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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.

AML

UK vs Germany AML Supervisory Architecture: A Structural Mapping for Group Operators

Published

14 minutes ago

February 25, 2026

Wladimir P.

uk-vs-germany-aml-supervisory-architecture:-a-structural-mapping-for-group-operators

Licensed online gambling groups operating in both the United Kingdom and Germany are subject to two distinct anti-money laundering (AML) supervisory architectures. The distinction is reflected in the allocation of statutory responsibility, the structure of reporting obligations, and the implementation of monitoring mechanisms under law.

This article presents a structural mapping of these frameworks based exclusively on statutory texts and official supervisory publications. No interpretive grading or comparative assessment is included.

Allocation of Supervisory Responsibility

In Great Britain, the Gambling Act 2005 designates the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) as the regulator of licensed gambling activities. Casino operators are classified as “relevant persons” under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (as amended). Accordingly, they are subject to AML obligations prescribed by law, including firm-wide risk assessment (Regulation 18), customer due diligence, enhanced due diligence where required, ongoing monitoring, and suspicious activity reporting pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Under the UK regulatory structure, AML monitoring and internal controls are implemented at operator level and supervised by the UKGC pursuant to its mandate, including licence conditions, compliance assessments, and published enforcement outcomes.

In Germany, the Glücksspielstaatsvertrag 2021 (GlüStV 2021) establishes the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) as the competent supervisory authority for licensed online gambling. In parallel, the Geldwäschegesetz (GwG) classifies operators of games of chance as obligated entities (Verpflichtete) and subjects them to AML requirements defined by statute, including institutional risk analysis, due diligence measures, ongoing monitoring, and suspicious transaction reporting to the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU Germany).

Beyond the AML obligations under the GwG, GlüStV 2021 establishes centralized monitoring systems, including LUGAS (Länderübergreifendes Glücksspielaufsichtssystem) and OASIS (national self-exclusion system). Licensed operators are required to integrate with these systems in accordance with legal provisions.

The allocation of supervisory responsibility in each jurisdiction determines how AML controls are implemented and which authority reviews compliance.

Reporting Architecture

In the United Kingdom, suspicious activity reports (SARs) are submitted to the National Crime Agency (NCA) under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and associated regulations. The reporting obligation arises where an operator knows or suspects, or has reasonable grounds for knowing or suspecting, that a person is engaged in money laundering, as defined by law.

Under German law, obligated entities must submit suspicious transaction reports to the Financial Intelligence Unit pursuant to the Geldwäschegesetz. The reporting obligation is triggered in accordance with the GwG.

For operators active in both jurisdictions, this results in reporting relationships with distinct competent authorities operating under separate legal mandates.

Group-Level Compliance Governance

For corporate groups holding licences in both jurisdictions, the allocation of AML responsibility differs in structure.

Within the UK system, AML supervision of licensed gambling operators is integrated into the mandate of the UK Gambling Commission, while suspicious activity reporting is directed to the National Crime Agency.

Within the German system, AML obligations arise under the Geldwäschegesetz, while gambling supervision is exercised by the GGL pursuant to GlüStV 2021, alongside the operation of centralized monitoring systems established by law.

Accordingly, compliance governance at group level must align with jurisdiction-specific legal structures. Internal control systems, documentation standards, reporting procedures, and monitoring integrations must reflect the supervisory architecture applicable to each licensed entity.

These structural distinctions do not alter the requirement to comply fully with the law in each jurisdiction. However, they determine how compliance responsibilities are distributed and supervised within a multi-license corporate structure.

Concluding Observation

A structural comparison of the United Kingdom and Germany confirms that AML supervision within the licensed online gambling sector is implemented through nationally defined legal and supervisory frameworks.

For multi-jurisdictional operators, effective compliance governance requires alignment with each jurisdiction’s defined legal structure rather than reliance on procedural uniformity across entities.

This mapping is derived exclusively from statutory texts and official supervisory publications. Detailed jurisdictional records are maintained within the GamingMarkets Regulatory Matrix.

Oren Dalal is the Founder & Publisher of GamingMarkets.com, an independent regulatory intelligence platform mapping statutory and supervisory frameworks across licensed online gambling jurisdictions. His work is grounded in primary-source legislative analysis, focusing on AML supervisory architecture and compliance governance in multi-jurisdictional groups.

The post UK vs Germany AML Supervisory Architecture: A Structural Mapping for Group Operators appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Conferences

EGT Digital Highlights Panda Ventura at SBC Summit Rio 2026

Published

15 minutes ago

February 25, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

egt-digital-highlights-panda-ventura-at-sbc-summit-rio-2026

EGT Digital will participate in SBC Summit Rio from 3–5 March in Rio de Janeiro at stand A570, where the spotlight will fall on Panda Ventura and the company’s modular iGaming ecosystem.

Panda Ventura – The First Chapter of a Growing Series

Panda Ventura has quickly become one of EGT Digital’s most warmly received titles, combining a charming character, distinctive visual identity, and performance-driven mechanics.

While its instantly recognizable panda creates an immediate emotional connection, the game’s real strength lies in its flow. Easy to understand from the first spin, Panda Ventura builds excitement naturally through well-timed features and rewarding peak moments. The pacing is smooth, intuitive, and carefully balanced – encouraging longer sessions and repeat play.

Building on its encouraging market reception, EGT Digital is expanding the concept into a broader Ventura series. As the first title in this universe, Panda Ventura lays the foundation for a character-led lineup that will continue with the upcoming Tiger Ventura, preserving the same engaging rhythm and recognizable identity.

With its approachable gameplay and strong commercial logic, the title shows significant potential across Brazil and the wider LATAM region.

A Complete Modular Ecosystem

Alongside Panda Ventura, EGT Digital will present a portfolio of over 180 in-house developed slot titles, including the proven jackpot series Bell Link, Clover Chance, and Gods & Kings Link.

All are supported by X-Nave – the company’s modular platform integrating Casino, Sportsbook, CRM, Payment Gateway, Bonus Hub, and a high-performance Aggregator, featuring over 20,000+ games from 200+ global providers.

Enhanced with proprietary AI, X-Nave personalizes player experiences and drives measurable engagement through automated tournaments, Gift Spins, and Buy Bonus competitions.

Land-Based Solutions on Display

Stand A570 will also feature EGT’s land-based solutions tailored for Brazil. Visitors will be able to explore the new Video Lottery Terminals Super Sorte 27/27 ST and Super Sorte 43V, as well as the betting terminals Top Estrela and Bar Estrela. All will run the GOLD VLT multigame with 49 titles designed for the local market.

At SBC Summit Rio, EGT Digital will demonstrate how compelling content and powerful technology combine to deliver stable, high-performance solutions for Brazil and the broader LATAM region – truly Designed to Perform.

The post EGT Digital Highlights Panda Ventura at SBC Summit Rio 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Free Ticket Drops

GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee

Published

11 hours ago

February 24, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-brings-back-wsop-super-circuit-with-record-$180m-guarantee

GGPoker, the world’s largest online poker platform, is set to host the highly anticipated 2026 WSOP Super Circuit online tournament series, running from March 1 to March 31.

This year’s edition features an unprecedented $180 million in guaranteed prizes, solidifying GGPoker’s reputation as the premier global poker destination.

Players will compete across 18 WSOP Gold Ring events, offering the chance to win one of poker’s most prestigious trophies and significant cash prizes.

Key Events & Highlights:

#5: $525 Mystery Millions [Final Stage] – March 9, $525 buy-in, $10M GTD ($1M Top Bounty)
#13: WSOP Super Circuit MAIN EVENT [Day 2] – March 23, $1,700 buy-in, $15M GTD
#18: GGMillion$ High Roller [Day 2] – March 30, $10K buy-in, $10M GTD

Exclusive Champion Perks
Winners of all 18 Gold Ring events receive:

A $5K WSOP Paradise package
Recognition on the official WSOP Rankings leaderboard

$3 Million in Free Ticket Drops
Participants in any WSOP Super Circuit event can win WSOP Express tickets, $5K Ring Passes, or $10K Bracelet Passes. Tickets will be awarded randomly throughout the series, totaling $3 million in free prizes.

Live Coverage
Final tables for the Main Event (#13) and High Roller (#18) will be streamed live on GGPoker.TV and YouTube, hosted by Jeff Gross, with commentary by Daniel Negreanu for the High Roller.

Player and Ambassador Excitement
Daniel Negreanu said: “The 2026 WSOP Super Circuit at GGPoker is absolutely massive. With $180M in total guarantees, including $15M Main Event and $10M Mystery Millions, it’s the perfect time to compete for record-breaking prizes.”

The post GGPoker Brings Back WSOP Super Circuit with Record $180M Guarantee appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.