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Casino Guru’s complaint data reveals scope of UK players gambling at unlicensed websites

Published

5 years ago

February 24, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

The Gambling Commission’s recent calls for evidence and views from the industry and the public regarding upcoming changes to Great Britain’s gambling regulation has seen a number of professionals emphasize the potential rise of black-market gambling as a consequence of tightening regulations.

These claims have been largely backed up by a PwC report, which estimates the number of UK online gamblers using unlicensed operators to have more than doubled from 2018 to 2020, from c.210,000 to c.460,000 gamblers.

Later on, UK gambling firms have been accused of exaggerating the scale of black-market gambling in an attempt to influence the GC’s decision to introduce tougher regulations. The GC’s chief executive Neil McArthur commented that the report delivered by PwC is not consistent with their intelligence picture and lacked any evidence to show an increase in illicit betting. He added that GC’s own evidence suggests that the impact may be being exaggerated.

Simon Vincze, Casino Guru’s Responsible Gambling Projects Manager, has been keeping up with the heated discussion taking place in British media and looked into their data on player complaints to get an idea about the scope of the issue: “I understand the need for regulation in the gambling market and its usefulness in keeping children and vulnerable players safe. It’s something I deeply believe in and work towards in my position as well. However, it didn’t seem right to me to just disregard the negative effects of tightening regulations altogether.”

Casino Guru operates a casino dispute mediation service, in which players can complain about any online casino if they feel to have been mistreated, regardless of its license, and get assisted for free. After looking into their data, Simon discovered 666 complaints submitted by players from the UK, of which 145 is about casinos with a license from GC and 521 is about casinos without it. This means that 78% of all complaints submitted by UK players have been about operators without a GC license.

“Of course, this doesn’t mean that 78% of UK players gamble at foreign websites. Because of the generally lower quality of service and reputation of these operators, it can be expected that these players will run into issues more often, resulting in a higher proportion of players submitting public complaints. However, it is also a clear sign that there are UK players gambling at casinos without a GC license, and that there is quite a lot of them,” Simon commented on this data.

He also compared the British situation to what has happened in Sweden: “When gambling regulations get more restrictive, an increased proportion of players usually start looking for unlicensed operators to avoid those regulations. Sweden is a great example of this, where 40% of casino players and 34% of sports betters gamble on unlicensed websites or would consider doing so in future, according to a study published back in April 2020. Taking a look at Google search data, there has been a major increase in Swedish players actively looking for unlicensed casinos since introducing the country’s gambling regulations with a strong focus on player safety.”

“With tighter regulations being introduced in Great Britain, the GC should be aware of the possibility of an increasing number of British punters actively looking for unlicensed sites in attempts to avoid the strict regulations. These players then gamble on foreign websites without the strict limits present at UK-licensed ones, ending up more susceptible to problematic gambling habits as a result of lower responsible gambling standards of some foreign operators, on top of other negative qualities that can be present at these websites.”

Data from the PwC report suggests that 4,5% of UK players gamble at foreign websites, while 78% of all complaints submitted to Casino Guru by UK players are related to these foreign websites.

Simon commented: “Combining this data would suggest that 4,5% of players are responsible for 78% of all casino complaints, which would signify a huge imbalance. Of course, the numbers are based on different data and there may be other factors in play, but I think that the imbalance is there, and has to do with the fact that players gambling on foreign websites simply run into issues more often. These can range from unclear bonus terms and bad implementation of responsible gambling features all the way to unscrupulous casinos outright scamming players.”

“If an increasing number of players leave the regulated market and go for foreign alternatives, they may be subject to a higher risk of developing problem gambling and losing money to foreign websites, some of which can have unscrupulous tendencies. This seems like a good enough reason to seriously consider the risk of rising use of black-market gambling websites by UK players,” he added.

While the GC is examining evidence presented by stakeholders and working towards updated gambling regulation, it remains to be seen how the situation ends up being handled and what new rules get implemented. Only time will tell whether tighter regulation really does increase the use of black-market sites or not, and whether the benefits will outweigh possible drawbacks.

Ireland

3et launches sportsbook in Ireland after securing local betting licence

Published

21 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

3et-launches-sportsbook-in-ireland-after-securing-local-betting-licence

3et has launched in Ireland’s regulated betting market after securing an Irish betting licence, marking the operator’s first stated move into a locally regulated jurisdiction.

The company said the launch comes ahead of a planned wider roll-out into other regulated markets in 2027. 3et positions its sportsbook around odds and limits rather than entertainment features and cross-sell.

“We’re very excited to launch in Ireland,” said Micheál Deasy, Marketing Manager at 3et. “Irish bettors know sport, they understand value, and many of them are looking for a sportsbook that gives them sharp odds and proper limits without all the noise. That is where we believe 3et stands out.”

3et said it has operated for 14 years under an Alderney licence and opened its site to the public in 2023 after initially running an invite-only model. The company added that it began the process of acquiring an Irish licence in 2025.

In Ireland, 3et said it will concentrate on markets where its model is strongest, including major US sports and top soccer competitions. The operator highlighted core betting lines such as 1X2, Asian handicaps and totals as areas where it expects to compete on odds quality and staking flexibility.

The post 3et launches sportsbook in Ireland after securing local betting licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

HELL Partners

Meet HELL Partners—Direct Brands, Real Flexibility, Zero Runaround

Published

21 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

meet-hell-partners—direct-brands,-real-flexibility,-zero-runaround

When a program calls itself HELL, it’s either extremely confident or extremely honest. In this case, it’s both.

The iGaming affiliate space is crowded with programs that all say roughly the same things: great commissions, fast payments, dedicated support. After a while, the language blurs together. HELL Partners doesn’t spend much time on that kind of noise. Instead, the program lets its structure do the talking—and the structure is genuinely worth paying attention to.

Here’s what it actually is, and why it’s worth your time.

The Brands Behind the Program

HELL Partners is a direct advertiser, not an intermediary. That distinction matters more than it might initially seem—it means no middlemen, no inflated EPC claims, and no awkward chain of communication between you and the people who actually control the offers.

The program runs three in-house brands: SlotsGem, IviBet, and HellSpin. SlotsGem is a casino-focused product built around slots and live games. IviBet and HellSpin go further—both carry a sportsbook alongside the casino offering, which means affiliates working in betting verticals have real options without having to patch together multiple programs to cover their traffic.

Three brands, with one more coming soon (Q2 2026). Two verticals. One team to talk to. It’s a cleaner setup than most.

Geography and Traffic: Fewer Walls Than You’d Expect

HELL Partners operates across 20+ GEOs in Tier 1 and Tier 2 markets, with worldwide reach available depending on the brand and offer. For affiliates, that kind of geographic flexibility is genuinely useful rather than just a bullet point on a landing page.

On the traffic side, the program accepts nearly all major sources—SEO, PPC, social, influencer, email, native, display. The list of restrictions is short, which in practice means you spend less time checking compliance and more time actually running campaigns.

The Commercial Model: Built Around Flexibility

This is where HELL Partners tends to distinguish itself most clearly. Rather than locking everyone into a single commission structure and calling it competitive, the program takes a more considered approach.

Revenue share, CPA, and hybrid deals are all on the table. More importantly, the terms are negotiated based on what you’re actually bringing—your GEOs, your traffic volumes, your source mix. If you have something specific to offer, the team will work with it rather than shoe-horn it into a standard tier.

For experienced affiliates and media buyers who already know their numbers, that flexibility isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s the difference between a deal that works and one that doesn’t.

What the Technical Side Looks Like

For webmasters who want the detail: tracking is reliable, the reporting dashboard gives you what you need to optimize in real time, and postback integration is straightforward. Payments go out on schedule. The support team is reachable and, more relevantly, useful—the kind of people who can actually move things rather than just pass messages along.

None of this is glamorous to describe, but affiliate programs live or die on exactly these mechanics. HELL Partners has them in order.

Why It’s Worth a Conversation

The affiliate programs that tend to work long-term share a few qualities: they’re backed by real products with genuine player retention, they’re flexible enough to work with partners at different stages, and they don’t treat every affiliate like a replaceable traffic source. HELL Partners fits that description.

Three proprietary brands across casino and sports. 20+ GEOs. Virtually no traffic source restrictions. Deal structures that actually flex. And a direct line to the people who control the offers.

The team will also be at iGB London soon—if you prefer to have the first conversation in person, that’s an option worth keeping in mind.

Ready to See If It’s a Fit?

The straightforward part: if you have traffic and you’re looking for a program that’s built to work with serious affiliates rather than around them—HELL Partners is worth a proper look.

Register, reach out, and find out what a deal actually looks like for your specific setup.

Your registration/contact link here https://hellpartners.com/register/?aff_id=672417&utm_source=Media&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=HIPTER&utm_term=PR

Get in touch with our manager

Anna Affiliate Manager [email protected]
Max Affiliate Manager [email protected]

The post Meet HELL Partners—Direct Brands, Real Flexibility, Zero Runaround appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

chess

Team Vitality re-signs Javokhir Sindarov for 2026–2027 chess roster

Published

21 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

team-vitality-re-signs-javokhir-sindarov-for-2026–2027-chess-roster

Team Vitality has re-signed chess player Javokhir Sindarov to its Chess roster for 2026 and 2027, bringing the 2025 FIDE World Cup winner back to the organisation.

The club said Sindarov is coming off a win at the 2026 Candidates Tournament, positioning him for a potential world title match against reigning champion Gukesh Dommaraju.

“We are incredibly proud to welcome Javokhir back to Team Vitality. He represents the new generation of chess: bold, ambitious, and unafraid to make big moves. His trajectory speaks for itself, and we know he has everything it takes to become the next World Champion,” said Danny Engels, Chief International Officer at Team Vitality. “This signing is a natural step in our ambition to be at the forefront of chess and esports, and to bring the game to new audiences around the world.”

Team Vitality also pointed to Sindarov’s interest in gaming—specifically Counter-Strike—as a fit with the organisation’s esports positioning. His next scheduled appearance under Team Vitality is the Chess.com Open, running April 23–26.

The post Team Vitality re-signs Javokhir Sindarov for 2026–2027 chess roster appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.