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Heading to the races? You might need your payslips

Published

3 years ago

March 13, 2023

Reading Time: 2 minutes

With the biggest week of UK racing taking place at Cheltenham this week, many occasional bettors are likely to be preparing to have one of their first flutters of the year.

Event organiser The Jockey Club reported a whopping 280,000 racegoers over the four-day event last year and OpenBet, the platform that took bets for leading bookies such as William Hill, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power, SkyBet and Betfair, processed bets worth more than half a billion pounds.

But leading gambling licensing law firm Poppleston Allen has warned that punters might be asked for more than just money when they go to place their bets this year, thanks to the increasing trend among bookmakers to carry out affordability checks on their customers.

“Since last year’s major racing events took place, we’ve seen a rise in bookmakers undertaking affordability checks and asking players to provide documentation such as payslips and bank statements to prove they can afford to gamble,” said Felix Faulkner, solicitor at Poppleston Allen.

“A recent study of more than 1,000 bettors carried out by YouGov for sports betting community OLBG found that 22% had been asked for payslips, bank statements or similar documents by at least one bookmaker[i].

“If a betting establishment asks a customer for financial information and they are unable or unwilling to provide it, the company is well within its rights to refuse to take their bet. Bookmakers have a legal responsibility under their operating licence conditions to minimise the risk of customers experiencing gambling harm. If they have concerns a customer might be trying to bet more than they can afford, it is advisable they refuse the bet.”

Gambling companies are regulated by the Gambling Commission, which provides guidance that suggests that they should consider customers’ affordability when interacting with customers. However, the guidance does not set limits or thresholds at which gambling companies need to ask for proof customers can afford their gambling.

There have been credible rumours that the forthcoming government White Paper on gambling reform will propose mandatory limits, but the publication of this has been repeatedly delayed due to changes in government departments.

Faulkner said: “There is an element of uncertainty in the market at present. The current Gambling Commission guidance[ii] for premises-based operators, which applies to on-course bookmakers, states that Commission research found some operators had set ‘inappropriately high’ thresholds in the past.

“However, at present there are no hard and fast rules on what is an appropriate level that should prompt bookmakers to ask customers for proof their gambling is affordable to them. This has resulted in gambling companies setting their own rules on when it is appropriate to carry out financial checks on customers and this has led to some differences between bookmakers.

“It remains to be seen how the various on-course bookmakers will interpret the guidance this year. In practice it can be difficult for them to work out who can afford what if there is a race starting in one minute and there are 20 people waving money at them to put a bet on, however compliance with licence conditions is mandatory and operators should always act responsibly.”

Cubeia

Cubeia expands Originals Studio with Turbo Crash launch

Published

12 hours ago

October 20, 2025

George Miller

cubeia-expands-originals-studio-with-turbo-crash-launch

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Cubeia, a Sweden-based iGaming software solutions provider, has unveiled the latest addition to its Originals Studio, Turbo Crash – a fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled game designed to test players’ instincts.

Turbo Crash challenges players to make the ultimate risk-versus-reward decisions in search of astronomical returns. Players place their bets and watch the multiplier soar higher and higher – but timing is everything. It’s possible to cash out at any moment with a single click and every round can be verified for total transparency and trust thanks to its Provably Fair design.

Turbo Crash continues Cubeia’s Originals Studio mission to create operator-first, fully brandable games inspired by its Operator-Up philosophy – built from the ground up around what operators and their players need.

Cubeia’s investment in gamification and community-driven features is reflected in its latest release with challenges, achievements, and duels all available to bring players closer together.

A very successful first year for Cubeia Originals has validated this approach, and with Turbo Crash, the company is setting the pace for what an Originals experience can become as it scales the portfolio further.

Cubeia’s Head of Sales, Caroline Björkman, said: “Launching Turbo Crash as we approach our first anniversary is the perfect way to celebrate how well Originals Studio has established itself in the market. In less than a year, we’ve launched ten distinctive titles – from Mines and Crash to Turbo Crash – and built a portfolio that operators can rely on and players genuinely enjoy.”

The post Cubeia expands Originals Studio with Turbo Crash launch appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Claire Osborne Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment

INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS

Published

13 hours ago

October 20, 2025

George Miller

inspired-expands-its-igaming-portfolio-with-a-duo-of-new-slots:-werewolf-it-up!-&-zeus-legends-of-olympus

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Inspired Entertainment, Inc., a leading B2B provider of gaming content, systems, and solutions, is excited to announce the launch of Werewolf It Up! featuring Cash Bank and Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo across the UK and Malta iGaming markets. Packed with captivating visuals and engaging gameplay, this online and mobile slot duo is designed to deliver strong results for operators and offers the best in iGaming entertainment for players.

Werewolf It Up featuring Cash Bank is the Halloween-themed follow-up to Inspired’s smash hit Wolf It Up! Set in a mystical, spooky forest, the game combines fairy-tale charm with thrilling win potential. The base game introduces cash-packed candy symbols and the Bonus Wolf, which together trigger the Cash Bank Free Spins Bonus with eight free spins. A pseudo-persistence mechanic adds further excitement, with collected candies building towards the Lucky Wheel for chances to win one of four Prize Pots.

As with all our games, players can enhance their gameplay with customisable features including Bonus Buy for instant bonus entry, Fortune Spins for boosted hit potential, and Inspired’s Gamble, for potentially bigger rewards. Werewolf It Up delivers spook-tastic thrills, fun features, and a broad appeal for casual players looking to win big this Halloween.

Zeus Legends of Olympus featuring Triple Hit Combo is a 5×3 reel, 20 win-line slot adventure that brings the power of Zeus, the King of the Ancient Greek Gods, to the reels. In a new art style for Inspired, the game blends ancient Greek mythology with fun gameplay features, the game introduces Inspired’s new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, designed to deliver escalating excitement and legendary rewards.

Players collect coins to feed three pseudo-persistent bags, Double Coins, Pot Fill, and Zeus Boost, that unlock epic bonus rounds powered by Inspired’s thrilling Win & Spin mechanic. With expanding reels, escalating prizes, and Zeus himself boosting values, every spin builds suspense toward greater wins. Optional features include Bonus Buy, Gamble, and a new multi-level Fortune Bet that allows players to supercharge their bonus rounds. Zeus Legends of Olympus combines a mythic theme and modern gameplay with Inspired’s signature innovation.

Claire Osborne, Vice President of Interactive at Inspired Entertainment, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil these two exciting new slots, each offering something truly unique for players. Werewolf It Up! is set to be this Halloween’s standout game, blending proven mechanics with spooky, visuals that will have players howling with delight. Our seasonal games have become player favorites, and Werewolf It Up! is a perfect addition to our portfolio of holiday-themed titles. Meanwhile, Zeus Legends of Olympus raises the bar with our brand-new Triple Hit Combo mechanic, kicking off a powerful new series of ancient Greek god–themed content. We’re confident both titles will engage players worldwide and deliver outstanding performance at launch and well into the future.”

The post INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH A DUO OF NEW SLOTS: WEREWOLF IT UP! & ZEUS LEGENDS OF OLYMPUS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Chris Loftus CEO of Northern Lights Gaming

Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer

Published

14 hours ago

October 20, 2025

George Miller

northern-lights-gaming-promotes-chris-loftus-to-chief-executive-officer

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Northern Lights Gaming, the award-winning studio known for blockbuster slot titles such as Unusual Suspects and Bison Moon, has promoted Chris Loftus to CEO.

The promotion comes after Andrew Goodale chose to step away from the studio after more than eight years at the helm to pursue other opportunities.

Chris is a seasoned online slot studio executive with more than 17 years of industry experience and joined Northern Lights Gaming back in April 2025 as Commercial Director.

His career began at Inspired Entertainment, where he spent a decade as Head of Content Operations before moving on to 1X2 Network, where he served as Commercial Director for the leading studio and aggregation platform.

This was followed by a stint as Sales Director at fast-growing game studio Playnetic, where he further expanded his expertise in commercial strategy and business development, before joining the Northern Lights Gaming team.

As CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, Chris brings seasoned insight and an energetic approach to the studio, which has both a strong legacy and ambitious plans for the future.

Robert Henrysson, Chairman at Northern Lights Gaming, said: “We are thrilled to promote Chris to the position of CEO and for him to lead Northern Lights Gaming into the next chapter of its success story.

“Of course, we’d like to thank Andrew for his many years of service and for helping to drive Northern Lights Gaming forward with passion and purpose and wish him well for the future.

“Change always brings adjustments, but our direction and mission remain the same – and that’s to create the very best games and experience in the industry.

“And with Chris leading our incredible team and with a strong product roadmap in front of us, we are highly confident of doing just that.”

Chris Loftus, CEO of Northern Lights Gaming, added: “It’s an honour to have been promoted to CEO of Northern Lights Gaming and to have the trust of the team to steer the ship and continue to build on the incredible progress we have already made.

“The key to success for any studio is to create great games that hit the mark with players, and we have the team and process in place to keep adding epic titles to our portfolio.

“Our product roadmap is packed with truly exceptional games, and we can’t wait to see them leave our production line and for players to fire up the reels.”

The post Northern Lights Gaming promotes Chris Loftus to Chief Executive Officer appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.