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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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Spinmatic, a leading developer of cutting-edge casino games, today announced the launch of Elemental Fusion, a revolutionary title that fuses the mechanics of Video Slots with the engaging features of Plinko games. This innovative product release highlights Spinmatic’s commitment to developing unique and compelling gaming experiences for the igaming market.
Elemental Fusion introduces a novel hybrid model, offering players a distinctive blend of traditional reel-spinning action and a collector-driven bonus system culminating in a dynamic Plinko round. The game consists of harnessing the power of five sacred elements -Fire, Earth, Water, Air and Galaxy- guided by an in-game Alchemist character.
The core innovation lies in two distinct yet interconnected features:
- Accumulative multipliers & Fusion reaction: The game features five Element Elixir symbols. Landing these symbols triggers a Fusion Reaction where an accumulative multiplier builds up. Multipliers can reach up to x50 and stack across spins. When a win is achieved, it is multiplied by the accumulated value, which then resets.
- Collect Feature & Plinko Bonus: Players activate the Plinko bonus round by collecting 10 Element Elixir symbols for one of the four core elements (Water, Air, Earth or Fire). Landing a Special Plinko Symbol on the 3rd reel randomly contributes one symbol to the corresponding element’s collector. A key mechanism is that other element collectors do not reset when a Plinko game is triggered, allowing for the rapid chaining of bonus rounds.
The Plinko bonus round offers a sophisticated and varied experience, determined by the collected element. Before the balls drop, a wheel spins to determine the number of balls, ranging from a minimum of 10 to an impressive 100.
Each of the four unique Plinko games features 16 rows and is designed with a distinct volatility profile and prize mechanic, and each guarantees a specific Jackpot tier (Mini, Midi, Maxi and Grand Jackpot).
Spinmatic invites operators to integrate Elemental Fusion immediately to offer players this pioneering gaming experience.
The post Spinmatic unveils groundbreaking hybrid Slot-Plinko game appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The RedCore business group received the “Transformation of the Year” award at the SiGMA Central Europe Awards ceremony, which took place as part of SiGMA Central Europe on November 3 in Rome. The award honors the company’s successful transformation from PIN-UP Global, an iGaming-focused holding company, to a diversified technology business group operating in various areas of digital business.
RedCore is the result of a large-scale transformation of PIN-UP Global, which began in 2024. This was a logical step that allowed the holding company to expand beyond the iGaming industry. The accumulated expertise allows the brands included in the business group to create technological solutions for fintech, marketing platforms, e-commerce, regulatory technologies, customer service, and platform B2C services with high user engagement.
Today, the international business group RedCore includes seven independent brands: PIN-UP Partners, Frogo, Pay.Partners, Communications Hub, mr.Booster, Riddick’s Partners, Talk with Us.
“This award recognizes that we have made the right strategic move. Over nine years of working in iGaming, we have accumulated expertise that is applicable far beyond a single industry. RedCore is the result of a transition from internal solutions to independent products for the market. We have created a business group ready to share high-quality technologies and team expertise with various digital businesses,” comments Marina Ilina, CEO and founder of RedCore.
The “Transformation of the Year” award at the SiGMA Central Europe Awards is especially significant as it recognizes RedCore’s ability to successfully adapt to changing market conditions and create new opportunities for growth. The award organizers highly appreciated the scale of the changes, the speed of their implementation, and the results of the transformation.
The post RedCore was awarded “Transformation of the Year” at SiGMA Rome appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Since 2018, one of the iGaming affiliate leaders, AskGamblers, has been partnering with N1 Partners, right from the beginning of the affiliate program’s rise. This collaboration has evolved into a proven growth engine for both brands.
Partnering for Scale: Why AskGamblers Chose N1 Partners
Working together, AskGamblers and N1 Partners have leveraged data-driven optimisation across GEOs. This lets AskGamblers scale traffic and conversions while N1 Partners deepens its footprint across key markets.
When the N1 Puzzle Promo was announced, the AskGamblers team shared their reaction:
“We received exciting news from our esteemed N1 Partners affiliate manager regarding this promotion. We are particularly thrilled about the grand prize – a helicopter – and are fully committed to participating with the goal of winning it!” said the AskGamblers team.
Driving SEO Traffic: The AskGamblers Formula
The AskGamblers’ focus is on providing genuine value and a high-quality user experience, so that visitors don’t just arrive, but return. That aligns seamlessly with N1 Partners’ philosophy of not just driving volume, but building players with retention and lifetime value.
“Secrets and tips exist in every domain. Still, great things are accomplished through hard work, an open mind, adaptability, and curiosity. Users will come back because of the added value and the best experience,” the AskGamblers team emphasised.
Stepping into the Race: AskGamblers Joins the N1 Puzzle Promo
When N1 Partners launched its huge-scale promotion campaign, the N1 Puzzle Promo, AskGamblers was quick to take a leading position. This promo offers a global affiliate competition with standout luxury prizes, including a grand prize – Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter – and a leaderboard structure that drives performance.
As soon as the promo launched, the AskGamblers team decided to go for the grand prize and dominate the leaderboard. With the guidance and support of N1 Partners’ affiliate team, the AskGamblers team selected several brands from the N1 portfolio, prioritising high-converting brands within the network, pivoted resources, and increased focus on SEO and long-term traffic value.
Leaderboard Mindset: Motivation, Competition & Expectations
AskGamblers is a highly competitive team, and the N1 Puzzle Promo format hits the mark. For N1 Partners, this speaks directly to our goal: bringing top-tier affiliates into big campaigns where they can shine and scale.
As participants get closer to the final stage of the N1 Puzzle Promo, the competition becomes even more intense, with the AskGamblers team confidently maintaining its position in the top 10 and actively moving towards the prize-winning places.
Beyond Traffic: What Success Looks Like
If AskGamblers wins the helicopter, the vision is as bold as it is fun.
“Wouldn’t it be great to skip notorious traffic and take a helicopter ride to the next iGaming event?” said the AskGamblers team.
Such an approach shows that this is about partnership, performance, and flair — not just metrics.
The N1 Puzzle Promo runs through the end of 2025, giving you a live chance to climb the leaderboard, win luxury prizes, and capture the grand prize: a Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter.
Don’t wait, sign up now, drive high-quality traffic and earn puzzle pieces! With N1 Partners’ multi-brand affiliate program, dedicated support, and global reach, your chances of rewards are streamlined. Join the race, collect your puzzle pieces, and hit the top!
Plus, there is a special bonus activity to earn even more puzzle pieces, and premium prizes. From September 1 to November 30, enter the 2nd lottery of the N1 Puzzle Promo with a fresh set of luxury prizes.
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