Latest News
Independent Evaluation Reveals Impact of Pilot Training for Health Professionals
Health professionals feel more confident supporting young people after completing Ygam’s training on gaming and gambling harms, an independent evaluation has revealed.
An evaluation undertaken by the Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) revealed 91% of survey respondents rated the Mindful Resilience workshops as “good” or “very good”, with two-thirds already implementing their learnings into their day-to day practices. Those trained saw their level of knowledge on gaming and gambling harms almost double as a result of partaking in the programme.
The “Mindful Resilience” programme was developed in collaboration with Bournemouth University. It enables health professionals, including GPs and nurses, to have access to City and Guilds assured training on the harms and health risks associated with gaming and gambling harms. The full pilot phase of the programme ran from 2021 to 2022.
Ratings of confidence in ability amongst delegates almost doubled for each area of enquiry, including signposting to information sources, approaching children and young people about the subject, and assessing participation in gambling and gaming, knowing how to intervene and when to respond.
Linda Scollins Smith, Director of Programmes at Ygam, said: “The findings of this evaluation are encouraging and a positive step in addressing the need for better understanding of gaming and gambling harms within the health care sector. The programme has already supported over 1000 health professionals and garnered very positive responses from participants regarding content, resources, and ongoing support.
“As with every pilot, there are areas of the programme that we can effectively improve. As an evidence-led organisation, these evaluations are vital to ensure that we continue to develop our educational offering, and that we continue to be a figurehead of good practice within the sector.”
Shelley White, CEO at RGC, said: “RGC’s Research and Advisory Services team is pleased to deliver this independent evaluation of the Mindful Resilience programme, which has shown very promising results for health care professionals during its pilot phase. We know that young people are at risk of experiencing gaming and gambling harms, therefore it is essential to educate and train those who work with young people on the practical ways to assess and respond to these risks. We are confident that our findings and recommendations will support Ygam in their commitment to delivering and refining this innovative programme, which will ultimately help to ensure the improved safety and care for young people.”
Dr. Melissa Salmon, Senior Researcher at the RGC found that within three months of completing the training, 64% of trained delegates reported that they had implemented their learning into their work with children and young people. 73% of participants reported that the implementation of knowledge and learnings from the training had been a positive process and easy to apply, with few obstacles.
The majority (84%) of participants said that they would not make any changes to the programme content covered or resources available, with 91% of participants rating the workshop as either “good” (14%) or “very good” (77%).
ELA Games
ELA Games releases Spirit of Savanna slot with player-choice bonus
The new 5×3, 10-payline title features Hold and Win or Free Spins selection and three jackpot tiers.
ELA Games has released Spirit of Savanna, a new online slot that introduces a player-choice bonus mechanic alongside Hold and Win, Free Spins, and three jackpot tiers.
Spirit of Savanna runs on a 5×3 reel grid with 10 paylines and is rated volatility 4 out of 5, according to the supplier. RTP is listed across two ranges: 93.98-94.16% and 96.01-96.12%.
The main differentiator is how a Wild symbol contributes to a winning combination. Instead of triggering a fixed feature, the game prompts players to choose between seven Free Spins or a Hold and Win bonus.
Both bonus paths include a Repeat Win feature that carries the value of the triggering win into each spin of the bonus round. The Free Spins feature can also retrigger using the same Wild-combination logic. The game includes three jackpot tiers, with the Grand Jackpot available either by landing two Antelopes or by filling an entire row with coins during Hold and Win.
The post ELA Games releases Spirit of Savanna slot with player-choice bonus appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Games Global
Games Global launches Candy Combo 2 Power Combo with Slingshot Studios
Games Global has released Candy Combo 2 Power Combo
, developed with exclusive studio partner Slingshot Studios. The new slot follows the original Candy Combo Power Combo
and expands the title’s Link&Win
gameplay and Power Combo
mechanics.
The 5×3, 20-payline game is set in a pastel candy theme and uses five “candy jar” characters above the reels to collect matching symbols and trigger Link&Win
modifiers. The Power Combo
flow activates a Link&Win
bonus played on a 5×4 grid, where cash coins remain in place as new symbols land.
Returning mechanics include Connector symbols with multipliers of up to 10x for completed rows, Collector symbols that gather visible cash values, and Jackpot symbols that award fixed prizes when four matching symbols are collected.
New features include Adder, which adds values to all other landed symbols, and Extender, which unlocks a second independent reel set to extend the Link&Win
round. Games Global said up to five features can be active within a single Link&Win
round, culminating in Super Power Combo
, where all features are active at once. The game also includes Hot Mode
, which adds extra feature symbols to the reels, and Upsizer
, which offers an option to enhance the Link&Win
feature at a cost before the bonus begins.
Richard Vermaak, Creative Director at Slingshot Studios, said: “Candy Combo 2 Power Combo
builds on its predecessor – one of our most successful titles – by expanding how features interact within the Link&Win
format.
“The addition of new jars and the ability to combine multiple mechanics introduces more variation across each round, while staying true to the core gameplay players recognise.”
David Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, said: “Slingshot Studios has done a brilliantly at evolving a well-established concept by adding depth and flexibility to its feature set.
“The result is a bright, engaging title that enhances a proven mechanic while offering players more ways to experience its core gameplay.”
The post Games Global launches Candy Combo 2 Power Combo with Slingshot Studios appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Acquisitions/Merger
LCKY Group agrees to acquire Denmark iGaming operator RoyalCasino
LCKY Group has entered into an agreement to acquire RoyalCasino, an iGaming operator focused exclusively on Denmark. The companies said the transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the second half of 2026.
LCKY Group said the deal will expand its footprint in Denmark and increase exposure to what it described as “sustainable revenue streams in a well-regulated and stable jurisdiction.” The company also said the acquisition supports its multi-brand strategy in the Danish market.
LCKY Group expects the transaction to be immediately accretive, estimating an 18–20% increase in group revenue and a 29–31% increase in EBITDA.
Richard Brown, CEO of LCKY Group, said: “This is a highly strategic and financially compelling acquisition for LCKY Group. RoyalCasino brings both strong market presence and high-quality earnings in Denmark, a market that aligns closely with our focus on regulated, sustainable growth. The transaction enhances our scale, strengthens our competitive position, and provides clear opportunities to drive synergies and long-term value creation. We look forward to working closely with the RoyalCasino team to realize these opportunities.”
Per Petersen, CEO of RoyalCasino, said: “RoyalCasino is one of the largest online casino operators in Denmark, a market known as both well-regulated and high-value. Our industry is characterised by high levels of innovation and competition, and here we see the combination of RoyalCasino’s local expertise and LCKY’s international scale and iGaming pedigree as an excellent recipe for shared success. We look forward to introducing LCKY to our Danish customer base.” Partis acted as financial advisors to RoyalCasino on the transaction.
The post LCKY Group agrees to acquire Denmark iGaming operator RoyalCasino appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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