IGT
- Top Performing Skill game: Match 3Volution, Gamblit
- Most Improved Supplier – Core: AGS
- Most Improved Supplier – Premium: Aristocrat
- Best Overall Supplier of Slot Content: Aristocrat
Social Casino Awards
- Best New Social Slot Game: Lightning Link, Product Madness/Aristocrat
- Best Use of Land-Based Content in a Social Slot Game: Jackpot Party Casino featuring
- SciGames content, Scientific Games – 2018
- Most Innovative Social Slot Game: POP! Slots, PlayStudios
- Best B2B Social Slot Company: GAN
- Top Social Casino Company: Playtika
- EKG Hall of Fame: Joe Kaminkow
