The Kongebonus Awards 2025 – Norwegian Players Name the Year’s Favorites

A year is a long time in gaming… and with innovations getting more exciting month after month, there’s no better way to celebrate than with the Kongebonus Awards. As 2025 draws to a close, the iGaming industry is once again pausing to take stock, awarding some of its most memorable moments, paying homage to the standout studios of the year, and looking at some of the most defining and groundbreaking releases. 

The Kongebonus Awards 2025 mark the fourth consecutive year of this very Norwegian celebration, and they’re designed to spotlight the developers, slots, and casino operators that have made the biggest mark on the industry and on players. Specially created by the team behind Norwegian Kongebonus, these awards have become hugely important for recognizing those who have gone above and beyond in understanding player preferences, driving innovation, and being at the forefront of industry momentum.

A Player-Driven Look Back at 2025

What sets these awards apart is that they’re all about player involvement. These give Norwegian casino players a voice. Throughout 2025, Kongebonus has spent a lot of time collating data, gathering important insights from a host of operators, carefully reviewing gameplay trends, and using all of this information to compile a list of well-deserving nominees. From these, it’s the players who have the power to decide who walks away with the award.

Voting couldn’t be easier. Players only get one vote per category, so they have to be careful and choose their absolute favourite. Ultimately, the more players who take part in the voting, the clearer the signals are and the easier it is for developers and industry names to understand what Norwegian players really want. 

A Bigger and Better Awards Experience for 2025

Although the awards are very much about slots and developers, for the first time, casino operators are also now given the chance to compete in two new categories: Best Casino 2025 and Best New Casino 2025. This change just goes to show how important the actual casino experience is to players, from the quality of their gaming library and the overall user experience to customer support and trustworthiness. 

This year, the Best Casino 2025 category shines the light on some massive industry names – like Casino Friday, Rocket Riches, Qbet, Lilibet, LuckyOnes, and Slotbox, while the Best New Casino 2025 category brings to light some of the most interesting newcomers, including Big Lucky, MafiaCasino, Betista, Dynabet, Goatz, and Wyns. Innovation and experience aren’t just about the games anymore; it’s as much about the environment in which you get to play them!

A Celebration of Game Developers

Then there’s the Best Game Developer 2025 category, where the heavyweights like Pragmatic Play, Hacksaw Gaming, Nolimit City, Relax Gaming, and Push Gaming fight it out with studios like ELK Studios, Thunderkick, Big Time Gaming, and Print Studios to win over players. 

Then, there’s the Rising Star Game Developer 2025 category, which is all about those providers that have made a big impact during the year – not necessarily just newcomers, but also looking at those that have been going under the radar but are now stepping out to shine. Look out for names like Peter & Sons, Gaming Corps, Penguin King, and Shady Lady, who are all working hard to move the industry forward.

Innovation, Sequels, and Standout Slots

Kongebonus is very much there to reward innovation – and thus we have the Most Innovative Game Developer 2025 category, which acknowledges those who have pushed boundaries and taken risks. Names including ELK Studios, Push Gaming, Nolimit City, and Hacksaw Gaming are just some of those who are vying for victory here.

There’s also Best New Slot 2025 for singular releases that have stood out from the rest, with Le Viking by Hacksaw Gaming, SeaMen by Nolimit City and Culinary Clash by Bullshark Games all competing for the crown.

But they also look at the best sequels, which reward providers who have taken the originals and made them even bigger and better, with titles like Reactoonz 100, Chaos Crew 3, and Fire in the Hole 3 proving that follow-ups can feel every bit as new and exciting as the first release.

The Hall of Fame

With this category, players get the chance to nominate their favourite slot ever. This year, it’s Play’n GO’s cult classic Reactoonz that’s been set as the benchmark – and players get to decide which other titles get to join it in the legendary Hall of Fame.

Why These Awards Matter

Ultimately, this is about a lot more than just trophies and back patting. These actually look at what Norwegian casino players like and want… and can really help to shape the future of gaming and what we can expect in 2026!