The Rise of the Gaming Influencer: A New Category for the Global Gaming Awards

^{The Global Gaming Awards has named 10 nominees for its first Gaming Influencer of the Year award this year. The winner will be chosen during G2E in Las Vegas in September. (Photos: courtesy of Global Gaming Awards)}

For years, the biggest names in gaming industry awards were casino executives, game developers, and operators. But now some of the industry's most influential voices are people who built their entire platform off a phone camera and a slot machine. 

The Global Gaming Awards (GGA) will introduce a new category honoring gaming influencers, creators, podcasters, and educators who've built real audiences online. 

The awards will be presented at a luncheon at the Venetian on Sept. 28 during the Global Gaming Expo (G2E).

“Over the past couple of years, we’ve seen a growing number of people build influential platforms and communities around gaming, and we felt those contributions deserved greater recognition,” Mariya Savova, Marketing Director of GGA, told Casinos.com. “Importantly, we didn’t want the category to focus solely on social media reach or follower numbers.” 

Global Gaming Awards is the brainchild of Global Gaming Insider, a London-based B2B media platform delivering news focused on a digital footprint through a magazine, a podcast, and a weekly bulletin, among others.

Who Made the Shortlist?

The shortlist of nominees has been released, and voting starts on Aug. 28:

Francine Maric, known as Lady Luck HQ, is one of the industry’s leading female gaming creators. Her YouTube channel has over one million followers and she has an exclusive ambassador partnership with FanDuel Casino, which includes content, events, and responsible gaming education.

Dustin Gouker is respected as an independent voice covering sports betting, online gaming, and regulation in the U.S. He runs The Closing Line and The Event Horizon newsletters. He’s reached audiences beyond gaming, and was among the experts featured in Netflix’s 2026 documentary Instadocs: The Prediction Games.

Brian Christopher built BCSlots (BC Ventures) with his personality and engaging slot content, including videos and live streams. With millions of viewers, he’s also created branded slot games and experiences and is a DraftKings Casino ambassador. Christopher also had his own non-smoking BCSlots section at the Plaza here in town until 2025.

Stephen Matt Morrow, known as Vegas Matt, has over a million and a half YouTube followers and somehow makes high-stakes play seem accessible and fun with his sense of humor and approachability. He has an exclusive ambassador agreement with FanDuel Casino, as well as partnerships with Virgin Voyages and Peppermill Reno.

Paul Speirs-Hernandez owns Steinbeck Communications and has worked with some of gaming’s most prominent organizations. He’s helped brands and executives communicate their stories and establish influential industry voices. Speirs-Hernandez also runs the Red Wagon Institute, which supports leadership development and the growth of future Tribal gaming leaders.

Bennie Mancino is Chief Gaming Officer at Tavolo Tech and runs the YouTube channel B in the Know, which focuses on table games. He’s held positions at MGM, Caesars, and Penn National Gaming throughout his three decades in gaming.

Hillary McAfee, owner and host of the MaxBet Podcast, has interviewed executives and innovators from across the gaming industry. Her involvement with Global Gaming Women supports the advancement of women across the industry. She’s a frequent moderator and speaker at major gaming events.

Val Martinez is the founder of Betting Ladies, a platform launched in 2023 that aims to make sports betting more approachable and inclusive for women. She’s built a community to help educate women on how to better understand and participate in sports betting.

Melissa Aarskaug founded and runs the weekly podcast Executive Connect and has interviewed more than 100 change-makers in the industry. She’s also a speaker, mentor, and community builder, helping the gaming leaders think about how they want to shape their teams going forward.

Daniel Oliveira, aka Daniel Fortune, sits at an interesting intersection as a gaming influencer and advocate for responsible gaming. He educates his followers about the risks associated with gambling and why betting should be viewed as entertainment rather than income. He’s partnered with the Empresa Brasileira de Apoio ao Compulsivo (EBAC), a Brazilian organization focused on supporting people affected by compulsive gambling.

“For us, being an influencer is about having an established voice, engaging with a community, and using that influence to make a meaningful impact," Savova said regarding the nominees.

Who Selects the Winner?

A panel of 100 senior industry executives will determine who wins. Some of the judges include Siobhan Lane, CEO of Gaming for Light and Wonder; Hector Fernandez, CEO of IGT, and Patrick Nichols, President and CEO of the Venetian Las Vegas.

The voting process will be handled independently by KPMG US, which offers services including cybersecurity, accounting advisory, data, AI, and analytics. Only one executive per company can participate on the Judging Panel, and judges cannot vote in categories where there is a conflict of interest.

Hosting the luncheon will be Gary Roudette, CEO and founder of GGA; Maria Savova, Marketing Director of GGA; and Rick Arpin, LV Managing Partner, KPMG U.S. Gaming Leader.

“Their audiences may be very different, but each has built a trusted and influential voice, and we believe that breadth is a true reflection of what influence looks like across the gaming industry today,” Savova said.