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Casino Guru’s complaint data reveals scope of UK players gambling at unlicensed websites
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.
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Interazar reunirá de nuevo a Operadores, empresas y administraciones en Madrid los próximos días 28 y 29 de abril
Interazar volverá a ser el gran escaparate donde se mide el pulso real de la industria nacional, y en esta nueva edición contará nuevamente con la participación activa de la Ciudad Autónoma de Melilla, que refuerza así su compromiso con un Sector clave para su estrategia de crecimiento económico y tecnológico.
En este contexto, Melilla llega a la Feria Española del Juego los próximos días 28 y 29 de abril con la intención de seguir ganando visibilidad como destino atractivo para el Juego online y para las empresas tecnológicas que orbitan en torno al Sector. La ciudad ha ido construyendo un entorno competitivo basado en un marco fiscal favorable, acompañamiento institucional y una apuesta clara por la innovación aplicada al Juego.
Interazar se presenta, así, como un escenario natural para seguir avanzando en esta estrategia. La participación de Melilla refleja una estrategia continuada, con resultados visibles, que busca afianzar su posición como uno de los polos emergentes del Juego online y la innovación en España.
The post NdP INTERAZAR 2026 – Participación de Melilla en Interazar appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Tuesday 3rd March 2026 – SportsGrid has confirmed its renewed media partnership with NEXT.io and will attend NEXT Summit: New York to cover key discussions and insights from North America’s premier iGaming and sports betting event. The content will be syndicated across SportsGrid’s streaming and digital platforms.
NEXT Summit: New York, in partnership with Morgan Stanley, will take place from 10–11 March at Convene 225 Liberty Street, bringing together 1,400 senior-level delegates for two days of high-impact content and networking.
This year, Emerging Verticals will accompany NEXT Summit: New York, providing a dedicated focus on the fast-growing sectors reshaping the industry — including sweepstakes, micro-markets, crypto, esports, new betting formats, and the evolving intersection of technology and capital.
Now in its fifth edition, the Summit continues to deliver insider knowledge, high-level networking, and direct access to the latest innovations shaping the future of the industry.
Across the two days, leaders from the most influential operators, investment firms, regulators, and technology providers will take to the stage.
Confirmed speakers include:
- Adam Greenblatt, CEO of BetMGM;
- Adam Rosenberg, Senior Advisor, Gaming & Leisure at Blackstone;
- Benjie Cherniak, Principal at Avenue H Capital;
- Lloyd Danzig, Managing Partner at Sharp Alpha Advisors;
- Roger Ehrenberg, Managing Partner at Eberg Capital;
- Ramy Ibrahim, Managing Director at Moelis & Company;
- Joey Levy, Founder and CEO of Betr;
- and Gavin Isaacs, Former CEO of Entain.
The programme will also feature voices from across the regulatory, legal and association landscape including:
- Tres York, VP of Government Relations at the American Gaming Association;
- Paul Burns, President & CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association;
- Kelci S. Binau, Gaming Law Attorney at McDonald Carano;
- and Katie Lever, General Counsel, Chief Privacy Officer & Corporate Secretary at Great Canadian Gaming Corporation.
From the casino floor to emerging tech and capital markets, sessions will also include:
- Brooke Hilton, Head of Casino at PointsBet Canada;
- Chris Garrow, Director of Gaming at Prairie Band Casino & Resort;
- Davis Catlin, Managing Partner at Discerning Capital;
- Jeffrey Haas, Venture Partner at DreamCraft VC;
- Jamison Selby, CEO of Rubystone;
- Desiree Dickerson, Founder of THNDR;
- Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at PGA of America;
- and Darren Woodson, Former NFL Player.
“NEXT Summit: New York continues to set the standard as North America’s premier meeting point for senior leaders in online sports betting and iGaming. With Emerging Verticals joining the Summit this year, the conversations are expanding into some of the most disruptive and fast-moving areas of the industry. We’re excited to once again partner with NEXT.io and bring on-the-ground coverage of the event’s most important discussions to a wider audience across SportsGrid’s streaming and digital platforms,” commented Jeremy Stein, CEO, SportsGrid, Inc.
“NEXT Summit: New York is where the industry’s biggest names come together to define the future of online gaming and sports betting,” said Pierre Lindh, Co-Founder & Managing Director at NEXT.io. “With Emerging Verticals accompanying the Summit this year, and more than 1,400 senior decision-makers attending, having SportsGrid on-site strengthens our mission to share critical insights and discussions with the broader iGaming community.”
SportsGrid will be on the ground at NEXT Summit: New York, covering conference sessions, interviews, and key discussions. Content from the event will be syndicated across its streaming video network and relevant media channels, extending the reach of discussions to a broader audience.
This initiative marks the continuation of a long-term collaboration between SportsGrid and NEXT.io, with plans to provide rich, curated content exploring the latest trends, innovations, and developments shaping the global gaming industry.
For more information on NEXT Summit: New York and to register for the event, visit: next.io/summits/newyork/
The post SportsGrid to return to NEXT NYC 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
GR8 Tech will exhibit at Booth 103 at SAGSE Latam on March 18–19 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
With Latin America a major growth market for the company, GR8 Tech brings regional expertise and the full platform ecosystem to the floor to showcase capabilities that turn ambitious operators into the next iGaming Champions.
Five flagship solutions make up the lineup, each built for operators competing in dynamic, high-growth markets:
- ULTIM8 Sportsbook—Flexible, high-performance sportsbook perfect for fast-moving Latam markets
- Hyper Turnkey—End-to-end iGaming business infrastructure for fast, reliable market entry and operations
- Crypto Turnkey—A platform built to attract and retain VIP and crypto-first players
- Aff.Tech—Affiliate management that tracks performance and optimizes acquisition across channels
- Infinite Casino Aggregation—A wide game catalog accessible through a single integration
Each solution is part of GR8 Tech’s Platform for Champions—a proposition that goes beyond technology into expertise, genuine partnership, and a community built around pushing each other to the top.
“When people talk about Latam iGaming, Brazil often gets most of the attention, but the opportunity across the rest of the region is substantial and largely underserved by platforms built for larger markets,” said Yevhen Krazhan, CSO at GR8 Tech. “SAGSE Latam is the right room to bring the conversation to the potential of markets like Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, and we’re looking forward to connecting with new partners.”
Book a meeting with the GR8 Tech team at SAGSE Latam and start your move to dominate the region.
The post GR8 Tech at SAGSE Latam: Where Platform for Champions Meets the Region appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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