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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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BOYLE Sports
BOYLE Sports deploys automated acca technology as bookmakers accelerate shift to pre-configured betting
BOYLE Sports has become the latest major bookmaker to deploy automated accumulator technology, following a new two-year agreement with Checkd Dev that will see the operator roll out pre-configured, one-click acca products across football and horse racing.
The partnership sees BOYLE Sports integrate Checkd Dev’s Automated Betting System (ABS) into its sportsbook, enabling the automated creation and presentation of pre-match football and UK and Irish horse racing accumulator bets. The deployment forms part of a broader update to BOYLE Sports’ betting proposition, aimed at delivering scalable, consistent acca products while retaining full control over pricing and risk.
Through the integration, BOYLE Sports has launched two carousels containing packaged accumulator bets, generated using predefined logic and historical performance data. All pricing remains aligned with BOYLE Sports’ internal trading models, with probabilities informed by historic form rather than external odds feeds.
From an operational standpoint, ABS provides BOYLE Sports’ trading team with backend tooling to automate bet creation, updates, and settlement, significantly reducing manual intervention while supporting a consistent pre-match offering across key markets. The solution also integrates BOYLE Sports’ existing Acca Boost mechanics, available to customers from launch.
ABS is built on Checkd Dev’s proprietary BRUNO platform and has evolved over a two-year development cycle. Initially designed as a statistics-led conversion tool, the system has expanded into a fully automated betting solution in response to growing operator demand for scalable, pre-configured wagering products within regulated markets. The product is integrated with the operator’s front end and bet slip, resulting in a frictionless experience for end users.
The BOYLE Sports deployment follows a series of recent commercial agreements for Checkd Dev, including partnerships with Betfred, William Hill, and OpenBet. Collectively, these integrations reflect a wider trend among established bookmakers toward automation-led betting products designed to improve efficiency, consistency, and user experience across football betting.
Adam Matues, Head of Sportsbook at BOYLE Sports, commented: “Pre-configured accas continue to play an important role in how customers engage with football and racing, but they need to be delivered in a way that is both scalable and commercially robust. Checkd Dev’s automated approach allows us to expand our acca offering efficiently, while maintaining full control over pricing, performance, and risk.”
Andrew Grimshaw, Commercial Director at Checkd Dev, added: “We’re seeing increasing demand from tier-one and tier-two operators for automated betting products that enhance UX while remaining fully aligned with existing trading frameworks. BOYLE Sports’ decision to deploy our ABS reflects that shift, and we’re looking forward to supporting the team on both sports as the product scales over the coming seasons.”
The post BOYLE Sports deploys automated acca technology as bookmakers accelerate shift to pre-configured betting appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Knockout Poker League
Stretch Network Announces the Return of the Knockout Poker League with a €910,000 Prize Pool
Stretch Network is bringing back the Knockout Poker League (KPL), offering players an expanded schedule and a wide variety of tournaments designed to drive engagement. Following the strong performance and positive feedback from last year’s edition, the series features popular knockout formats to keep players active throughout the campaign.
The Knockout Poker League series will run across two separate seasons:
- Season 1: February 6 – March 1
- Season 2: March 13 – April 5
Tournament details
- Total guarantee: Over €910,000
- Leaderboards: Two tournament leaderboards with a combined prize pool of €10,000
Headliners
- Two Main Events with €50,000 prize pools each
- Two Mini Main Events with €8,000 prize pools each
- Two Omaha Main Events with €5,000 prize pools each
- Daily headliners with guarantees of up to €20,000
- Mystery Bounty and Mini Mystery Bounty tournaments, combining PKO and Mystery Bounty mechanics familiar to players
- Weekend Centroll tournaments with a €0.01 buy-in and a €2,000 guarantee, offering near-freeroll accessibility
With the latest platform releases and updates now live, KPL provides players with the opportunity to enjoy their favorite poker formats within a structured, long-running series. Stretch Network expects that this combination of proven formats and solid guarantees will support sustained engagement across its partner network.
The post Stretch Network Announces the Return of the Knockout Poker League with a €910,000 Prize Pool appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Carl Gatt Baldacchino Head of Account Management SlotMatrix
SlotMatrix Unleashes Fiesta-Fueled Thrills with Muertos Fortune
SlotMatrix, the leading global casino content aggregator, has incorporated Muertos Fortune into its unique collection, a vibrant slot drawing inspiration from the lively energy and festivities of Day of the Dead customs.
Muertos Fortune welcomes players to a vibrant realm filled with music and color, where each spin leads to grander moments and more exciting rewards.
The Money Collector function centers on the Muertos symbol that shows up on reel five, serving as the chief collector by retrieving cash values from piñata prizes positioned throughout the reels to enhance winnings and enable extra rewards.
A significant feature of the gameplay is its Perceived Persistence mechanic, enabling piñata rewards that fall uncollected to fill the giant skull above the reels.
As the skull fills up, it explodes, activating the Free Spins feature filled with Muertos’ collections, greater piñata values, and opportunities for several retriggers, transforming growing excitement into massive payout possibilities.
Muertos Fortune can only be accessed via SlotMatrix and is upgraded by EveryMatrix’s sophisticated gamification features, such as free spins, tournaments, and leaderboards. It can additionally be combined with EngageSuite, the all-in-one player loyalty solution.
Carl Gatt Baldacchino, Head of Account Management, SlotMatrix, said: “Muertos Fortune is all about the renowned Mexican tradition. It’s a vibrant, high-energy title that fits perfectly in our growing portfolio.”
The post SlotMatrix Unleashes Fiesta-Fueled Thrills with Muertos Fortune appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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