Industry News

Developing slots with player safety in mind

Published

3 years ago

October 18, 2022

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Light & Wonder’s VP Game Development Rob Procter describes how the slot development process is influenced by progress in safer gambling policy and best practice

Keeping players safe is of paramount importance for every stakeholder in the gaming business.

It is a factor that is at the forefront of regulatory and advertising codes in markets around the world, with European Safer Gambling Week serving to bring the issues at play under an especially sharp focus. At Light & Wonder, it is our firm belief that the creation of safe, sustainable playing environments is a necessity if our industry is to continue to flourish worldwide.

We see online gaming as a firm part of the overall entertainment ecosystem. Within this environment, players must be made to feel comfortable enough to play responsibly, having enjoyed an experience that they feel has given them value for their money.

Player safety is about far more than simply being compliant and doing the bare minimum to stick to a set of regulations. It is our belief at Light & Wonder that player safety should be hard-wired into our overall entire content strategy. Within our creative teams, we are always cognisant of the new features and mechanics that we are putting into games and the ways in which they will interact with the player to enhance entertainment levels while also keeping them safe from potential harms.

Landscape

In recent years, the landscape has changed markedly in terms of widespread awareness of the need to protect players. If you look at the example of the UK, buying directly into a bonus feature was prohibited by the Gambling Commission of Great Britain a few years ago, which necessitated a change in approach for game suppliers. We have been focusing strongly on providing compelling experiences within slots to all levels of players across all regulated markets, without them having to stake to high levels, or play for longer in order to access certain features. We don’t want players to feel that a certain level of investment in a slot is a necessity and that numerous spins must be undertaken before a certain level of potential is reached within a game. It is about approaching game design with an ethical, fair mindset, and this comes to the fore when deciding on the distribution of RTP and the way a slot’s mechanics interact with the base game.

Our desire is that we provide players at all stake levels with a positive experience and to show that any top-ranking bonus is attainable by any type of player. Attractive features can no longer only be on offer to the player who is prepared to spend more time and money on their stake – on any given game.

Across all channels

Restrictions in land-based gaming are different in nature compared to the online world, while also varying across different markets. Throughout the process of designing an omni-channel game, we ensure that our content behaves in the same way as our native digital titles with regard to enhancing the game experience, without putting the player in harm’s way.

At Light & Wonder, my colleagues in the land-based creative teams have the same perception of safer gambling as we do in iGaming. We are able to take mutually beneficial learnings as business units, looking at how the land-based teams have incorporated RTP splits and features and mechanics changes, and utilizing those within the online sphere.

Pitfalls

Naturally, operators have a strong imperative to uphold their social responsibility commitments, and to remain as compliant as possible to the regulators. As we see it, though, suppliers certainly have their own part to play in providing operators with content that has player safety already built-in, through entertaining features that can be accessed at all staking levels. Furthermore, we make sure we’re always present in industry working groups, pushing forward the development of best practice in responsible game design – this work is incredibly important to us, and something we’d encourage broader engagement with from others.

In most mature markets, regulation appears to have one direction of travel, towards greater restrictions. Yet in creating new solutions that can cater for evolving guidelines, there lies an opportunity for clever content creators to produce games with original and compelling math models and mechanics. Players can play safely and be entertained but it is up to all stakeholders in our industry to ensure to play their part to ensure that this is the case.

Champions League

Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action

Published

6 hours ago

January 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

flashscore-reveals-data-behind-thrilling-night-of-champions-league-action

New data from Flashscore, the world’s leading platform for live scores and sports content, reveals that almost 34,000,000 users tuned in yesterday for one of the most dramatic nights in UEFA Champions League history.

The intensity of the matches generated a massive wave of digital engagement, with 18 matches all taking place at the same time on the final day of the league format.

From the football-mad streets of Brazil to the frozen research stations of Antarctica, fans across 239 countries and territories checked their phones as Benfica’s goalkeeper scored a 98th-minute header and Real Madrid crashed into the playoffs.

Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “Yesterday wasn’t just a matchday; it was a global event and we were well prepared. When game-changing moments decide matches – from a goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid to last-minute winners across Europe – the world doesn’t just watch, it reacts. Flashscore sent out over 700 million push notifications to our users as drama unfolded across the continent.

“Our data shows unprecedented engagement from all over the world, and I am glad we could bring these extraordinary moments to fans from Brazil to Antarctica.”

TOP MATCHES ranked by number of users

The drama at the Estádio da Luz dominated the global conversation, with nearly 10 million users following the Benfica-Madrid clash alone.

1 Benfica vs. Real Madrid (9,7M users): The undisputed main event. Fans flocked to the match detail as Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a historic 98th-minute header to seal a 4-2 win, sending Real Madrid to the playoffs.

2 Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen (8,3M users): Massive interest as Barcelona thrashed the Danes 4-1 to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16.

3 Napoli vs. Chelsea (5,9M users): A rollercoaster in Naples. Chelsea fought back to win 3-2, eliminating Napoli despite a stunning “Maradona-esque” pirouette goal from Antonio Vergara.

TOP PLAYERS ranked by number of users

1. Jorginho (995K users): The Kairat Almaty midfielder trended globally after scoring a penalty against his former club, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium—a major talking point that drove nearly 1 million profile views.

2. Anatoliy Trubin (725K users): The unlikeliest hero. The Benfica goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid sent his profile traffic into the stratosphere.

3. Andreas Schjelderup (368K users): The 21-year-old Norwegian announced himself to the world with a brace against Real Madrid.

4. Kylian Mbappé (317K users): Even in defeat, the superstar commanded attention and ranked 4th. He scored twice for Madrid, but his team’s collapse was the bigger story.

TOP TEAMS ranking by users:

1. Real Madrid (1,6M users): The “Kings of Europe” falling into the playoff round after a chaotic 4-2 loss drove massive traffic.

2. Benfica (1,1M users): The victors of the night. Their miraculous comeback and “goalkeeper goal” made them the second most-clicked team worldwide.

3. Barcelona (930K users): Solid interest as they cruised to victory and the next round.

Flashscore Global Reach

While Brazil was the single most active nation, the traffic was evenly split across continents: In Europe the huge engagement was driven by fans in Italy, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
Africa’s continent showed massive interest, led by Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Football fever also swept across Asia, with significant user numbers from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
The obsession reached the most remote corners of the Earth. Flashscore recorded active users from Antarctica and Christmas Island, proving that even in the most isolated locations, fans refused to miss the drama.

The post Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Hunter Hunstock

Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere

Published

10 hours ago

January 29, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Playersoft has announced Remote Enrollment, a progressive web app that allows casino teams to enroll guests from virtually any location using any mobile hardware. By leveraging a cloud-driven architecture, Remote Enrollment supports true off-site capability for prospecting and remote sign-up.

Why it matters

Traditional enrollment workflows often depend on specific hardware, on-property connectivity, or fixed stations that can create bottlenecks and limit enrollment opportunities outside the property. Remote Enrollment removes those constraints with a hardware-agnostic progressive web app and cloud-driven architecture—while retaining the consistent, intuitive user experience Playersoft is known for.

What Remote Enrollment delivers

• A progressive web app that runs on virtually any mobile hardware—no special devices required.

• Cloud-driven operations to support off-site prospecting and remote signups.

• A dedicated prospecting feature that enables customer communication and information capture without creating accounts or introducing incomplete data into the player system.

• Conversion tracking from prospect to enrolled player to support measurable outreach efforts.

• Configurable security and policy controls aligned to property requirements.

• Integration with Playersoft ONE for operational oversight and reporting.

“Remote Enrollment is about making it easy for our clients to capture new players wherever the opportunity arises—without sacrificing control, data quality, or usability,” said Hunter Hunstock, President at Playersoft.

Availability:

Remote Enrollment is available now as part of the Playersoft ONE ecosystem.

The post Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

casino industry

Poll: Mississippians Deliver Resounding “No” to Mobile Sports Betting and iGaming

Published

10 hours ago

January 29, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

poll:-mississippians-deliver-resounding-“no”-to-mobile-sports-betting-and-igaming

As Mississippi lawmakers again debate legislation that would expand gambling beyond existing casino properties, new statewide polling and a formal letter from the casino industry deliver a unified message to state leaders: Mississippi voters and casino operators alike oppose the legalization of Online Sports Betting (OSB) and iGaming.

Polling commissioned by the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG) in January finds broad resistance to online gambling expansion among Mississippi voters. Nearly three-quarters of voters (74.2%) oppose legalizing mobile sports betting after learning it would allow wagering statewide on smartphones and other devices, an increase from an already negative baseline once voters understand how the proposal would work. Opposition to iGaming is even stronger, rising from 74.1% at baseline to 80.8% after voters learn it would allow 24/7 remote access to casino-style games.

That opposition is echoed in a formal letter issued to state leadership by a coalition of prominent Mississippi casino operators, joined by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians’ Pearl River Resorts. In the January 21 letter, the coalition warns that legalizing OSB and iGaming would undermine the multi-billion-dollar capital investments made by Mississippi’s traditional gaming industry since 1992 and threaten long-term local jobs.

“This data proves that online gambling is a product Mississippi simply does not want. When residents envision what this policy means in practice—the ‘casino in your pocket’ at all hours—they move decisively away from legalization,” said Oliver Barie, Government Relations Director for the National Association Against iGaming (NAAiG).

Polling by the Bradley Research Group for NAAiG also shows majority opposition to both proposals across every congressional district and major demographic group, before and after voters receive additional information.

Economic Siphoning and Job Protection

In their letter, the casino coalition highlighted a significant divide within the gaming industry itself. Operators opposing expansion have a substantially greater long-term stake in Mississippi, owning an average of 55% of their total properties in the state, compared with just 22% for operators supporting online expansion.

The coalition identified several key economic risks associated with legalizing OSB and iGaming:

• Revenue Loss: Unlike retail casinos, where revenue stays in-state, OSB allows out-of-state operators to cover corporate overhead first, leaving only minimal fees for in-state partners.

• Job Cannibalization: “In-play” mobile betting threatens to reduce physical foot traffic, leading to weakened casino operations and a reduction in the hospitality workforce.

• Minimal State Benefit: Estimated incremental tax revenue is projected at only $11 million—a figure the coalition deems “not a material amount” against a $7 billion state budget.

A Public Health Crisis

Coalition members also raised serious public health concerns, citing a 67% increase in gambling addiction-related search interest in states with legalized online sports betting and a 30% rise in bankruptcies among low-savings households. Research indicates legalization has led to a 372% increase in irresponsible gambling behavior.

“The people of Mississippi are speaking clearly: they value their communities, their local jobs, and their families more than the minimal tax revenue promised by out-of-state tech companies,” the coalition said.

Letter Signatories

The letter opposing online gambling expansion was signed by representatives from:

Churchill Downs (Harlow’s Casino Resort & Spa, River Walk Casino Hotel)

Foundation Gaming & Entertainment (Fitz Casino Hotel, WaterView Casino Hotel)

Full House Resorts (Silver Slipper Casino Hotel)

Gulfside Casino Partnership (Island View Casino Resort)

Palace Casino Resort

Pearl River Resorts (Golden Moon Hotel and Casino)

Saratoga Gaming (Magnolia Bluffs Casino Hotel)

Treasure Bay Casino and Hotel.

The post Poll: Mississippians Deliver Resounding “No” to Mobile Sports Betting and iGaming appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.