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GambleAware Publishes New Reports and Guide for Financial Services Industry to Help Prevent Gambling Harm
GambleAware has published a new report by the Behavioural Insights Team which analyses behavioural datasets to understand whether these could be used to build a clearer picture of the ways in which people gamble, identify possible harms, and eventually inform prevention, treatment, and support responses.
The commissioned research analysed bank transactional data from Monzo and HSBC, aiming to shed new light on what these datasets can, and cannot, tell us about gambling behaviour. The reports demonstrated that bank customer and transactional data can offer valuable insights into the success of gambling blocking tools and also provide unique profiles of gamblers. For example, of those using Monzo’s gambling blocker, it was found that the week before gamblers activated the block, their average daily gambling spend tripled. Specific profiles of gamblers were also revealed by the research, such as that gamblers had less money on average in their Monzo internal saving pots than non-gamblers, or that gamblers ranked “Very Concerning” by HSBC had on average 35.6 gambling transactions per month, compared to 15.6 in those ranked “Concerning”, and just 1.2 in the “Control” group.
Taken individually, however, these datasets are not enough to understand whether a customer is at risk of experiencing gambling harms. A dataset from a single bank is unlikely to offer a full picture of an individual’s spending, and so these exploratory research projects illustrated that further research is needed to create a fuller picture of an individual’s overall financial wellbeing.
“Our research with HSBC and Monzo has demonstrated that bank transactional data can be a useful tool in identifying gambling behaviours and the unique profiles of gamblers, but further work is needed to understand how such data can be used robustly. Different banks may use different factors, and different thresholds to identify gambling, and future work could look at developing a more standard operating model of how this kind of data should be used to identify those at risk of harm,” Dr Simon McNair, Advisor at BIT, said
“Our research with GambleAware helps us to understand gambling-related behaviours so that we can provide the best support to our customers. This includes opt-in solutions such as a gambling restriction feature to help people control their urge to gamble and automatic declines or referrals for lending to help prevent the customer getting into debt. Customers can also appoint third parties to help manage their finances either through a third-party mandate or our Independence Service. In addition, our specialist support team are on hand to aid customers at risk of financial harm and can refer to trusted external organisations where needed. We continue to work with charities such as Gamble Aware on other ways in which we can ensure these customers have access to the right support,” Maxine Pritchard, Head of Financial Inclusion and Vulnerability at HSBC, said.
“Our work with the Behavioural Insights Team has provided us with important insights into gambling behaviour and the impacts of gambling. At Monzo, this is an area we care deeply about and we’ve had amazing success so far with our gambling block, which has been used by more than 350,000 customers since its launch in 2017. We’re excited to use these insights to inform future work in this area, further reduce gambling harm and provide our customers with even more control over their financial lives,” Natalie Ledward, Head of Vulnerable Customers at Monzo, said.
GambleAware has commissioned the Personal Finance Research Centre at the University of Bristol to produce a practical guide for financial services seeking to protect customers from gambling-related financial harms. The guide offers real-life examples of what firms can do to identify and support customers who are at risk of gambling-related financial harm. It highlights the value of financial firms proactively analysing customer transaction data for spending patterns and behavioural signs that might indicate gambling-related vulnerability and enable firms to take action to prevent harm occurring.
“At a conservative estimate, at least five million people in Britain experience harmful gambling, either because of their own gambling or someone else’s. Regulated financial services firms are well-placed to address the financial harms linked to gambling-related vulnerability and our practical guide shows them how. Doing this may have knock-on benefits for other dimensions of gambling harm, such as people’s mental health,” Professor Sharon Collard, Research Director at the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre, said.
“This research from the Behavioural Insights Team is a good first step to explore how bank transactional data may be able to identify behaviours indicative of gambling harm. Whilst more research is needed into this area, we encourage all financial institutions, including those from non-bank settings, to make the most of the new guide to see what they can do to protect their customers from gambling harm. By working with financial services and promoting the advice and support available, we can work collaboratively to respond to customer need to keep people safe from gambling harm,” Zoë Osmond, CEO at GambleAware, said.
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Corporate Governance
SolutionsHub appoints former PokerStars and VGW executive David Lyons to lead Irish operations
SolutionsHub, a leading provider of iGaming licensing and regulatory services, has appointed David Lyons as a Non-Executive Director to support the development of its Irish business as the country’s gambling regulatory framework enters a new phase.
Lyons brings three decades of experience across online gaming, financial services and corporate governance to the consultancy at a time when operators, suppliers and investors are preparing for regulatory change in Ireland.
Ireland is entering a new regulatory phase following the introduction of the Gambling Regulation Act and the establishment of the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI). As licensing structures, compliance requirements and regulatory expectations take shape, businesses operating in the market face important decisions around governance, operational readiness and long-term planning.
SolutionsHub has been building its Irish capability with that environment in mind. SolutionsHub opened its Dublin office last year to support companies looking to obtain an Irish gambling licence. The appointment of Lyons strengthens the firm’s ability to support businesses preparing for the next stage of regulation.
Based in Dublin, Lyons has held senior leadership positions across several major gaming businesses during a career spanning Ireland, Malta, the Isle of Man and Australia.
He spent eight years with PokerStars on the Isle of Man, where he held a number of senior roles including Associate Director of Poker Engagement, with responsibility across payments, product and player engagement. He then joined Luckbox as Director of Player Engagement and later as Associate Director of Player Engagement at partypoker, before joining Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), where he became General Manager of Global Poker, later extending his brief to include the social casino brands Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Casino.
Alongside his career in the online gaming industry, Lyons spent more than 16 years in financial services with Bank of Ireland and Standard Life, working across technology, risk and operations. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and is a Board Member of the Asthma Society of Ireland.
Lyons is also a board member of VGW Games Limited, bringing additional governance experience to the role.
The appointment comes as SolutionsHub expands its presence in Ireland to support operators and suppliers preparing for new regulatory requirements.
Lee Hills, CEO of SolutionsHub, said: “Ireland is entering a new phase, and businesses will have important decisions to make as the regulatory framework takes shape. David has worked at senior levels inside gaming businesses for many years and understands the practical challenges operators face.
“He’s seen the industry from different angles, from player engagement and operations through to governance and board-level responsibilities. That experience will be valuable as we continue to grow our Irish portfolio.”
David Lyons said: “I’ve spent a lot of my career working inside businesses that have had to balance commercial priorities with regulatory obligations. Ireland is moving into a period where businesses will need to get governance, licensing and operational readiness right from the start.
“SolutionsHub has built a strong reputation for helping businesses approach licensing, governance and compliance in a practical way. That focus on real-world outcomes was a big part of what attracted me to the role.”
The post SolutionsHub appoints former PokerStars and VGW executive David Lyons to lead Irish operations appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
40 Under 40
FIRST.bet Founder and CEO Tom Light Named to Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40 Class of 2026
The FIRST.bet Founder and CEO joins the 2026 list of influential leaders shaping the global gaming industry
Tom Light, Founder and CEO of FIRST.bet, has been named a member of the Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40 Class of 2026. Presented by The Innovation Group in partnership with Global Gaming Business and iGB, the program recognizes professionals under 40 who are making a significant impact on the global gaming industry.
The professionals recognized were selected from a record field of more than 250 nominations from around the world. Tom Light is also featured in a profile published by Global Gaming Business magazine as part of the Class of 2026. The recognition follows his Individual Achievement Award at the EGR Awards 2026, where FIRST.bet was also named Sports Betting Supplier of the Year.
“Building in this space requires long term thinking. Results take time, and consistency matters more than short term wins,” said Tom Light, Founder and CEO of FIRST.bet.
Building FIRST.bet with one clear focus
Born and raised in Israel, Tom Light moved to Bulgaria in 2013. Over more than a decade, he has built sportsbook and trading platforms used by some of the largest betting operators in the world. He was part of the early evolution of live betting and helped shape many of the core mechanics that are now standard across the industry.
Under Tom Light’s leadership, FIRST.bet has grown to more than 500 employees, with major operations in Sofia and Plovdiv, two of Bulgaria’s largest cities. The company delivers a full sportsbook engine built for speed, scalability, real-time performance, dynamic pricing and efficient risk management.
“Today we are talking about thousands of events per day and hundreds of markets,” said Tom Light. “We focus on speed, scalability and real time performance.”
Product leadership through focus
FIRST.bet covers a broad range of global and local sports while adapting its product to real player behavior in each market. In Brazil, for example, the company offers vaquejada, a traditional local sport that ranks among the most popular betting categories in certain regions.
The company continues to develop areas including bet builders, automation, data driven pricing and personalization, giving operators more flexibility and stronger tools to compete.
“This reflects our approach. We adapt to real market demand and local player behavior,” said Tom Light.
Looking ahead
Tom Light expects the industry to become increasingly sophisticated as regulation expands and operators demand stronger products, faster execution and better compliance.
“In this industry, product quality and speed of execution are what ultimately determine success,” said Tom Light. “Unlike many providers, we are fully dedicated to sportsbook. That focus allows us to move faster and deliver a stronger product to our partners.”
The post FIRST.bet Founder and CEO Tom Light Named to Emerging Leaders of Gaming 40 Under 40 Class of 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
BetGuard
World’s Third-Largest Gambling Market Has No National Self-Exclusion Register, New CasinoCanada Research Warns
Canada is now the third-largest online gambling market in the world with an estimated CAD 13.15 billion generated in 2025, yet new research from CasinoCanada.com finds it still has no national self-exclusion register and no national licensing framework – meaning a player who self-excludes in one province can continue gambling offshore, or across provincial borders.
Drawing on iGaming Ontario figures, provincial regulatory data, Blask’s 2025 iGaming Landscape Report and peer-reviewed public health research, the analysis traces the gap to a constitutional structure that leaves gambling to the provinces and Ottawa without a national regulator. In effect, there are ten parallel regimes that do not connect to one another.
As a consequence, estimated offshore leakage outside Ontario ranges from 49% in British Columbia to 93% in Saskatchewan, with Alberta and Manitoba at 88%. Offshore platforms also grew 40% year-on-year in 2025 – nearly double the 23% growth of licensed operators.
Most starkly, a January 2026 study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found gambling-related contacts to Ontario’s ConnexOntario helpline rose an estimated 198% after the market opened in 2022, concentrated almost entirely among boys and men aged between 15 and 44.
Ontario remains a success, with channelisation at 91.1% and its new BetGuard self-exclusion tool drawing more than 500 registrations in its first two weeks. But set against 1.235 million active player accounts, and stopping at the provincial border, it underlines how far the country still has to go.
Eugene Ravdin, Head of PR for CasinoCanada, said: “Record wagers and a near-200% rise in helpline contacts are happening at the same time, which tells you market growth and player protection are not the same thing. The tools that work internationally – GAMSTOP, Spelpaus, BetStop – all cover the whole market under a single registration.
“Canada has nothing like it. A national register wouldn’t just protect players, it would also help licensed operators compete against offshore sites. This is a commercial argument as much as a moral one.”
The full article can be read here: https://casinocanada.com/blog/canadas-safer-gambling-gap-why-market-success-doesnt-always-equal-player-safety/
The post World’s Third-Largest Gambling Market Has No National Self-Exclusion Register, New CasinoCanada Research Warns appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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