Talking Stick Resort, an enterprise of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC), announced that it was named “Best Casino” in azcentral.com’s 2024 Community Choice Awards. The casino-resort was nominated along with three other casino properties in the Valley by the public as part of the East Valley, Best of the Desert portion of the awards program.

“For Talking Stick Resort to be recognized is a true honor and one that we deeply appreciate. The fact that this nomination came from the public makes it even more meaningful. It tells us that we are moving in the right direction and that our guests are enjoying what we offer,” said Ramon Martinez, Director of Public Relations for Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort.

The annual Community Choice Awards recognizes more than 600 businesses and organizations. Each business was nominated by the public until five nominees were selected in each category. Among the 220 categories include Beauty & Health, Dining, Shopping, Sports & Fitness, Entertainment & Leisure and many more. Nominees in each were divided among the East and West Valley competitions.

Voting then commenced by the public until the finalists and winners were ultimately selected. Winners were announced at an exclusive awards gala at the Omni Resort & Spa at Montelucia in June.

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Talking Stick Resort’s Community Choice Award comes on the heels of great change at the popular resort. This year, the property unveiled an array of new added or renovated amenities. The new ultra-modern spaces include ARENA Poker Room, the largest in Arizona with 68 tables, the reimagined Showroom with intimate concert seating and 92 LED video screens and walls as well as a new sportsbook and lounges.

BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, was recognized as Sports Betting Operator of the Year and Employer of the Year at the EGR North America Awards 2024. The EGR North America Awards, hosted in New York City on June 27, celebrate excellence in the North American online gaming industry and are considered the premier gaming awards.

“Winning two EGR North America Awards is a tremendous honor. We have a passionate team at BetMGM dedicated to delivering best-in-class betting experiences which saw exponential leaps in capability this year with unparalleled omnichannel opportunities, enhanced user interface and increased brand visibility. These awards are a tribute to all the hard work and the strong culture that we are building at BetMGM,” Adam Greenblatt, Chief Executive Officer of BetMGM, said.

Sports Betting Operator of the Year is awarded to the operator that brought innovation to the sports betting sector, provided a high-quality player experience and showed evidence of real growth via mobile and web. BetMGM was acknowledged for its ability to innovate and differentiate in a crowded industry, successfully forming strategic partnerships with X and Marriott Bonvoy and capitalizing upon its unique omnichannel advantage in Las Vegas during Super Bowl LVIII. BetMGM parent company Entain’s acquisition of sports pricing and analytics firm Angstrom in 2023 fueled the expansion of BetMGM’s betting library, allowing the operator to produce a broader and more exciting product for the customer.

The Employer of the Year award recognizes the operator or affiliate that demonstrated its commitment to organizational performance improvement through investment in the recruitment, personal and skills development, and motivation of every employee. On the heels of being recognized as a one of this year’s Best Workplaces in New York by Great Place To Work and Fortune, BetMGM once again proved it is building a workplace to attract and retain top talent in the rapidly growing iGaming and sports betting industry. BetMGM prides itself on being an inclusive, value-driven organization that prioritizes true transparency and two-way communication with weekly, virtual all-hands forums and active employee resource groups. In 2023, BetMGM optimized onboarding, enhanced training programs, continued diversity and inclusion learning, and focused on career development and strategic in-sourcing.

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The wins mark the first time that BetMGM received EGR North America Awards for Sports Betting Operator and Employer of the Year. The company was previously awarded Casino Operator of the Year in 2022 and 2023.