Tom Light wins individual achievement award – B2B at EGR Europe Awards 2026

FIRST Founder and CEO Tom Light has won the individual achievement award – B2B at the EGR Europe Awards 2026 in Malta, following the supplier’s rapid expansion across international markets.

Press release.- FIRST – Best in Sports founder and CEO Tom Light has been named winner of the individual achievement award – B2B at this year’s EGR Europe Awards in Malta, recognising his leadership in building one of the industry’s fastest growing sportsbook suppliers.

In just under two years, Tom has led FIRST from launch to Tier 1 status – scaling to 75+ operators worldwide, including 38+ in Brazil, and making FIRST the most adopted B2B sportsbook engine in LatAm and one of the fastest expanding in Europe. 

The award reflects a product vision built on structural innovation. Under Tom’s direction, FIRST has launched SportOS, the industry’s first sportsbook operating system, and Omnichannel Loyalty, a cross-channel rewards programmeme that unifies online and retail. In 2025 alone, FIRST collected five major supplier titles, including Sports Betting Supplier of the Year at the SBC Awards and Sportsbook Supplier of the Year at the EGR LatAm Awards.

Tom Light, founder and CEO of FIRST – Best in Sports, said: “This award is a personal honour, but it really belongs to our teams and our partners.

“From day one our goal has been simple – build a Tier 1 sportsbook engine that lets operators in regulated markets compete with the very best. Europe is essential to that mission, and this recognition is fuel for everything we are building next.”

As FIRST continues to expand its reach across Europe and LatAm, operators seeking performance at scale, deep localisation and the most integrated sportsbook in the space are turning to a supplier that does not follow the market – it helps define it.

FIRST – Best in Sports is the leading provider of Tier 1 sports betting solutions to operators in South America and Europe. The company partners with the largest platform providers and sports betting operators in igaming and brings their digital sportsbooks to life by providing them with the deepest and most comprehensive betting product portfolio. This strategic approach drives volumes, engagement, retention and revenues and ensures FIRST – Best in Sports’ partners are able to compete with the largest operators in their markets.