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Research Warns Problem Gambling in Ireland Could be Higher Than Estimated
The Economic and Social Research Institute has advised the new Irish gambling regulator to make problem gambling a priority.
As preparations continue for the launch of Ireland’s gambling regulator by autumn, new research warns that it should prioritise measures on problem gambling. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has concluded that problem gambling in Ireland “could be larger than initial estimates”.
It conducted a study with the aim of providing evidence-based research to inform debate and decision-making on the launch of Ireland’s new regulator, New research from the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) said the issue should be a main priority during the creation of a new regulatory body, the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI).
Estimates have suggested that around 12,000 people have issues with problem gambling in Ireland – around 0.3% of the population. Some 35,000 (0.9%) are estimated to be “at risk”. But ESRI suggests that these are likely to be underestimates due to biases in the survey design and response.
Its own research identified a strong societal burden of harm from problem gambling and found that young men from disadvantaged backgrounds were at the greatest risk along with those with other addictions. Frequent players were also more at risk, and the report identifies gambling advertising and complex bets as causes of increased gambling activity.
The report identified gaps in research to be addressed, including the underestimation of problem gambling prevalence, limited survey evidence on public attitudes towards gambling and a lack of understanding of the impact of marketing techniques.
It said: “Policy would benefit from behavioural audits of marketing techniques used in Ireland.”
Anne Marie Caulfield, CEO Designate of the GRAI, said: “We need to know the extent of the issue and how it is impacting people’s lives. We have commissioned the ESRI to conduct a second study focused on measuring the extent of problem gambling.”
She said GRAI would make raising awareness of problem gambling and providing treatment and support services a “critical function”.
Sought-after software provider’s new Greek mythology-inspired slot sees players summon Floating Wilds that can send their winnings soaring on any given spin
Get ready to step into the Athenian Acropolis and take your place alongside the mighty gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece in Olympus Wilds – the brand-new SwinttSelect slot where unique Floating Wilds can set players payouts soaring for sky-high wins.
Set to a backdrop of the majestic Parthenon, Olympus Wilds is a five-reel, 20-payline title that features the likenesses of Zeus, Ares, Artemis, Athena and Poseidon as its higher-value symbols. Packed with exhilarating bonuses, the game boasts a maximum jackpot of 8,000x the selected bet and includes a Buy Feature button that gives players easy access to its main Free Spins round.
In both the Free Spins and the base game, the key to unlocking Olympus Wilds’ most divine payouts comes courtesy of a unique Floating Wilds mechanic.
Triggered whenever two or more wild symbols appear during a single spin, these icons will ascend from the reels before coming down again in random positions to create additional paylines as a free re spin is triggered.
Should any additional wilds appear during this re spin, this powerful feature will be repeated for even greater potential prizes – and if this happens to occur during the Free Spins, all winnings will also benefit from a progressive multiplier that can boost players’ payouts by a maximum of 10x!
As an added gift from the gods, this progressive multiplier is also present during the game’s second feature, which is a Hold & Win bonus similar to those found in other Swintt titles. Activated whenever five or more coin symbols stop in view, players will initially be granted three re spins to collect further prizes, with the counter resetting whenever a new coin symbol appears.
Not only that, but for each subsequent coin collected, the progressive multiplier will increase by one, with this being applied to the value of all prizes once the reels have been completely filled or no new coins appear and the player is returned to the base game with their collected winnings.
David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “This month, Swintt is inviting players to explore the intriguing world of Greek mythology and claim divine riches worthy of the gods themselves in Olympus Wilds. A medium-high volatility slot with a maximum jackpot of 8,000x, Olympus Wilds introduces a new Floating Wilds mechanic that can turn any spin into a big winner – particularly during Free Spins, where potentially monumental multipliers are also up for grabs!”
The post Swintt unleashes the power of the Parthenon in Olympus Wilds appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Bruce Cassidy
VIP Play Obtains Interim West Virginia iGaming and Sports Wagering Management Service Provider Licenses
VIP Play Inc. announced the approval of its interim License in West Virginia for both Sports Wagering and iGaming managed services. This follows the recently announced market access partnership between VIP Play and Delaware North’s Wheeling Island Casino.
This milestone marks the company’s initial expansion beyond Tennessee, where it currently operates as a mobile Sports Wagering Operator. The interim License in West Virginia also adds iGaming to the company’s book of business, and allows VIP Play to participate in the rapidly expanding i-Gaming industry. VIP Play expects to begin serving West Virginia customers in the coming months.
Bruce Cassidy, VIP Play CEO & Chairman of the Board, said: “The acquisition of our interim Sports Wagering and i-Gaming License in West Virginia marks a significant milestone in our journey to expand, underscoring our commitment to provide innovative experiences to a wider audience. As we grow our presence, our dedication to excellence stands firm, and we’re excited to play a role in enriching West Virginia’s dynamic gaming community.”
The post VIP Play Obtains Interim West Virginia iGaming and Sports Wagering Management Service Provider Licenses appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
New certification for emerging-markets leader arrives ahead of key industry summit in Sao Paulo and awards recognition
QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has had its platform and games successfully approved for the Peruvian market, demonstrating that its premier B2B platform and all-encompassing content conforms to the latest legislative updates to enhance and regulate Peru’s local gaming environment.
Peru’s Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Tourism (MINCETUR) has now issued an online gaming licence to QTech Games, whereby all its platform products and games are now deemed legally permitted. This includes its new software service for retail, QTech Hybrid, which allows land-based partners to scale their operations online. QTech Hybrid simplifies transactions by enabling deposits, withdrawals and gameplay while allowing access to players both in-shop and on personal devices.
This breakthrough hybrid solution has quickly won clients and awards in the comparably fragmented African market (most recently in March for Best Innovation at AGE Lagos), and now promises to do likewise across LatAm, where QTech Games has already signed several major clients for both its aggregation platform and its QTech Hybrid solution. This activity has seen it again nominated for Best Aggregator at the SiGMA Americas Awards, which kickstart the SiGMA Americas summit (7-10 April) next week, as the igaming world converges on Sao Paulo for a must-attend conference in another of QTech Games’ “focus markets” for 2025.
Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “It’s fantastic to have certified our aggregation platform in Peru via MINCETUR – and I’m pleased to say we have more such approvals pending across the continent. We attended fantastic events in Rio and, more recently, SAGSE 2025 in Buenos Aires – and anticipate more of the same at SiGMA Americas in Sao Paulo next week, where we’re also thrilled to have been shortlisted for Best Aggregator at their LatAm Awards. Given the venue, Brazil will be dominating the discussion for many at SiGMA Sao Paulo. However, we’ll also be looking beyond Brazilian borders this year, and are already active in Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Paraguay. We know our QTech Hybrid solution will work very well wherever we put a pin on the LatAm map.”
QTech Games delegates will be present at five more LatAm summits in 2025, with SiGMA Americas (7 April) the next port of call – followed by GAT Expo Cartagena (28 April), SBC Americas (13 May), Peru Gaming Show (18 June) and GAT Expo Mexico (28 Aug).
The post QTech Games sharpens its LatAm focus with MINCETUR licence in Peru appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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