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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.”

Amigo Gaming

VeliGames adds 10 studios as content library tops 35,000 games

Published

13 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

veligames-adds-10-studios-as-content-library-tops-35,000-games

VeliTech’s aggregator names Amigo Gaming, Playnetic, FA CHAI Gaming and GameBeat among new partners.

VeliGames, the aggregation platform from VeliTech, has expanded its supplier roster with 10 additional content studios, the company said on 14 April 2026. The aggregator now offers “35,000+” games from “160+” suppliers via its Single API.

New providers now available through VeliGames are Amigo Gaming, Playnetic, FA CHAI Gaming, GameBeat, Ready Play Gaming, Slot Mart, Dynabit Gaming, EEAI, IMK 365 and Triple Cherry. VeliGames also distributes its exclusive in-house studios VeliPlay (crash and instant games) and Heaven of 7 (slots).

The company said the expansion is aimed at helping operators diversify and localise their game lobbies for emerging markets through a single integration. VeliGames said its catalogue spans slots, live casino, scratch cards, table and crash games, with tailoring for Asia, Africa and Latin America, including “regionally adjusted pricing” and back-office capabilities.

Irakli Kakhidze, CEO at VeliGames, said: “Our technology is shaped by real-world operator needs, and that’s why VeliGames is a plug-and-play solution that allows operators to access more than 35,000 titles from 160+ providers, plus market-ready customisation, and robust engagement and reporting tools.

“VeliGames has established itself as a partner that understands the business of gaming, not just the code, and these integrations are a testament to that.

“The Single API approach only delivers real value when it is built on battle-tested technology. That has made VeliGames the go-to choice for operators in high-growth markets across the world.”

Revaz Janelidze, Operations Lead at VeliGames, added: “At VeliGames, we live and breathe content, and that’s why we pull out all the stops to constantly bring remarkable providers to our platform.

“These are studios that are pushing boundaries to deliver never seen before themes, mechanics, bonuses and formats, and in doing so are tearing up the rulebook for iGaming content.

“We look forward to seeing our clients strengthen their casino lobbies with the likes of Amigo Gaming, Playnetic and others, while we’re already hard at work on the next round of integrations, so watch this space.”

The post VeliGames adds 10 studios as content library tops 35,000 games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Broadcaster Video on Demand

Comparasino launches three-month ITVX BVOD ad campaign

Published

13 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

comparasino-launches-three-month-itvx-bvod-ad-campaign

Leeds-based casino comparison platform spotlights its Recommendation Engine and Member Zone in exclusive ITVX placement.

Comparasino has launched a three-month Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) advertising campaign running exclusively on ITVX, starting Tuesday 14 April, 2026. The Leeds-based online casino comparison platform said the campaign will run across ITVX premium prime-time programming and hit shows.

Check out the ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqAM4KOi3UQ

The company said the creative focuses on its proprietary Recommendation Engine, positioning it as an alternative to static casino list formats. Comparasino said the tool asks users for preferences such as bonuses, payment methods and minimum deposits, then returns matches from UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)-licensed brands.

Comparasino also pointed to its free-to-join Member Zone, which allows users to save preferences and a list of matches. The company said the portal’s automation engine surfaces new matches in real time as additional casino partners are added, and that members can receive brand-launch news and profile-based bonus offers.

Martyn Hannah, Co-founder and CEO of Comparasino, said: “Advertising on ITVX is a transformative step for us. For too long, the online casino search process has been a ‘one size fits all’ experience. Our mission is to humanise that journey by putting the player’s specific needs first.

“By launching this three-month campaign on a platform as prestigious as ITVX, we’re not just building brand awareness, we are showing the UK public that there is a smarter, safer and more tailored way to play.”

Comparasino said all brands featured on its platform are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, positioning compliance and player protection as central to its UK-facing proposition.

The post Comparasino launches three-month ITVX BVOD ad campaign appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

blask

Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand

Published

13 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

blask-data:-lottery-drives-78%-of-france’s-gambling-search-demand

New category-level analysis breaks down non-branded iGaming demand by vertical across France, Brazil, India, Italy and Switzerland.

Blask says lottery-related queries account for around 78% of total gambling search demand in France, outweighing online casino (~10%) and live dealer, betting and poker (each ~4%). The company positions the data as evidence that sports betting is not the primary driver of gambling demand in every market.

Blask said the figures come from non-branded search data and are part of a new category-level analysis feature designed to break down demand across verticals and subcategories within each market. The tool is intended to help operators compare player intent across jurisdictions, including “lottery in France, football betting in Brazil, or culturally driven formats in India.”

Outside France, Blask’s data shows Brazil is more betting-led, with online betting at ~52% of demand, which the company attributes largely to football. Lottery represents ~25%, fantasy sports ~11%, while casino (~6%) and live dealer (~2%) remain smaller segments.

India is described as more evenly distributed, with lottery at ~35% and live dealer at ~29%, and online casino, betting and fantasy each at roughly 10%. In Europe, Italy’s demand is reported as seasonally influenced by football, with fantasy sports leading at ~37%, while Switzerland is presented as casino-first, with online casino at ~38%.

Across the markets analysed, Blask said two themes recur: older categories often remain the biggest, and regulation heavily shapes demand. Where certain verticals are restricted, the company said interest tends to shift into adjacent or offshore segments rather than disappearing.

The post Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.