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GambleAware Publishes New Reports and Guide for Financial Services Industry to Help Prevent Gambling Harm

Published

5 years ago

July 15, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

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.

18Peaches

QTech Games adds 18Peaches slots to its emerging-markets aggregation platform

Published

48 minutes ago

June 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

qtech-games-adds-18peaches-slots-to-its-emerging-markets-aggregation-platform

Deal expands distribution for 18Peaches titles including Hacker Crash Jackpot, Money Tree Jackpot, Wild Yoga and Frozen Fruits.

QTech Games has signed a content deal with slot supplier 18Peaches, adding the studio’s titles to QTech’s game aggregation platform for emerging markets.

The agreement puts 18Peaches content in front of QTech’s operator network across regions including Africa and Latin America, according to the companies. 18Peaches was established in 2022 and releases slot content on a monthly schedule.

Titles referenced in the announcement include Hacker Crash Jackpot, Money Tree Jackpot, Wild Yoga and Frozen Fruits. The supplier said its games are designed for cross-platform play and optimised for mobile.

QTech Games CEO Philip Doftvik said: “We’re committed to rolling out more and more high-class content that drives revenue for our partners. Therefore, this deal with 18Peaches extends our impressive sequential pipeline for 2026 – and we’ve so much more to come! We are on the way to be able to offer over 200 suppliers with a wide range of global and local suppliers. Meaning QTech is the right aggregator regardless of the targeting market.”

Aziz Azkylbekov, CPO at 18Peaches, added: “At 18Peaches, we specialize in being a disruptive provider of slot games, dedicated to delivering innovative and engaging gaming experiences. And we’ve assembled a team of industry veterans and passionate creators, who are perfectly placed to push the boundaries of slot game development.

“As we all know, QTech’s platform is a gateway to global audiences, so we can’t wait to see how our highly engaging games perform across a largely greenfield landscape of emerging markets for 18Peaches. By combining creativity and technology to craft unique, engaging online slots with distinctive graphics and features, we will raise the bar for a premium gaming experience together.”

The post QTech Games adds 18Peaches slots to its emerging-markets aggregation platform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Allwyn

Allwyn names Nikki Vadera Director of Scratchcards

Published

48 minutes ago

June 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

allwyn-names-nikki-vadera-director-of-scratchcards

New role covers Scratchcards performance, game strategy, brand and retail execution for The National Lottery operator in the UK.

Allwyn UK, operator of The National Lottery, has appointed Nikki Vadera as Director of Scratchcards.

The newly created role gives Vadera ownership of the Scratchcards category, including commercial performance, game design strategy, brand development and category innovation. Allwyn said she will also lead retail execution across the business, working cross-functionally to support growth plans for Scratchcards.

Vadera has held senior roles across L’Oréal, Henkel, Danone and Dorel, where she led teams and managed multi-brand portfolios, according to Allwyn. The company also noted she has been recognised as one of Marketing Week’s Top 100 Most Effective Marketers for five consecutive years.

Bridget Lea, Managing Director of Retail at Allwyn, said: “Scratchcards are one of the most important and complex parts of The National Lottery, and a key focus within our retail strategy. As we continue to evolve the category, Nikki’s appointment will help turn our ambition into real growth across the portfolio, benefitting both our retail partners and Good Causes.”

Nikki Vadera as Director of Scratchcards at Allwyn, added: “I’m thrilled to join the Allwyn team to lead the Scratchcards category. Throughout my career, I’ve been passionate about helping mature categories evolve by combining consumer understanding, commercial discipline, and innovation to unlock growth. This opportunity is particularly exciting as it brings together category ownership, commercial leadership, and the potential for transformation at scale. It represents an opportunity to shape the future of an iconic category, while contributing to increased returns for Good Causes. I’m looking forward to working with Bridget and the wider team to help build the next chapter of growth for the category and The National Lottery.”

The post Allwyn names Nikki Vadera Director of Scratchcards appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Andreas Ottenschläger

Austria: Draft bill entered parliamentary consultation

Published

2 hours ago

June 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

austria:-draft-bill-entered-parliamentary-consultation

Background

Austria’s governing coalition — ÖVP, SPÖ and NEOS — has agreed a sweeping overhaul of the Gambling Act. The draft bill entered parliamentary consultation on, Monday 29 June 2026. Lead negotiators Andreas Ottenschläger (ÖVP), Jan Krainer (SPÖ) and Christoph Pramhofer (NEOS) call it the biggest reform of the law in 26 years. Two pillars: tougher player protection, and a ground-up rewrite of online licensing.

Timing

No formal Council of Ministers resolution is public yet. What is public: the draft amendments went into parliamentary consultation today. Next comes TRIS — the draft must be notified to the European Commission, says Vienna-based gambling lawyer Arthur Stadler, triggering a standstill of at least three months before parliament can hold a final vote. Extensions are possible.

Cooling-off / non-offering period

The bad-actor clause has three teeth: retroactive tax payment, settlement of player claims, and a non-offering period. On the last point: Under the draft, operators must clear that freeze properly: from 1 January 2027 until the licence is actually granted, they have to shut down their existing unlicensed online offering. Fail to comply, and the penalty escalates fast: any operator that doesn’t observe the cooling-off phase faces an 18-month lock-out from licensing altogether. Stadler’s math: That’s a minimum nine-month freeze, 1 January to end-September 2027 at least depending when the licenses are awarded individually. It looks like that first license might be granted to those new market entrants adopting such early blackout, timewise landing exactly after the moment when Austrian Lotteries’ win2day concession expires on 30 September 2027.

The bad-actor clause has three teeth: retroactive tax payment, settlement of player claims, and a non-offering period. On the last point: Under the draft, operators must clear that freeze properly: From 1 January 2027 until the licence is actually granted, they have to shut down their existing unlicensed online offering. Fail to comply, and the penalty escalates fast: any operator that doesn’t observe the cooling-off phase faces an 18-month lock-out from licensing altogether. Stadler’s math: the legislator has, without saying so explicitly, built in an incentive structure. The floor is a nine-month freeze — 1 January through end-September 2027 — though actual length depends on when individual licences get awarded. The likely sequencing: new entrants who front-load the blackout early position themselves first in line, with awards landing right after Austrian Lotteries’ win2day concession expires on 30 September 2027.

Contradiction

Stadler sees a basic contradiction baked into the package. “Two of the three major elements work against each other. If the Finance Ministry wants to maximise retroactive tax recovery, a mandatory blackout period hands you a tax base of zero for that exact stretch. You can’t optimise for both. Operators are left asking whether the real goal is revenue or exclusion.”

Austria as a high-tax jurisdiction

Beyond the clearance condition — and an unresolved question of whether repaid player amounts can be offset against ongoing tax liabilities — sits the headline number: a 45% GGR tax rate. That puts Austria in elite company, in the same bracket as the UK (40% from April 2026) and the Netherlands (37.8%). “It’s a top-of-the-table tax rate for a market that doesn’t even have a functioning licensed channel yet,” Stadler says. But the tax rate alone doesn’t tell the whole story, he adds. “Even at 45% GGR, whether Austria actually functions as a licensed market depends on the regulatory mix around it (player protection rules, advertising limits, deposit and stake caps, AML obligations and more). You have to look at the framework as a whole and ask whether it’s actually attractive enough for new entrants. That’s the kind of detail that decides whether the channelisation target is achievable.”

Author: Arthur Stadler | STADLER PARTNER

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