June Dates for 2026 European Dealer Championship in Baden-Baden

by Roy Brindley, 22 May 2026

Europe’s elite casino dealers will descend on Baden-Baden, Germany, next month to battle over the European Casino Association Dealer of the Year title.

Stylish, historical, exclusive and elegant: Baden-Baden Casino. © ECA

Key Facts:

• The three-day European Dealer Championship takes place next month.
• The stunning Baden-Baden Casino is the venue for the 18th edition of the competition.
• UK hopes are high as British croupiers have an outstanding record in the event.
• A North American version of the contest will take place in Las Vegas in the autumn.

Baden-Baden Casino, nestled in the heart of Germany’s Black Forest and considered to be one of Europe’s most historic and beautiful casinos, will play host to the 18th edition of the European Dealer Championship next month.

In a three-day event organised by the European Casino Association and starting on June 8, Europe’s Elite Casino Dealers will gather at the stunning venue to compete for the coveted title of European Casino Association Dealer of the Year.

The most renowned competition of its kind, representing the highest standards of the casino industry, contenders will be judged in categories such as hospitality, technical skills (chip cutting, correct use of both hands, use of technical equipment, etc.), and game control.

Twelve months ago, when the competition was held at Casino Bregenz in Austria, Mathew Taylor-Harrison, representing London’s Hippodrome Casino, took the title ahead of Christoph Boo, a dealer from Swiss Casino Zurich.

UK Casino Staff Have Outstanding Record

Having won the 2026 UK Casino Dealer Championship in January at the London Casino & Gaming Show, Alex Wells of Les Ambassadeurs Casino London, is qualified and among the more likely UK representatives at the 2026 European Dealer Championship.

Last year, Billy Clark won the London event and went on to finish third in the 17th European Dealer Championship (EDC). Further explaining why Wells should be considered one of the 2026 favourites, another UK venue, Les Ambassadeurs Casino, previously enjoyed EDC success with Alessandro Mesina in 2023.

Beyond the principal competition, dealers have the opportunity to showcase their skills in five specialised Dealer Skill Challenges, each carry a cash prize. The categories are: Best Mathematician, Best Chipper, Best Cutting Chips, Best Pushing Stacks, and Best Card Handler.

European Dealer Championship Winners List

• 2025: Mathew Taylor-Harrison – Hippodrome Casino, UK
• 2024: Noemi Serra – Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monaco
• 2023: Alessandro Mesina – Les Ambassadeurs Casino, UK
• 2022: Christoph Boo – Casino Zurich, Switzerland
• 2019: Tamas Adam – Swiss Casinos Päffikon, Switzerland
• 2018: Matti Kankainen – Veikkaus Casino Helsinki, Finland
• 2017: Antra Gaike – Olympic Voodoo Casino, Latvia

North American Dealer’s Championship Goes to Vegas

A North American version of the contest will take place at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) gambling industry trade show in Las Vegas in the autumn. Now in its second year, the G2E Dealer Championship will welcome participants from across North America – including Canada and Mexico for the first time.

Open to full-time, part-time and dual-rate dealers, requiring a nomination through their employer (legal, state, and tribal-regulated casino operators across North America), contestants will each deal Blackjack and traditional Roulette for 15 minutes while being evaluated on technical skills, hospitality and game control.

The multi-day competition, scheduled for September 29 – October 1, will feature a series of elimination rounds to determine the champion. The top three competitors will earn cash prizes.