Latest News
UK: Funding Boost for Nationwide Programme on Gambling and the Criminal Justice System
Gambling harms are currently under-recognised across the UK Criminal Justice System (CJS), and support for those affected has been underfunded to date. GamCare will now receive two years’ funding to scale up the delivery of its programme to raise awareness and develop pathways to support people experiencing gambling harms across the CJS.
There are evidenced links between harmful gambling and crime, whether crime is committed to support gambling or to pay off gambling-related debts. Gambling-related offending may include fraud, theft, domestic and financial abuse, and links into wider criminality. However, there is a lack of funding, awareness, training, and pathways to support and treatment for people in the CJS experiencing gambling harms.
GamCare recently delivered a two-year pilot project funded by the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner to introduce screening for gambling harms at key points across the CJS there, and identify the best mechanisms to deliver support for those affected. The charity will now be funded to deliver a larger programme of engagement and awareness raising, designed to raise the profile of gambling and offending, and to improve services for those in contact with the CJS. GamCare has secured funding, approved by the UK Gambling Commission, towards delivery of the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling Harms, through a dedicated programme focused on gambling and the criminal justice system.
Recently awarded Organisation of the Year at the Howard League for Penal Reform Community Awards, GamCare is working to raise awareness of gambling harms amongst professionals across the CJS as well as developing and testing interventions that work best for clients across police, prison and probation services. The charity will facilitate thought leadership across the sector, as well as consult on and test new approaches, providing training to staff in all areas so they can best support their service users.
Anna Hemmings, CEO at GamCare, says: “As outlined in our recent submission to the Howard League Commission on Crime and Problem Gambling, our work focuses on a ‘whole systems’ approach – with initiatives to screen people at arrest and the early stages of the CJS, and responding to needs at various stages in their journey, be it through police, prison, or probation services as well as the courts.
Through our work in Hertfordshire, we’ve demonstrated that this work is scalable and can have positive impacts for those harmed by gambling across the CJS. I look forward to seeing this work develop across England, Scotland and Wales, to reduce the impact of gambling harms for individual offenders, victims, and their families.”
Julia Fazackerley, Head of Development at GamCare, says: “Existing data from our Helpline and treatment services shows us that around 5% of referrals across Great Britain are from people in touch with the CJS, but we know that criminality often goes unreported or undisclosed. Our work in this area indicates similar prevalence of gambling harm to recent data from the Forward Trust’s survey of prisoners, and we know that there is both a desire for knowledge and awareness, plus greater support for those experiencing harm.
The next phase of our programme will mean we can continue to provide a proactive and comprehensive programme of training for CJS professionals as well as developing and testing a range of support interventions specifically for this cohort. We will provide strategic direction for specialist gambling support and provide real value to all areas of the CJS.”
Tim Miller, Executive Director for the Gambling Commission, says: “We welcome the extension of this significant project, including the collaborative approach GamCare has taken to support a wide range of organisations working in the criminal justice sector. Together, these programmes of work have the opportunity to make a positive contribution to reducing harms as part of the National Strategy. We are pleased to be able to approve the funding, which was agreed through regulatory settlements.”
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Latest News
WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day: A New Take on February Engagement
While most gaming brands lean into February with predictable romance-themed campaigns, WinSpirit has taken a different path. Instead of hearts, roses, and sentimental messaging, the brand’s new UnValentine’s Day campaign embraces humor, honesty, and emotional relatability — offering players a refreshing alternative to seasonal clichés.
Reframing the Valentine’s Narrative
Valentine’s promotions in the gaming industry often follow the same script: romantic visuals, love-driven bonuses, and polished messaging designed to evoke idealized relationships. But WinSpirit identified a quieter audience segment — players who feel disconnected from the seasonal hype or simply tired of it.
UnValentine’s Day flips the script. Rather than amplifying traditional romance, the campaign creates space for lighthearted honesty. It invites players to laugh at overused Valentine’s tropes and engage with the brand in a way that feels authentic and current.
This isn’t anti-Valentine’s — it’s anti-generic.
A Simple Yet Strategic Engagement Mechanic
At the center of the campaign is a playful interactive poll hosted on a dedicated landing page. Users are asked to vote for the Valentine’s cliché they find most annoying, turning a simple click into a meaningful re-engagement touchpoint.
There’s no heavy gamification or aggressive conversion push. No complicated mechanics. Just:
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A quick interaction
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A sense of being heard
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A shared cultural moment
By lowering the barrier to participation, WinSpirit prioritizes emotional connection over transactional incentives — a subtle but powerful shift in campaign strategy.
Differentiation Through Empathy
What sets UnValentine’s Day apart is the strategic intent behind it. WinSpirit isn’t dismissing Valentine’s Day — it’s broadening the conversation. The campaign acknowledges that seasonal experiences aren’t universal and that humor can be one of the strongest tools for connection.
This empathy-driven positioning reflects a larger evolution in gaming marketing:
moving away from pressure-based promotions and toward relevance, personality, and genuine audience alignment.
UnValentine’s Day serves as a case study in how online casinos can stand out — not by shouting louder, but by listening better.
Built for Modern Player Expectations
Today’s players expect more than bonuses wrapped in holiday graphics. They value:
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Transparency
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Relatability
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Entertainment that respects individuality
WinSpirit’s approach demonstrates that engagement doesn’t need to be complex to be effective. It just needs emotional intelligence.
The campaign succeeds because it:
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Respects short attention spans
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Builds alignment without forced sentimentality
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Encourages organic conversation
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Reinforces the brand’s fresh, responsive identity
A Micro-Campaign with Macro Impact
In a market where seasonal messaging often feels interchangeable, UnValentine’s Day stands out by doing something simple — acknowledging reality.
It proves that thoughtfully designed micro-campaigns can:
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Strengthen brand voice
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Increase meaningful user touchpoints
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Drive engagement without relying on traditional promotional pressure
Now live on the WinSpirit platform, UnValentine’s Day invites players to engage differently this February — and signals a broader shift in how gaming brands can approach seasonal marketing.
For operators and marketers observing the evolution of player engagement strategies, it’s a campaign worth watching
The post WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day: A New Take on February Engagement appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
iGaming
Vegangster Launches Fully Integrated Lootboxes as a Native Platform Feature
Vegangster has unveiled a fully integrated lootbox system as a native feature within its iGaming platform, offering operators a powerful new tool to increase player engagement and unlock additional revenue streams. Early adopters report that lootboxes are already contributing between 5% and 7% of total Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) within the first month of launch.
Unlike third-party game integrations, Vegangster’s lootboxes are built directly into the core platform. This native integration gives operators complete control over configuration, performance mechanics, and lobby placement. In addition, the revenue share model is significantly more favorable compared to external game providers, improving overall margins.
“Brands already using lootboxes are generating between 5 and 7 per cent of their total GGR from lootboxes within the first month,” said Michael Oziransky, CPO at Vegangster.
A Familiar, High-Engagement Mechanic
The lootbox model draws inspiration from popular video game mechanics. Players purchase a lootbox at a fixed price and receive a reward determined by predefined probability settings. Depending on configuration and chance, rewards can exceed the original purchase value, adding excitement and replay potential.
Operators maintain full control over both technical and commercial settings. Prize categories, win probabilities, and RTP logic are configured directly within the Vegangster platform. This flexibility allows operators to tailor lootboxes to different player segments, campaigns, and strategic objectives.
Available rewards can include:
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Cash prizes
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Digital assets
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NFTs
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Physical merchandise
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Custom operator-defined rewards
Once a player receives a reward, they can choose to keep it or sell it back for cash. This streamlined process keeps gameplay transparent while offering operators multiple payout and value-structuring options.
A Versatile Tool for Acquisition and Retention
Lootboxes can also be deployed as part of promotional campaigns. Operators may offer lootbox-based free spins to players, affiliates, or marketing partners. Different configurations can be aligned with specific goals, whether driving new player acquisition, increasing engagement, or improving retention metrics.
Part of a Broader Platform Roadmap
Lootboxes represent the first release in Vegangster’s roadmap of platform-native mini-games planned through 2026. Upcoming additions will include fast, session-based mechanics inspired by crash-style games, along with enhanced social engagement features designed to further boost player interaction.
About Vegangster
Vegangster delivers a full-stack iGaming platform engineered for speed, scalability, and operational control. Its turnkey, white-label, and sweepstakes solutions combine casino and sportsbook content, payments, CRM, compliance tools, and social features into a unified, mobile-first ecosystem. The platform enables operators to launch quickly and scale confidently in competitive markets.
Press Contact
Romans Kozlovskis
[email protected]
The post Vegangster Launches Fully Integrated Lootboxes as a Native Platform Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day: A New Take on February Engagement
While most gaming brands flood February with romantic visuals and heart-shaped incentives, WinSpirit has chosen to challenge tradition with an unexpected twist. The brand’s new seasonal campaign, UnValentine’s Day, moves away from idealized love stories and toward something many players crave more—relatable honesty and lighthearted fun.
Reframing the Valentine’s Narrative
Traditional Valentine’s campaigns often follow a familiar formula: roses, candlelit dinners, and generic love messaging. But WinSpirit saw an overlooked segment — those who feel disconnected from the seasonal hype, or even fatigued by it.
With UnValentine’s Day, WinSpirit offers something different: a moment of comic relief, emotional resonance, and brand interaction. Instead of pretending every player is in the mood for romance, the brand invites them to speak their truth — and laugh about the clichés that usually go unspoken.
A Simple Yet Strategic Mechanic
The core of the campaign centers around a playful, interactive poll hosted on a dedicated landing page. Users are encouraged to vote for the Valentine’s cliché that annoys them the most — with the act of voting becoming a low-barrier touchpoint for re-engagement.
There’s no gamification overload or pressure to convert. Just one click, a sense of being heard, and a chance to take part in a conversation that feels current and real.
Brand Differentiation Through Empathy
What makes this campaign noteworthy isn’t just its originality — it’s the strategic mindset behind it. WinSpirit isn’t mocking Valentine’s Day; it’s expanding the dialogue around it. The brand acknowledges that not everyone experiences the season the same way and that humor can be a powerful connector.
This kind of empathy-driven positioning reflects a broader shift in how brands build engagement — moving away from promotional pressure and toward emotional relevance and genuine user alignment. UnValentine’s Day stands as a strong case study in how casinos can apply this approach in a meaningful, scalable way.
Built for Today’s Players
WinSpirit’s approach reflects a broader evolution in user expectations. Today’s audiences value transparency, relatability, and entertainment that respects their individuality. Campaigns like UnValentine’s Day show that engagement doesn’t have to be elaborate — just emotionally intelligent.
It’s an activation that:
- Respects user attention spans
- Builds emotional alignment without sentimentality
- Generates conversation organically (without incentives as the main driver)
- Reinforces brand identity as fresh, responsive, and non-generic
The Bigger Picture
As seasonal messaging becomes increasingly homogenized across the gaming sector, WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day stands out by simply listening. It proves that thoughtful micro-campaigns can both elevate brand voice and increase user touchpoints — without relying on traditional promotional pressure.
UnValentine’s Day is now live on the brand’s platform and serves as an open invitation to engage differently this February. For operators and marketers watching the evolution of seasonal gaming engagement, it’s a campaign worth noting.
The post WinSpirit’s UnValentine’s Day: A New Take on February Engagement appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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