Set against the iconic panorama of Cinecittà in Rome, the SiGMA B2C Awards night on 4 November delivered not only awards and celebration, but it also staged a high-impact charity auction that illustrated the industry’s capacity for giving.
Under the soft glow of studio lights and amid the classical grandeur of Roman architecture, the SiGMA B2C Awards Charity auction brought together operators, affiliates, and gaming luminaries in a show of philanthropic intent.
A night of elegance and impact
The B2C Awards ceremony had already primed the crowd with energy and anticipation, but it was during the auction segment that the event took on a deeper resonance. As the hammer fell on each lot, applause rose in waves, driven by high stakes and generous spirits.
Host and auctioneer Rick Goddard expertly guided the room through the bidding rounds, coaxing competitive enthusiasm and engaging spectators with storytelling around each lot. The cinematic setting of Cinecittà, a storied location synonymous with the golden age of film, served as the perfect stage for a philanthropic spectacle.
Laughter intertwined with applause as delegates raised their glasses in celebration of progress and purpose, pledging support for projects designed to create lasting impact well beyond the walls of Rome. Among the initiatives that will be funded in 2026 are:
- Bonga, Ethiopia
In 2026, SiGMA will provide water tanks for Wush Wush Kindergarten, improving access to clean water for young students. The project also includes four new classrooms near the Women’s Empowerment Centre and a revenue-generating community hub, fostering education, self-sufficiency, and sustainable community growth
- Jimma, Ethiopia
SiGMA’s 2026 plans for Jimma include refurbishing St Peter & St Paul Primary School to create safe, waterproof learning spaces. By strengthening infrastructure, this project ensures a secure environment where children can focus on their education year-round, empowering the next generation through better facilities and opportunity.
- Kasese, Uganda
In 2026, SiGMA will fund the construction of a new kindergarten and the expansion of the existing primary school in Kasese. These additions will provide essential learning environments for the area’s growing youth population, offering greater access to quality education and supporting long-term community development.
- Iquitos, Peru
SiGMA’s 2026 efforts in Iquitos will focus on rebuilding the Casa Betania Night Shelter and developing the River Repository, complete with dormitories for river patients awaiting medical care. This initiative aims to restore dignity and safety for vulnerable individuals while strengthening the region’s social support infrastructure.
- Guatemala (Puerto Barrios)
In 2026, SiGMA will continue the Clay Filters & Clean Stoves Project in Puerto Barrios, bringing sustainable clean water and safe cooking solutions to rural communities. This initiative promotes health, reduces respiratory illness, and enhances environmental sustainability through accessible, community-driven innovation.
- Philippines
SiGMA’s 2026 projects in the Philippines include providing WiFi for e-learning and a feeding programme in Tondo, completing Phase 2 of the Batiawan Community Centre, and installing solar and AC upgrades at the Jose Depiro Formation Centre in Bataan. Each initiative strengthens education, wellbeing, and sustainable community growth.
These and many other transformative projects continue to drive meaningful change across the globe. Visit our website to learn more about how you can take part in these life-changing initiatives that are improving lives and building stronger communities worldwide.
Auction 1: Sold for €4,000 to Punin Group
Life’s a game by Angela Nikolau
In this surreal vision, Angela Nikolau transforms the game board into a reflection of modern desire. A crimson car glides across a pastel chessboard where pearls, pawns, and poker chips collide in a dance of luck and temptation. Each detail vibrates with possibility: cherries gleam, a dart hangs mid-air, and a stiletto flirts with chaos. Life’s a game, the painting murmurs, every move is yours to make.
Auction 2: Sold for €1,800 to HubAffiliations
Superhuman Messi has done it again! by Rudy Jun Aquino
In Superhuman Messi Has Done It Again, Rudy Jun Aquino captures Lionel Messi at the height of glory, the moment he lifted the World Cup and transcended sport itself. Layered oils and fluid composition convey the boundary between human will and the divine. The trio of poses reflects Messi’s evolution, bound by Argentina’s radiant blue and the golden glow of the trophy, shining like a sun of destiny. More than a tribute, Aquino’s work canonises movement itself, turning victory into timeless art.
Auction 3: Sold for €55,000 to Punin Group
Laugh Through the Chaos by Lena Maria Ludes
This painting captures the Joker in a moment of twisted joy, a smile masking both pain and freedom. The contrast between light and darkness, beauty and chaos, lies at its core. The 22k gold hints at broken glamour, while the smoke suggests a fleeting escape before collapse. For me, the Joker embodies the human condition, hiding struggle behind a smile, finding truth amid chaos.
Auction 4: Sold for €4,000 to HubAffiliations
One Last Spin by Emre Tuna
With dark wit and cinematic flair, One Last Spin captures the absurdity of hope amid collapse. Two skeletal gamblers, poised over a roulette table as meteors streak across Rome’s sky, embody elegance at the brink of doom. Tuna’s vivid palette and bold brushwork fuse mortality with glamour, turning the apocalypse into theatre. Even at the world’s end, the players still believe in luck, a wry reminder that it’s never too late to spin again.
Auction 5: Sold for €7,000 to Alea
Hermes by Natalya Gudovich
Natalya Gudovich’s Hermes is a metaphysical meditation on transformation, spirit becoming form. A fragment of Hermes’ winged foot leads marble and bronze horses, uniting opposing cosmic forces in motion. Above, a divine Hand emerges from the void, summoning matter into spirit and spirit into matter.
Inspired by Henri Corbin’s vision of the luminous body, the work becomes an allegory of the soul’s ascent, the alchemical union where stone turns to light and imagination bridges heaven and earth. Hermes captures the instant where art transcends itself, and matter yields to revelation.
Auction 6: Sold for €2,000 to Punin Group
Neymar Jr. Signed Picture Donated by The Power Plugin
Captured mid-flight for FC Barcelona, Neymar epitomises the artistry and audacity of modern football. Set against a monochrome backdrop, his vivid form symbolises brilliance breaking through the ordinary. Signed by the player, this collector’s piece immortalises a moment where style, grace, and passion unite.
For more about SiGMA, the B2C Awards, and how the Foundation is making change, visit the SiGMA website at sigma.world.
