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New Study Finds that Socially Excluded Communities Use Gambling to Cope with Discrimination, Loneliness and Other Problems
A new study from GambleAware has shown how people from communities that experience discrimination due to being marginalised and socially excluded use gambling to deal with their situations and loneliness.
GambleAware, the leading charity and strategic commissioner of gambling harms prevention and treatment services, funded an analysis by The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) of 138 previous studies to explore how socially excluded groups are affected by gambling. The groups in the studies included people who experience or are at risk of homelessness, older people, people living with disabilities, neurodiversity or mental health challenges, criminalised communities and migrants in vulnerable circumstances such as asylum seekers.
Despite the diversity of these groups, the research identified a common thread across all of the groups that they often use gambling to cope with other difficulties in life, which are driven by social exclusion or discrimination. These issues include loneliness, mental health challenges, stress related to the process of migration and assimilating into a new culture, unemployment, challenges relating to job security and conditions, or poverty. Gambling was seen by people from the communities as a way to take their mind off these issues, or as a way to make money to try and get out of poverty.
The research also highlighted the disproportionate concentration of gambling venues in more deprived areas in Great Britain. People from marginalised, isolated or criminalised communities are more likely to live in these areas due to socioeconomic disenfranchisement, and so are more likely to see gambling venues around them.
Stigma was also identified as contributing to people’s experiences of gambling and gambling harm, and influenced whether they reached out for support and treatment. Marginalised communities in the study already experience stigma related to drug use, homelessness or mental health challenges, which not only intersect with one another, but also with stigma from gambling harms. This underscores the importance of GambleAware’s campaigns to reduce the stigma around gambling harm, to make people more willing to open up and come forward for help.
The report recommends that gambling treatment services need to be accessible, inclusive and adaptive to people with different needs to meet the realities of marginalised communities and break down barriers for them to access support. The report also recommends there should be further research to explore gambling harms among discriminated-against communities due to a lack of current evidence and understanding of their needs and the harm they experience.
GambleAware has already been working to improve access to services for people from some of these communities. The charity launched a large-scale funding programme, “Improving Outcomes for women and minority communities affected by gambling harm”, investing over £4 million in 25 organisations across Great Britain that support women or minority communities. Organisations receiving funding include Investing in People and Culture, which will use the funding to address gambling harms among ethnically diverse refugee and new migrant communities in Tyne and Wear; and the Flowhesion Foundation, which will support Pashtoon speaking women in the North West of England who are experiencing gambling harms.
Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive of GambleAware, said: “Our new report shows how people from marginalised communities, who are already dealing with many different issues in their lives, struggle with gambling harms.
“There needs to be more engagement with these communities to build awareness around the risks of gambling harm, and service providers need to ensure they can appropriately meet the needs of people in different circumstances. This is why we launched our Improving Outcomes Fund, to support organisations which are running programmes to help people from different communities.”
Dr Sokratis Dinos from NatCen’s Centre for Gambling Research said: “We were pleased to carry out this study for GambleAware. The report is a collection of findings and analysis of six scoping reviews, which were conducted to critically appraise existing evidence on gambling harms among communities in Great Britain who are subject to disproportionate marginalisation, social exclusion, or subject to criminalisation. The results show how vulnerability to gambling harms for some people in these communities will be driven by compounding inequalities, stigma, exclusion, and discrimination.”
The post New Study Finds that Socially Excluded Communities Use Gambling to Cope with Discrimination, Loneliness and Other Problems appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
BETANO
Kaizen Gaming takes two Latin America operator awards at SBC Awards Americas 2026
Betano owner repeats wins for Sportsbook Operator of the Year and Casino Operator of the Year at the Fort Lauderdale ceremony on 10 June.
Kaizen Gaming has won both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America” at the SBC Awards Americas 2026, repeating the double from last year. The ceremony was held on Wednesday, 10 June, during SBC Summit Americas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The operator, which owns the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, said the awards reflect its continued performance across Latin America. The company positioned Betano as a leading regional brand, citing market presence in Brazil and other South American markets including Argentina and Peru.
Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer, said: “We are very happy about this distinction, especially since it recognizes our focus on providing our customers with the best possible experience, both through our Sportsbook and our Casino offerings. And of course, it’s equally important that these awards concern the Latin American region, which has totally embraced us and to which we owe a large part of our success. With the World Cup now upon us, South America is a hugely strategic region for the industry, and we remain committed to setting new standards for innovation, trust, and customer experience.”
In the same announcement, Kaizen Gaming pointed to its sports marketing footprint in the region and wider international visibility ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026
. Betano has been named an Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America, and has also been announced as an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team. The company is also an Official Partner of CONMEBOL, with the partnership beginning around CONMEBOL Copa America
2024 and continuing into subsequent competitions.
Kaizen Gaming also highlighted a recent acquisition aimed at product development. Earlier this year, it acquired GameplAI, a provider of AI-powered sports trading and analytics, which Kaizen said will be integrated into Betano to enhance sports trading, player markets and performance analytics.
The post Kaizen Gaming takes two Latin America operator awards at SBC Awards Americas 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BETANO
Kaizen Gaming Repeats Double Latin America Operator Win at SBC Awards Americas 2026
Dual honours with awards for both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America”
Kaizen Gaming, one of the world’s biggest GameTech companies and owner of the Betano online sports betting and gaming brand, has been named both “Sportsbook Operator of the Year – Latin America” and “Casino Operator of the Year – Latin America” for the second year running at the SBC Awards Americas 2026. The ceremony took place on Wednesday, 10 June, on the second day of the SBC Summit Americas at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
The repeat double award wins reinforce Betano’s position as a leading force in online betting and gaming across the region. Betano is arguably considered the no 1 igaming brand, with the biggest market share in Brazil, South America’s largest market, while it is also one of the market leaders in other South American countries, including Argentina and Peru.
Kaizen Gaming continues to set new benchmarks with customer experience at the core of its offering, underpinned by its proprietary technology, elite football partnerships, and ongoing product innovation. This includes a range of player-centric features, such as increasingly sophisticated AI-powered personalisation, trending content, enhanced in-play experiences and social functionality, alongside a wide selection of engaging rewards and offers.
Christos Tzalavras, Kaizen Gaming’s Chief Product Officer commented: “We are very happy about this distinction, especially since it recognizes our focus on providing our customers with the best possible experience, both through our Sportsbook and our Casino offerings. And of course, it’s equally important that these awards concern the Latin American region, which has totally embraced us and to which we owe a large part of our success. With the World Cup now upon us, South America is a hugely strategic region for the industry, and we remain committed to setting new standards for innovation, trust, and customer experience.”
The FIFA World Cup 2026
is a significant moment for Betanο, which has been named an Official Tournament Supporter for Europe and South America. This will see Betano provide fans with many unique and exclusive opportunities to experience the excitement of the FIFA World Cup through exclusive fan activations, while also promoting responsible play through dedicated tools and 24/7 customer support.
Betano was also recently announced an Official Regional Sponsor of the Argentine National Football Team – the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
champions. At the same time, it remains the title sponsor of both Brazil’s top domestic competitions, Brasileirão Serie A and Copa Betano do Brazil, the Presenting Partner of the Argentine Liga Profesional de Fútbol and Copa Argentina, as well as the principal and front-of-shirt partner of top flight South American clubs, including Clube de Regatas do Flamengo and Club Atlético River Plate. Furthermore, Kaizen Gaming is an Official Partner of CONMEBOL, with the partnership starting through the CONMEBOL Copa America
2024 and since then continuing with other tournaments including the CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina 2025
and the CONMEBOL Liga de Naciones Femenina.
Additionally, Betano has an extensive Corporate Social Responsibility footprint in the region, supporting the work of organisations like FADeC (the Argentine Federation of Sports for the Blind), Fundación Empate (which supports the inclusion and development of people with Down syndrome in Argentina), Afroesporte (which empowers Black athletes in Brazil to develop their careers) and Fundação Laço Rosa (which supports women’s fight against breast cancer in Brazil).
Earlier this year, Kaizen Gaming also underscored its focus on customer-centric technology innovation with the acquisition of GameplAI, a provider of AI-powered sports trading and analytics. The deal enables the integration of GameplAI’s technology into Betano, enhancing capabilities across sports trading, player markets and performance analytics, for users globally.
The post Kaizen Gaming Repeats Double Latin America Operator Win at SBC Awards Americas 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Ahmed Baker Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games
INCENTIVE GAMES GOES LIVE WITH BETMGM IN ONTARIO
B2B games provider Incentive Games, through its real-money gaming division Incentive Studios, has partnered with BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, to launch four real-money titles in Ontario. BetMGM will be first to market with these titles in the province.
The partnership has seen four of Incentive Studios’ titles, Velocity, Mega Flight, Kicker and Squid Game Red Light Green Light Cashout, go live on the BetMGM platform, bringing the studio’s portfolio of crash and arcade experiences to players across the province.
As one of North America’s leading betting and gaming operators, BetMGM has built a strong reputation for delivering premium player experiences across regulated markets. Ontario remains a key market within its growth strategy, with a continued focus on high-quality content, innovation and responsible gambling.
The launch further strengthens Incentive Games’ position in North America and marks another important milestone in the company’s continued expansion across regulated gaming markets, building on its recent securing of licences in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ontario.
Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, said, “We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with BetMGM and to see four of our real-money titles go live in Ontario. From the outset, it’s been clear that we share a strong focus on delivering engaging, high-quality player experiences, making this a natural collaboration for both teams. This launch marks an exciting milestone for Incentive Studios as we continue our expansion across regulated markets, and we look forward to growing our relationship with the BetMGM team.”
Rob Passerino, Director of Gaming, BetMGM said, “BetMGM is focused on delivering the best online casino experience possible. As crash and arcade-style games continue to see significant growth, Incentive Studios’ portfolio strengthens our ability to meet evolving player demand, especially in key markets like Ontario.”
The post INCENTIVE GAMES GOES LIVE WITH BETMGM IN ONTARIO appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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