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Revealed: worst areas in England for gamers during lockdown

Published

6 years ago

June 3, 2020

George Miller

Reading Time: 4 minutes

South West bottom of the pile for broadband speeds, with five of the ten areas where gamers are most likely to disrupt gameplay
Cities of London and Westminster the worst area for access to superfast broadband
Kingston Upon Hull ranks the highest for the best place to play video games online based on average speeds and availability of superfast broadband

New research from comparethemarket.com reveals the areas in England that are the worst for gamers, with gameplay in Central Devon the most likely to be disrupted due to poor broadband speeds.

The research analyses the average download speed (Mbps), superfast broadband availability and the percentage of households’ ability to receive decent broadband.

Gamers based in the South West score the least points when it comes to connection speed, with five out of the top ten worst hit areas in England. With Central Devon having the dubious distinction of being the worst in the country, Torridge and West Devon, Forest of Dean, Somerton and Frome, and Tiverton and Honiton all suffer disruption from poorer broadband speeds.

Some may be surprised to see the Cities of London and Westminster ranked the 10^th worst constituency for gamers overall. When it comes to access to superfast broadband, this area takes the last place out of all areas, with a quarter unable to access the very fastest connection. By comparison, in Luton North and Leicester West, superfast broadband availability is 100%.

Kingston Upon Hull is hailed as the best place for gamers, ranking top in the country for average speeds and the availability of superfast broadband. Less than 2% of the area’s households have access to decent broadband. Other cities areas that rank highly for gamers include Grimsby, Gillingham and Rainham in the South East, and Nottingham North in the East Midlands.

Top 10 – England’s worst areas for gamers

Rank	Area Name	Region	Average speed (MBPS)	Superfast availability	Unable to receive decent broadband
10	Cities of London and Westminster	London	34.41	75%	0%
9	Somerton and Frome	South West	42.75	82%	10%
8	Harwich and North Essex	East of England	37.06	83%	9%
7	Tiverton and Honiton	South West	31.89	81%	9%
6	North Herefordshire	West Midlands	35.09	80%	9%
5	Penrith and The Border	North West	36.01	81%	12%
4	Ludlow	West Midlands	33.09	81%	11%
3	Forest of Dean	South West	31.61	79%	10%
2	Torridge and West Devon	South West	34.01	81%	12%
1	Central Devon	South West	34.05	77%	12%

Top 10 – England’s best areas for gamers

Rank	Area Name	Region	Average speed (MBPS)	Superfast availability	Unable to receive decent broadband
1	Kingston upon Hull East	Yorkshire and The Humber	137.44	99%	1%
2	Kingston upon Hull North	Yorkshire and The Humber	132.15	100%	1%
3	Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle	Yorkshire and The Humber	122.24	99%	2%
4	Crawley	South East	88.40	99%	0%
5	Filton and Bradley Stoke	South West	93.49	98%	1%
6	Luton North	East of England	84.10	100%	0%
7	Morecambe and Lunesdale	North West	87.70	99%	0%
8	Great Grimsby	Yorkshire and The Humber	89.56	98%	1%
9	Stevenage	East of England	86.93	99%	0%
10	Gillingham and Rainham	South East	86.61	99%	0%

Holly Niblett, head of digital at comparethemarket.com, commented:

“Lockdown has seen a surge in the number of people relying on the internet for work and leisure. There is a wide disparity in the connection speeds and access to superfast broadband across the country, with people facing a particularly hostile environment in parts of the south west. For many, a reliable internet connection is a lifeline during a difficult time.

“Our new speed-test tool allows people to see how fast their broadband speed is and what better deals and speed is available in their area, because for many households, a fast download speed is a deal-breaker when it comes to choosing a provider. Perhaps unsurprisingly, we have seen a steep rise in the number of customers switching online to the fastest packages during isolation.”

comparethemarket’s tips for improving your broadband speed:

1. Test the speed of your broadband connection

You can run a speed test on comparethemarket’s new speed-checker tool, which enables users to check how long it will take to download a film or game in their area: http://www.comparethemarket.com/broadband/speed-test You’ll be shown both your download and upload speeds.

2. Move your router away from other devices

Keep your router as far away as possible from other electrical equipment and devices that emit wireless signals, such as cordless phones, baby monitors and computer speakers. Try to place your router on a table or shelf rather than on the floor and keep it switched on.

3. Turn off WiFi on devices you’re not using

If you have multiple devices such as tablets and smartphones running in the background, it can slow down your broadband, so try switching WiFi off on these when you’re not using them. You should also avoid carrying out data-heavy tasks like HD streaming, gaming or video calls at the same time as others in your household.

4. Give your computer a spring clean

There are many applications on your PC that could affect your broadband speed, some without you even realising it. A few simple quick fixes include making sure your anti-virus software is up to date, making sure you’re using the latest version of your web browser, such as Chrome, Firefox or Microsoft Edge and clearing your cache and browser history.

For more information on the research, please go to: https://www.comparethemarket.com/broadband/content/best-cities-in-england-for-gamers/

Methodology:
The following table reveals the areas of England where gamers are most likely to disrupt gameplay due to bad broadband speeds.

Data taken directly from the source are in the columns titled Area name, Region, Average speed (MBPS), Superfast availability and unable to receive decent broadband.

To calculate the index we first normalised the data categories individually from 0 to 1 and then summed the results.

On this scale, for

Average speed – The higher index would be weighted closer to 1 – detailed in the average speed weighting column
Superfast availability – The higher index is weighted closer to 1 – detailed in the superfast weighting column
Unable to receive decent broadband – The higher index is weighted closer to 0 – detailed in the Decent broadband weighting column

Total and rankings were determined by the above.

content-supplier

ELA Games reports 201.9% betting volume jump in Greece over two quarters

Published

1 hour ago

July 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-reports-201.9%-betting-volume-jump-in-greece-over-two-quarters

ELA Games says it has delivered triple-digit growth in Greece over the last two quarters, reporting an 86.30% increase in active users, a 77.20% rise in turnover, and a 201.90% surge in overall bet counts.

The supplier attributed the results to aligning its content with local player preferences and said its Greece performance has been driven by certified titles focused on visual design and “narrative-led experiences.”

ELA Games named Piñatas Festival, Riches Express, and Flame Fruits Frenzy as its top-three performing titles in Greece during the period.

The company also linked the performance to a new strategic partnership with Fonbet in Greece. ELA Games said the integration creates an exclusive hub for its content and expands access to its catalogue for local players.

Yaroslav Soloshenko, Business Development Team Lead at ELA Games, said: “When we look at the numbers, it is satisfying to see that our regional strategy is paying off in such a big way. We spend a lot of time analyzing what players in specific markets want to see. Our unique design philosophy combined with that regional focus has resulted in proven commercial success across our main European markets, and Greece is a perfect example of that in action.”

The post ELA Games reports 201.9% betting volume jump in Greece over two quarters appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

efl-championship

Midnite signs Middlesbrough shirt deal, renews Sheffield United sponsorship

Published

1 hour ago

July 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

midnite-signs-middlesbrough-shirt-deal,-renews-sheffield-united-sponsorship

Midnite has agreed a principal partnership with Middlesbrough FC that will put the bookmaker on the club’s front of shirt for the 2026/27 season. The brand will also continue as principal partner of Sheffield United FC for a second consecutive year, also including front-of-shirt sponsorship.

Midnite said the Middlesbrough agreement will run during the club’s 150th season and will include a supporter-facing activation called “This Season’s On Us”. The company said the initiative will offer prizes including men’s or women’s season tickets, 2026/27 home and away shirts, hospitality tickets and a £25 club shop voucher, with participation described as first-come-first-served via trivia and football challenges.

For Sheffield United, Midnite is launching a new matchday promotion called 2UP. Midnite said if Sheffield United go two goals up in a home league match, “one lucky fan will win the 2UP prize pot”. The Sheffield United 2UP prize fund will start at £10,000 when the season begins in August, with £1,000 added for every home league fixture, according to the company.

Andrew Mook, Midnite‘s Head of Brand Marketing, said:

“The Championship is one of the most viewed football leagues in the world, with some iconic and historical names from English football competing in it. We are looking forward to being a part of the action by partnering with two of the league’s biggest clubs in what should be another thrilling season.

“Middlesbrough are a club with a storied history and we’re delighted to announce this partnership during such a monumental year with the club celebrating their 150th anniversary.

“We are also delighted to be Sheffield United’s principal partner for a second consecutive season after a really exciting first year. We’ll be looking to create even more memorable fan experiences in the upcoming season.”

Midnite said the 2UP campaign will run across all of its Midnite-sponsored Championship clubs and referenced a separate front-of-shirt deal announced last month with Wolverhampton Wanderers. The company also highlighted other UK sports marketing activity, including a renewed sponsorship with the World Snooker Tour for the World Snooker Championship and a UK betting and casino partner designation for the 2026 Johnstone’s Paint Masters.

The post Midnite signs Middlesbrough shirt deal, renews Sheffield United sponsorship appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gaming Realms

Gaming Realms signs SIS licensing deal to build Slingo 49’s game

Published

1 hour ago

July 2, 2026

Wladimir P.

gaming-realms-signs-sis-licensing-deal-to-build-slingo-49’s-game

Gaming Realms has signed a licensing agreement with SIS to develop a Slingo title based on SIS’s fixed-odds live numbers draw product, 49’s. The companies announced the deal on 2nd July 2026.

The agreement marks the first time SIS has licensed IP from its numbers portfolio, according to the companies. A Slingo version is scheduled to launch in July 2026, incorporating 49’s branding, theme tune and live presenters within the game.

Gaming Realms said the game will use its Slingo mechanic, with players spinning a reel to match numbers on a board and progress up a “Slingo ladder” for increasing prizes. Slingo 49’s will be distributed to Gaming Realms’ global operator partners, with the companies highlighting the strongest appeal in the UK and Africa.

Gareth Scott, Chief Commercial Officer at Gaming Realms, said: “Partnering with SIS to bring the iconic 49’s and Slingo together is a fascinating collaboration. The 49’s live draw is an adjacent gaming vertical and one of the most popular numbers products internationally, with a loyal following built over decades.

Jess Mills, Head of 49’s at SIS, said: “We’re delighted to partner with Gaming Realms to bring 49’s to life in a completely new format. The 49’s live draws have an extraordinary heritage and a passionate, global fanbase, so the decision to license our IP was not one we took lightly. Gaming Realms’ track record with Slingo gave us every confidence that this was the right partnership to make that step.

“Slingo is the ideal vehicle to introduce 49’s to a new player vertical, while keeping the authenticity that existing fans love at the heart of the experience.”

The post Gaming Realms signs SIS licensing deal to build Slingo 49’s game appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.