Hard Rock Wins Casino Operator of the Year at SBC Awards 2026

Photo by Wikimedia Commons, CC by 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
Key Takeaways
- The casino beat out BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, and Rush Street to the award
- Hard Rock Bet’s online casino features more than 4,300 titles
- The company was also nominated for social gaming, sportsbook, and marketing awards
Hard Rock Bet Casino was named the Casino Operator of the Year at the SBC Awards Americas 2026, a Thursday company announcement confirmed.
The gaming brand — whose portfolio includes retail and online casinos, as well as sports betting — was presented with the award on Wednesday at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hard Rock beat a number of other marquee North American gaming brands and locations to the award.
This marked the second time that a ceremony was held to announce the winner.
Hard Rock Casino recognized for its excellence
Hard Rock faced stiff competition for the “Casino Operator of the Year - North America” title. Finalists included BetMGM, Caesars Entertainment, Oklahoma casino Choctaw Casino & Resort - Durant, FanDuel Casino and Rush Street Interactive.
“Winning Casino Operator of the Year at the SBC Awards Americas is a tremendous honor and a real testament to the talent and dedication across our entire team,” said Rich Criado, VP of Casino at Hard Rock Digital. “We’ve had a fierce focus on building a best-in-class casino experience for our players — from the games we offer to the rewards and promotions that keep them coming back — and to have that work recognized on a stage like this means a lot.”
The winners of various awards that were revealed at the ceremony were voted upon by an independent panel comprised of experts from the gaming industry.
Hard Rock’s victory in the North American casino operator of the year was a strong sign of support for the approach and trajectory of their operation, which includes live-dealer table games, poker, slot machines, hotels, and more.
“I’m incredibly proud of everyone who has contributed to getting us here, and this is great motivation to keep raising the bar for our players,” said Criado.
Other distinctions
While Hard Rock walked out with the North American casino of the year award, it was also a finalist in a couple of other categories.
The company’s sports betting platform, Hard Rock Bet Sportsbook, was one of the top finishers for Sportsbook Operator of the Year in North America. BetMGM, Caesars, and FanDuel were the other finalists.
Its sportsbook was also nominated for the Marketing Campaign & Sponsorship of the Year, which consisted of 12 entities from North and Latin America.
Hard Rock Games, meanwhile, was up for Social Gaming Operator of the Year. This platform is free-to-play and offers real rewards for winners.
Hard Rock Bet’s online casino is currently live with more than 4,300 titles in Michigan and New Jersey. There are five other states with legal and live iGaming markets, so the award-winning gaming brand could be up for future expansion.
Hard Rock Sportsbook is also available in 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.
Grant is an industry news expert who covers legislative news, financial updates, and general industry trends. As a veteran of the gambling industry, Grant has experience in the world of casinos, sports betting, and iGaming. As a former long-distance runner, he knows a thing or two about persistence and consistently holding himself to a high standard.
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