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Two in Three People Experiencing Gambling Problems Keep Issue Hidden
As many as 2 in 3 adults (64%) in Great Britain who have experienced any gambling problem have kept their experience hidden, new research from GambleAware has revealed. With almost 2 in 5 (39%) of those who hadn’t opened up stating feelings of stigma such as shame, guilt and fear of judgement represent key barriers to reaching out for support – the charity is issuing a call to end damaging stigma and encourage those who may be experiencing gambling harms to “open-up about gambling”.
Zoë Osmond, Chief Executive of GambleAware, said: “It’s alarming to see the number of people who are struggling in isolation. As a hidden addiction, gambling harms can be incredibly hard to spot from the outside. It is therefore critical that people impacted are aware of the wide range of support services available, and that they feel safe to come forward. Anyone can be impacted by gambling harms, but the first step is to open up and have that first conversation, ideally as early as possible.”
The campaign launch comes as research also suggests that most of the public believe certain gambling products, such as instant win games, are addictive, indicating how gambling harm can affect anyone and the importance of building empathy for those experiencing harm. Specifically, over seven in ten (71%) respondents said they believe instant win games are very or fairly addictive, followed by 64% for scratch cards and 62% for casino games.
Noteworthy football commentator Clive Tyldesley said: “I think that since I’ve started to work with charities and meet and talk with both people who gambled which were in recovery and bereaved family members, the thing that has struck me is how normal and unremarkable their backgrounds invariably are. Harmful gambling really can affect anyone and very often those suffering show no outward signs of their issues. It’s a silent, invisible problem because too often the gamblers disappear into their own feelings of embarrassment and guilt. They think they’re to blame when they are not, they think they’re alone when many others are wrestling with the same issues. Getting them to open up and talk is half the battle to beating the problem, either with people close to them or via the professional support the GambleAware website offers. The first conversation is maybe the most difficult but it’s the most soothing and the most important too.”
Professor Dame Clare Gerada said: “When I opened the doors of the nation’s first Primary Care Gambling Service a few short years ago, I was a relative newcomer to the challenges surrounding gambling. However, since then, my eyes have been thoroughly opened.
“Gambling is an addiction which can only be described as ‘uniquely’ awful: the ruin it wreaks on people’s lives can be complete and multi-layered; the collateral damage is also considerable as families and loved ones suffer alongside. Its inherently hidden nature means that, at the moment, people have to see their lives collapse around them before they get the help they desperately need. It doesn’t need to be like this. There is an incredible breadth of support service, from how to deal with debt, to how to stop gambling completely which people can access for free through the National Gambling Support Network, and I urge anyone concerned about their gambling to do so.”
Positively, the research also supports the benefits of opening up, as three out of four (76%) who had talked about their problems stated they felt better after speaking to someone. With gambling harms often manifesting as intrinsically “hidden” and isolating, GambleAware is aiming to bring to the surface the power of conversations and provide reassurance that help is never far.
The campaign has been developed in close collaboration with the gambling harms lived experienced community, and is supported by a range of expert and influential voices including ex-Love Islander Scott Thomas, who has previously experienced gambling harms.
Scott Thomas, Entrepreneur and Presenter, said: “It’s an incredibly scary thing to first tell someone that you’ve got a gambling problem. Many people assume it’s just because you can’t handle your money, but it needs to be viewed as seriously as any other mental health condition. I was terrified when I first opened up about the problems I had been having but, once I did, I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and I no longer had to hide. I want the same to happen for anyone out there who feels like they might be struggling on their own.”
There is a vast range of resources available and anyone who is worried that gambling might be affecting themselves or someone they love are encouraged to use the self-assessment tool to get free and confidential support tailored to them and their specific needs.
Elissa Hubbard, who has lived experience of gambling harms, said: “Every day was full of anxiety – trying to keep my gambling a secret, whilst finding opportunities to do it more. People think you can ‘just stop’, but you can’t… it’s so easy to be dismissed, and I didn’t want anyone to think bad of me. Finding help changed everything. I discovered that by keeping quiet, it helps no one, and when you start to talk about it, people start to understand you.”
GambleAware has also created tools to help users calculate the time and money spent gambling, served with recommendations in line with the internationally proven Lower Risk Gambling Guidelines. These are expected to become available from early December as part of a soft launch on the GambleAware website.
Dr Ellie Cannon, medical expert and commentator, said: “Gambling harms – or the negative consequences of gambling – are a complex issue that goes far beyond just financial challenges. It can lead to poor mental health, physical health, and relationships break down. They way these issues manifest will vary from person to person, but being aware and recognising the early warning signs of spending increasing amounts of time, money and hiding your gambling can help get people to a better place, sooner.”
Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said: “Too often we see the devastating impacts of harmful gambling, and our white paper outlines a host of new measures we’re implementing to protect those most at risk. A key element of our plans is the introduction of a statutory levy on gambling companies to raise sufficient, sustainable and trusted funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling related harm. Stigma is the biggest barrier preventing people from seeking help, and I welcome GambleAware’s vital campaign which is raising awareness of the issue and helping people get the support they need.”
Canada
XSOLLA STRENGTHENS COMMITMENT TO ATLANTIC CANADA’S GROWING GAME INDUSTRY WITH EXPANDED EVENT PRESENCE
Global Video Game Commerce Company To Support Industry Growth Through Panels, Workshops, And Community Engagement Across Atlantic Canada
Xsolla, a leading global video game commerce company, today announced its participation in two major gaming industry events taking place across Atlantic Canada from June 3-5, 2026, reinforcing the company’s commitment to supporting regional game development ecosystems and fostering industry collaboration.
Xsolla will participate in both Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic, joining developers, publishers, investors, and industry leaders for discussions centered on the future of game development, investment, and innovation in the local area.
At Game Invest East, held in partnership with Scaffold, Xsolla will contribute to conversations around funding, growth opportunities, and the evolving business landscape for game studios.
Featured on the panel titled “If You Can Make It Here,” Xsolla’s Manny Hachey, Senior Director of Developer Success, joins Kate Edwards, CEO and Principal Consultant of Geogrify, and Amir Satvat, Business Development Director at Tencent Games, founder of Always Supporting the Games Community (ASGC), and a 2026 GamesBeat Visionary Award honoree, to explore how new regions and new entrants can survive and thrive in disruptive times.
Hachey, a native of Atlantic Canada, was personally requested by Scaffold to represent Xsolla at the event — a homecoming that adds a personal dimension to the panel’s central thesis. Having built her career and made her mark in Germany’s games industry, she returns with a firsthand perspective on what it takes to leave, build something meaningful abroad, and come back with proof of concept.
Xsolla will continue its Atlantic Canada engagement at XP Game Connect Atlantic in Halifax on June 5. John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada at Xsolla, and Ted DiNola, Developer Evangelist at Xsolla, will host a workshop titled ‘Full Picture to Fast Lane: Xsolla Ecosystem Overview & Live SDK 3 Integration’, providing practical insights and actionable strategies for developers navigating today’s rapidly evolving gaming market.
Nguyen will also host a panel titled, ‘What Does the Future of Game Development Look Like in Atlantic Canada?’ where he will be joined by industry experts, including Ryan Filsinger from Iron Fox; Shawn Woods, CEO at Alpha Dog and VP of Interactive Society of Nova Scotia; George Greer, Founder of Besszong; and Jade Yhap, President of Interactive NB. The panel will explore the region’s growing role in the global games industry and the opportunities ahead for studios, talent, and ecosystem partners.
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“Atlantic Canada continues to emerge as an exciting hub for game development talent and innovation,” said John Nguyen, Regional Vice President, Canada, at Xsolla. “Xsolla is proud to support these events and contribute to conversations that help empower developers, build ecosystems, strengthen industry connections, and accelerate growth across the region.”
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“Events like Game Invest East and XP Game Connect Atlantic are critical for building stronger connections across the games industry,” said Berkley Egenes, Chief Marketing & Growth Officer at Xsolla. “Atlantic Canada has a growing community of talented developers, creators, and industry leaders, and we’re excited to be part of conversations that help to shape the future of gaming in the region while supporting studios at every stage of growth.”
Through its participation in these events, Xsolla aims to deepen relationships within the Atlantic Canadian game development community while supporting knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and long-term ecosystem growth.
For more information about Xsolla’s participation in these events across Atlantic Canada, visit: xsolla.pro/Atlantic-Canada
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Updates include Network Detection, AI Chart Builder and an AI Playbook, with integrations for third-party AI tools via the MCP standard.
SEON has rolled out new AI capabilities for its fraud prevention and AML compliance platform, including a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server designed to connect SEON data to external AI tools. The company said the MCP server, Network Detection, AI Chart Builder and an AI Playbook for Risk and Compliance Teams are available now to SEON customers.
The MCP server is positioned as a way for analysts to use third-party AI tools while pulling investigation context from SEON. SEON said analysts can connect tools including Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini and Microsoft Copilot to “900+ real-time risk signals spanning identity, device, behavioral, AML and IP data,” with signals accessible “in a single call” via the open MCP standard.
“The software world is moving toward a headless model, where teams don’t need to live inside a vendor’s dashboard to get full control over data and functionality,” said Tamas Kadar, CEO and Co-Founder, SEON. “Our job is to be the best command center for fraud, risk and compliance intelligence. We’re giving analysts the freedom to use whichever AI tools work best for them.”
SEON also introduced Network Detection and AI Chart Builder inside its platform. Network Detection builds on SEON’s network analysis features released last year, and “continuously scans the last two months of transactions across devices, emails, phone numbers and IP addresses” to surface suspicious clusters. AI Chart Builder generates data visualizations from natural-language questions using live SEON data, targeting reporting and dashboarding needs typically handled through BI teams or spreadsheet exports.
Customer TurboTenant said it is already using the MCP approach in production workflows. “The SEON MCP integration has fundamentally changed how our risk analysts operate,” said Eric Taylor, Manager of Trust and Safety, TurboTenant. “Before, they had to manually pull data across multiple systems to piece together what happened. Now, we pull a user’s entire platform journey and all of SEON’s risk signal context directly into Claude, and AI connects the dots on complex fraud patterns without us doing that assembly. It’s opened up OSINT capabilities that wouldn’t have been possible before.”
To support adoption, SEON said it is shipping an AI Playbook for Risk and Compliance Teams alongside the releases, including “pre-built agentic skills” such as a fraud analyst daily briefing and a decline spot-check, compatible with the MCP server. “SEON opening its data layer to any AI we want to use is exactly the kind of architectural decision that fits where the market is going,” said Mostafa Hassanin, CISO, SMG Marketplace.
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Artificial intelligence
SEON Expands AI Capabilities Inside the Platform and Through Any External AI Tool
New MCP server, Network Detection, AI Chart Builder and AI Playbook give fraud and AML teams more ways to put AI to work
SEON, the AI Command Center for Fraud Prevention and AML Compliance, has built a platform where flexibility is an accent of its architecture. With SEON, customers can ingest any custom field or data type, build any rule or alert they need, and investigate in system driven workflows that represent the way their team operates. Most importantly, they can choose a rules-based policy, one driven by AI or a hybrid decisioning model that leverages both. SEON has the capabilities to meet teams how and where they actually operate.
Today, the company extends that same flexibility to the use of AI in the fight against fraud and financial crimes. A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server opens SEON’s data layer to whichever AI tool a team prefers. Two additional capabilities, Network Detection and AI Chart Builder, connect SEON’s existing capabilities in automation and business intelligence. To support adoption, an AI Playbook for Risk and Compliance Teams ships alongside them, giving customers a practical starting point for putting their MCP connection to work quickly.
Access to AI Has Outpaced Access to Risk Data
For most fraud and AML teams, AI is accessible but still hard to put to real work. Analysts have ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini at their fingertips. What they don’t have is a clean way to get their investigation data into those environments. Instead, they manually paste in transaction records, customer profiles and risk signals, losing context at every step and creating security risks for their organization. According to the 2026 Fraud and AML Leaders Report, 98% of fraud and AML leaders are already using AI in their workflows. The tools are there. The data pipeline is not.
An Open Foundation for Any AI Tool
SEON’s MCP server addresses that gap. Analysts can link Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot or any custom agent to SEON’s 900+ real-time risk signals spanning identity, device, behavioral, AML and IP data. All signals are accessible in a single call, so the AI spends its token budget and processing time on analysis rather than pulling data from multiple systems. Because the integration uses the open MCP standard, customers are free to use whatever works best today and switch to a stronger option tomorrow without rebuilding anything.
“The software world is moving toward a headless model, where teams don’t need to live inside a vendor’s dashboard to get full control over data and functionality,” said Tamas Kadar, CEO and Co-Founder, SEON. “Our job is to be the best command center for fraud, risk and compliance intelligence. We’re giving analysts the freedom to use whichever AI tools work best for them.”
“The SEON MCP integration has fundamentally changed how our risk analysts operate,” said Eric Taylor, Manager of Trust and Safety, TurboTenant. “Before, they had to manually pull data across multiple systems to piece together what happened. Now, we pull a user’s entire platform journey and all of SEON’s risk signal context directly into Claude, and AI connects the dots on complex fraud patterns without us doing that assembly. It’s opened up OSINT capabilities that wouldn’t have been possible before.”
Meeting Teams Where They Are
Some customers are ready to run their entire risk operation through an agentic platform. Others want AI working inside the SEON interface they already use. Most are somewhere in between. SEON supports all team preferences, whether they work inside the platform or outside it.
Network Detection builds on the network analysis SEON released last year, including Similarity ranking and the Network graph. It continuously scans the last two months of transactions across devices, emails, phone numbers and IP addresses to identify clusters that are only suspicious when viewed together. Coordinated fraud rings and money laundering networks now surface before an analyst opens an alert.
AI Chart Builder turns natural-language questions about your business into instant data visualizations. Analysts no longer wait on business intelligence teams for dashboard projects or are forced to rebuild reports from spreadsheet exports. They ask a question and the chart appears, built on live SEON data.
These join an AI portfolio SEON has shipped over the past year. Existing capabilities include AI-assisted rule creation, scoring insights, AML screening analysis, automated case summaries and regulatory report generation.
“The next generation of fraud and KYC challenges won’t look like the last one. AI agents will interact with our marketplaces as customers, and AI agents will be used to impersonate and exploit our customers as well. Our team needs an intelligence foundation that’s ready for both,” said Mostafa Hassanin, CISO, SMG Marketplace. “SEON opening its data layer to any AI we want to use is exactly the kind of architectural decision that fits where the market is going.”
A Fast-Start Kit for Teams Ready to Build
To help teams get started quickly, SEON is also releasing an AI Playbook for Risk and Compliance Teams. The playbook is a practical guide to connecting AI tools to SEON and building investigation workflows that match how analyst teams actually operate. It ships with pre-built agentic skills, including a fraud analyst daily briefing and a decline spot-check, both compatible with SEON’s MCP server and ready to deploy on day one.
The MCP server, Network Detection, AI Chart Builder and AI Playbook are available now to SEON customers.
The post SEON Expands AI Capabilities Inside the Platform and Through Any External AI Tool appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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