SiGMA celebrated a great first day of conference and expo with a gala evening for the SiGMA B2C gala awards. Held with the generous support of BetConstruct at the Hilton Malta, the night got off to a great start with entertainment from the Milan Gromilics Cabaret crew – a world renowned dance act and an impressive acrobatic aerial act.

From surprise wins to crowd-pleasing results, the evening was one of excitement and good spirits, as the B2C crowd celebrated a lineup of industry movers and shakers well known for dedicating countless hours to perfecting their craft. Highly coveted titles include Best Mobile Sportsbook provider, Best Affiliate Program of the year and Best Head of Affiliates 2023.

And the winners are:

INDUSTRY AMBASSADOR 2023 – Alex Riddick

BEST EAST EUROPE AFFILIATE 2023 – Alex Slobozhenko

BEST CASINO OPERATOR 2023 – BC.Game

BEST B2C MARKETING CAMPAIGN 2023 – Crocobet

BEST AFFILIATE SOFTWARE 2023 – MyAffiliates

BEST PPC AFFILIATE 2023 – Boomerang Media

BEST MEDIA 2023 – Focus Gaming News

BEST CASINO UX/UI 2023 – Lala.bet

RISING STAR AFFILIATE 2023 – Phoenix Apps

BEST SPORTSBOOK OPERATOR 2023 – 1xBet

BEST MOBILE SPORTSBOOK PROVIDER 2023 – Betby

BEST AFFILIATE PROGRAM 2023 – Mostbet Partners

BEST TRENDSETTER 2023 – Vlad Marlon

BEST HEAD OF AFFILIATES 2023 – Anastasia Vasilyeva (Megapari Partners)

RISING STAR OPERATOR 2023 – LEON

BEST SEO AFFILIATE 2023 – Iwa Solutions

BEST B2C ADVISOR 2023 – IGA

BEST AFFILIATE NETWORK 2023 – G.Partners

BEST ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION 2023 – CasinoMeister

BEST BINGO AFFILIATE 2023 – MegaJogos

BEST AFFILIATE INFLUENCER 2023 – Ronald Lopes

BEST CENTRAL EUROPE AFFILIATE 2023 – Dreamlead.me

BEST CRYPTO CASINO 2023 – Bets.io

BEST SPORTSBOOK AFFILIATE 2023 – Gambling.com

BEST ESPORTS OPERATOR 2023 – GG.Bet

The ceremony brought things to a close with a nail biting art auction – with the 47k raised going towards projects supporting the SiGMA Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm which was established to reflect the company’s commitment to supporting those in need around the world through fund-raising activities, education, and crucial skills to enable self-confidence and personal empowerment. 

“In many facets of life one of the major stumbling blocks is finance. It makes the world go round. Yesterday we raised 80k from our first auction. Thank you to all contributors. More importantly than this, there was a common voice, they looked beyond the art. It isn’t about art. It’s about being involved, communally, to give a common voice to society, to breathe life into society and to be a voice to the underprivileged. We’re together in this. when the dust settles and the sun sets – what have we given back to the world?” Keith Marshall, SiGMA Foundation.

A striking black and white piece, Neverland, by Peter Seychell, which is described as where the real becomes surreal was up first – selling for E3500. Next up was a crowd favourite – a satirical painting of SiGMA’s CIS Director, Denis Dzyubenko. Sparking a bidding war, the painting sold for 15k.

Facial puppet by Maltese artist Mark Mallia went for 3,500, while a portrait of Napoleon by EDO was snapped up for 15k.

Last on the block was Afterparty by artist Sandra Kowalski sold for 10k.

2024: The road ahead for SiGMA Foundation

GLOW Campaign in Colombia

In 2024, the SiGMA Foundation will kick off the year with the GLOW Campaign in the Cartagena area of Northern Colombia. This initiative is dedicated to supporting children born with cleft lip and cleft palate deformities. Collaboration with the local NGO, Premium Care Kids, will empower these children by restoring their smiles and self-esteem. This is paired with the first SiGMA Foundation Lost City Trail, which takes place over four days. 

Women Empowerment Project in Jimma Bonga, Ethiopia

The Foundation initiated a Women Empowerment Project in Jimma Bonga, Ethiopia. This project focuses on providing opportunities for women in disadvantaged regions, offering training in IT, cookery, sewing, and hairdressing to address limited access to education and economic opportunities. 

Mount Toubkal Expedition

A second Mount Toubkal expedition is planned for May 2024, offering thrill-seekers the opportunity to challenge themselves in a unique African mountain environment.

Camino de Santiago Expeditions 

The Foundation will continue to organise Camino de Santiago expeditions, including a Camino group and a new Ingles route group in September 2024.