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New Research Reveals Gambling Ads on Social Media More Appealing to Children than Adults
According to a new study conducted at the University of Bristol, gambling advertising on social media is significantly more appealing to children and young people than to adults.
The study findings showed disguised gambling marketing and ads for betting on esports – professional online competing in computer games – were nearly four times more appealing to children than adults. It also revealed nearly half of children are exposed to such advertising weekly and around a quarter encounter it daily.
Whereas results showed the vast majority of adults were wary or annoyed when faced with gambling ads, children mainly reacted positively.
Co-lead investigator Dr Raffaello Rossi, who is conducting first-of-its-kind research into the use and impact of gambling advertising on social media, said: “The overwhelming strong appeal of gambling advertising on social media to children is of huge concern, as it is known the earlier people start gambling the more likely it will become habitual and problematic.
“That’s why there needs to be much stricter and clearer rules in place to clamp down on the issue, which could easily spiral out of control given how long children and young people spend on social media these days. Many of the adverts may look entirely innocent and harmless, but they in fact pose a serious risk of getting a whole new generation of gamblers hooked on a serious addiction which has devastating consequences.”
The report, in light of its findings and previous studies, is calling for:
- Esports gambling advertising, which automatically appeals to children and young people, to be banned.
- Gambling content marketing, which masquerades as something appealing, to be rigorously regulated and informed by what is proven to attract young people.
- Regulators to broaden the age range of a “young person” from 16-17 to 16-24-year-olds.
- Social media platforms to only allow gambling ads on social media when users actively opt-in to receive them.
The report comes as the Gambling Act is currently being reviewed by the government, and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has launched a consultation to better protect children from gambling advertising which appeals to them.
This study surveyed online 210 children aged 11 to 17 years, 222 young people aged 18 to 24, and 221 adults aged 25 to 78 years in the UK from May to July last year.
Esports gambling adverts were also found to be much more appealing to children and young people than adults, who were shown to be four-times more likely to feel extremely negative emotions about the ads than children.
Co-lead investigator Agnes Nairn, Professor of Marketing at the University of Bristol’s School of Management, said: “We know from previous research that children are actively following and engaging with gambling content on social media and regulators are struggling to keep up with this trend. This new research shines a spotlight on two specific types of gambling adverts: content marketing and esports that are strongly and significantly more appealing to children and young people than to older adults.
“Importantly, the current regulations do not address these types of advertising at all. The esports market is forecast to exceed a billion dollars this year. It has an audience of 500 million people, most of them children and young people. The regulations need to be reformed as a matter of urgency.”
The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), a leading UK gambling-harm prevention charity, provides a range of education programmes, working with thousands of schools and youth practitioners to help engage with and safeguard future generations against gambling harms.
Kev Clelland, Strategic Alliance Director at YGAM, said: “A key part of our programmes focus on gambling advertising, as well as the growth of esports, and this latest research will further inform our evidence-led resources. The findings support the evidence we submitted to the Gambling Act Review where we called for more to be done to minimise the exposure that children have to gambling advertising. All gambling advertising should be designed and displayed in a way that is appropriate for adults and avoids marketing techniques that appeal to children. There is opportunity to strengthen advertising protections and both the advertisers and the platforms which host adverts should use technology and data to do more.”
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Independent slots studio Thunderkick has deepened its existing collaboration with prominent European operator 777, extending the agreement into Spain.
The initial partnership in Belgium proved a success, with Casino777.es set to build on that momentum by integrating a range of products from Thunderkick’s diverse portfolio, including the full Midas Golden Touch franchise and its popular Día de Muertos-inspired series, Esqueleto Explosivo.
The expansion of the agreement marks another step in amplifying Thunderkick’s position in a competitive market, with its Spanish commercial network now spanning numerous European heavyweights and rising regional operators.
The 777 brand is well-established across the continent, where it continues to broaden its online reach in addition to consolidating its retail footing through a partnership with Casino de Spa, one of the world’s oldest land-based facilities.
The onboarding of Thunderkick’s content will further elevate 777.es’ online casino offering, giving players access to distinctive, engaging content, while also strengthening the Swedish studio’s visibility in a jurisdiction earmarked as a priority within its wider European growth strategy.
Mariam Dodosh, Key Account Manager at Thunderkick, said: “The ongoing relationship between 777 and Thunderkick in Belgium is a fruitful one, and the expansion into Spain marked the natural next step of this collaboration.
“Our content continues to drive results with operators in the market, and we look forward to seeing our fan-favourite titles resonate with a new audience at 777.es.”
César Paredes, Country Manager at 777.es, added: “We have thoroughly enjoyed working with Thunderkick, and its commitment to creativity shines through in its games.
“We have no doubt Casino777.es players will enjoy the brand-new additions to our online casino as we continue to deliver fresh, dynamic content to the Spanish market. The integration of Thunderkick into our portfolio is another step in our commitment to providing our players with the best possible gaming experience.”
The post Thunderkick signals Spanish growth ambitions through 777.es deal appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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ClearStake, the platform transforming player verification in UK iGaming, has joined forces with Paul Myatt to support their sales and marketing efforts.
Myatt will help drive sales of ClearStake products, including ID by Bank, a new solution that enables operators to verify player identity instantly through banking apps. The product is designed to improve FTD conversion, reduce fraud and cut the volume of manual reviews.
Over a 15-year career in gaming, Myatt has previously held senior commercial and business development roles at NetEnt, QuickSpin and Aspire Global.
ClearStake CEO Martin Burt said: “Paul has a proven track record of helping major iGaming businesses commercially scale. His experience across both supplier and operator landscapes makes him the ideal partner to support sales and help us drive further revenue. This engagement strengthens our ability to scale ClearStake and support more operators with innovative verification solutions.”
ClearStake advisor Paul Myatt added: “I have followed ClearStake’s progress closely and it is clear the company is solving a real problem for operators. ID by Bank is a product with huge potential to improve onboarding and reduce cost, and I am excited to support the team as ClearStake moves into its next phase of growth.”
Last month, ClearStake completed a GBP 1.5 million funding round backed by leading names across the iGaming industry. The investment will accelerate growth and support the rollout of ID by Bank, already being used by several major UK operators including MrQ.
The post Paul Myatt joins ClearStake as investor and commercial advisor appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Imagine Live
Vindral and Imagine Live announce strategic partnership to elevate next-generation Live Casino experiences
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Vindral and Imagine Live have entered into a strategic collaboration aimed at advancing the quality, performance and innovation of Live Casino content. The partnership combines Imagine Live’s growing portfolio of live dealer games with Vindral’s advanced real-time streaming and green-screen technologies to deliver more immersive and cinematic player experiences.
This collaboration comes at a moment of rapid growth for Imagine Live, whose offering includes classic games such as Blackjack, Roulette, Poker, Baccarat and Dragon Tiger, along with a range of high-quality game shows. The company is also investing in new cinematic tools like its Robot Arm camera, designed to create smooth, dynamic movements that bring players closer to the action and enhance the sense of being at a real table.
Vindral, founded by a team of Swedish technologists with deep expertise in video, audio, real-time streaming, object tracking, computer vision and AI, provides a high-performance live video platform built for modern live game studios. Vindral’s technology stack includes advanced green-screen solutions and features such as V-Track Roulette, V-Track Money Wheel and Crystal Speech. Vindral also offers a world-class CDN solution, Vindral Live, delivering ultra-low latency and consistent streaming quality—powered by MOQ (Media Over QUIC), a next-generation protocol the company has helped develop over the past decade.
By bringing the strengths of both companies together, the partnership delivers a powerful set of capabilities for operators looking to offer richer, faster and more engaging live gaming experiences to players worldwide.
Niclas Åström, CPO & Founder at Vindral, commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled to collaborate with Imagine Live. This partnership allows us to bring our most innovative solutions to one of the most dynamic live casino providers in the market. We’re proud to support new innovation in iGaming through our AI-driven technology.”
Mikayel Aznauryan, CPO at Imagine Live, said: “Vindral’s technology perfectly complements Imagine Live’s vision to redefine the live casino experience. We are excited to deliver our next-generation content to partners and players worldwide through this collaboration.”
The post Vindral and Imagine Live announce strategic partnership to elevate next-generation Live Casino experiences appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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