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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.

amd

S8UL partners with AMD ahead of Esports World Cup 2026 campaign

Published

2 minutes ago

June 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul-partners-with-amd-ahead-of-esports-world-cup-2026-campaign

AMD Ryzen and Radeon hardware will be used across S8UL’s esports, streaming and creator workflows as the Indian org ramps up its EWC push.

S8UL has signed a strategic partnership with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) ahead of its Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 campaign, as the Indian esports and gaming content organization targets further international expansion.

Under the agreement, AMD will equip S8UL’s players and creators with AMD Ryzen AI 400 Series processor-based PCs, AMD Ryzen 9000 Series processors, and AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series graphics cards for gaming, streaming, content creation and general productivity.

The deal lands as S8UL prepares for EWC 2026 after being selected for the Esports World Cup Foundation’s Club Partner Program for a second consecutive year. The organization said it has already secured qualification spots in Apex Legends, Chess, Fortnite, Honor of Kings, and Trackmania, while continuing to pursue additional slots in other titles. The partnership also follows S8UL onboarding Campa Energy as the Title Sponsor for its EWC 2026 campaign.

“S8UL has always focused on both competitive success and content creation. As we prepare for the Esports World Cup, AMD’s technology will support our players and creators across competition, streaming and content production. We’re excited to work together as we continue to grow our presence globally,” said Animesh ‘Thug’ Agarwal, Co-Founder and CEO, S8UL.

“India’s gaming ecosystem is expanding beyond competition, with creators playing an increasingly important role in how communities connect and grow,” said Vinay Sinha, Managing Director, Sales, AMD India. “Organizations like S8UL are helping shape that evolution, and we’re excited to support their players and creators with AMD technology as they continue to engage gaming and creators’ communities in India and around the world.”

EWC 2026 is scheduled for July 6 to August 23, with the Esports World Cup organisers stating it will feature more than 2,000 players and 200 clubs from over 100 countries competing for a $75 million prize pool.

The post S8UL partners with AMD ahead of Esports World Cup 2026 campaign appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Artificial intelligence

Kaizen Gaming rolls out GenAI-powered Betano Trivia across 20 markets

Published

7 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

kaizen-gaming-rolls-out-genai-powered-betano-trivia-across-20-markets

Kaizen Gaming has launched Betano Trivia, a live trivia product it describes as the world’s first fully GenAI-powered live trivia experience. The free-to-play game is now available across the 20 markets where Kaizen Gaming operates.

The product was developed by Kaizen Labs, the company’s innovation incubator. Kaizen Gaming said Betano Trivia uses generative AI to power the avatar presenter, create dynamic trivia content, and generate supporting audiovisual assets, positioning it as a new engagement format inside the Betano brand.

Players are invited to answer questions spanning sports, entertainment and pop culture and compete for prizes, according to the company. Kaizen Gaming also tied the timing of the launch to heightened global football attention, pitching the game as a second-screen-style entertainment layer for fans.

George Kourakos, Director of Innovation at Kaizen Gaming, stated: “Betano Trivia demonstrates how AI can be used to create entirely new forms of entertainment and customer engagement. At Kaizen Gaming we never use technology for its own sake. We have a clear goal to elevate the world-class gaming experience we offer to our customers. What makes this achievement particularly special is that it was developed entirely by our internal teams, combining creativity, engineering excellence and a shared passion for innovation across the board.”

Kaizen Gaming framed the release as part of its broader generative AI push, arguing that internal teams can use the technology to scale new product experiences across multiple regulated markets.

The post Kaizen Gaming rolls out GenAI-powered Betano Trivia across 20 markets appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

ELA Games

ELA Games adds slots portfolio to Fonbet.gr in Greece

Published

8 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-adds-slots-portfolio-to-fonbet.gr-in-greece

Deal expands ELA Games’ distribution under its Hellenic Gaming Commission licence, with localized titles now live on Fonbet’s Greek site.

ELA Games has partnered with Fonbet to roll out a selection of its slot titles to Greek players via Fonbet.gr.

The supplier said the integration makes its portfolio available through Fonbet’s Greek-facing operation, including titles such as Piñatas Festival, Flame Fruit Frenzy and Riches Express. The release positions the launch as a lobby expansion for Fonbet and a further distribution step for ELA Games in the market.

ELA Games said the deal builds on its existing presence in Greece, citing its Hellenic Gaming Commission licence. The company also claimed active users in Greece rose 86.3% over the last two quarters, while bet counts increased 201.9% over the same period.

Yaroslav Soloshenko, Business Development Team Lead at ELA Games, said: “Partnering with Fonbet is a brilliant step forward for our brand visibility in Greece. The Greek market means a great deal to us and has been a strong focus for our growth strategy recently. Having our content available on their well-respected platform allows us to showcase the true depth of our portfolio to a dedicated audience. We welcome the opportunity to offer players and partners a full, detailed presentation of the immersive mechanics, unique art styles, and gamified features our team puts into every single release.”

The post ELA Games adds slots portfolio to Fonbet.gr in Greece appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.