Connect with us

Latest News

Check Before You Bet – Play Responsibly Ahead of March Madness

Published

on

check-before-you-bet-–-play-responsibly-ahead-of-march-madness

 

On Sunday, March 16, 2025, the 2025 March Madness tournament begins with Selection Sunday at 6 p.m. ET on CBS. March Madness is the coined name for the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament, a single-elimination tournament of 68 teams that compete in seven rounds for the national championship. The penultimate (second to last) round is known as the Final Four, where only 4 teams remain.

Check out the full schedule below:

  • Selection Sunday: 6 p.m. ET Sunday, March 16 on CBS
  • First Four: March 18-19
  • First round: March 20-21
  • Second round: March 22-23
  • Sweet 16: March 27-28
  • Elite Eight: March 29-30
  • Final Four: April 5 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas
  • NCAA championship game: April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas

With March Madness being one of the most anticipated, watched, and wagered-on events in all of sports, the Arizona Department of Gaming (“ADG”) is reminding Arizona residents and visitors to remember to play smart and bet responsibly, remaining within the bounds of the law.

“Every year, March Madness continues to rank among the top sporting events to wager on nationally, as excitement and anxiety builds as fans watch to see if their team will make it to the Final Four,” said Jackie Johnson, ADG Director. “The Department wants to use this opportunity as a chance to remind and encourage Arizona residents, as well as our springtime visitors, to make sure they are enjoying the games responsibly. Protect your bet and ensure your wagers are placed legally and thoughtfully this March.”

Sports Pools – Know What Rules to Follow

In the United States, it is common to see friends, families, and colleagues participate in sports pools for March Madness. These pools are legal as long as the state’s social gambling rules are followed. According to Arizona Law (A.R.S. § 13-3301(9)), social gambling requires:

  • That gambling cannot be conducted as business, which means that hosts cannot receive financial benefit, unless they are participating in the game;
  • Hosts pay out all pool money to the winner(s);
  • Only participants can win; and
  • Players compete on equal terms with each other.

A few things to be on the lookout for that indicate illegal gambling:

  • Paying a fee to participate, including “suggested” or “voluntary” donations.
  • A host who keeps a percentage of the pool for administering the game.
  • A required minimum purchase to participate (food or beverage, etc.).
  • Unequal odds.
  • Underage participants (under 21 years of age).

ADG takes complaints about illegal gambling seriously. To report suspected illegal gambling activity, visit our website at gaming.az.gov/about/contact-us, call (602) 255-3886, or email [email protected]. You can remain anonymous.

Responsible Betting – What to Keep in Mind

With sports betting legal in the state, it has become increasingly important to educate yourself on how you can bet responsibly. Listed below are some helpful tips as part of the American Gaming Association’s (AGA)

Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ campaign:

  • Set a Budget – It is crucial to keep in mind that everyone will have different budgets; never bet beyond your own means. Be cautious and make sure you set a limit – and stick to it – if you plan on wagering. More information on how to responsibly set a budget for wagering can be found on the AGA’s Have A Game Plan website: How Much Should I Wager?
  • Know the Odds – There are plenty of key terms everyone should know when making a sports bet. What’s a parlay? Over/under? Moneyline? If you decide to wager, make sure you are briefed on The Basics of Sports Betting.
  • Keep it Social – Whenever gambling, be mindful that all forms of gambling are for the purpose of entertainment. This is not a way to make money. By gaming with friends, family, and colleagues, you can keep playing responsibly and have fun.
  • Keep Your Cool – No one’s perfect, and in sports, winning and losing are all part of the game. Whether you’re wagering from the sidelines or watching from home, remember to keep your cool. Good sportsmanship isn’t just for the players on the field; it’s for everyone.
  • Play Legally – Legal operators provide important player protections that are not found in the illegal market. Whether you are placing a wager on your phone or at a physical sportsbook, make sure you are using a legal operator in the state. Visit the ADG website to view a full list of the state’s approved operators and retail locations: Approved Operators.

You can view more information on how to bet responsibly by visiting haveagameplan.org. In recognition of Problem Gambling Awareness Month (“PGAM”), the Department wants to remind Arizonans that if you or someone you know has a gambling problem, the Division of Problem Gambling (“DPG”) urges you to get help now by calling 1-800-NEXT STEP (1.800.639.8783), DPG’s confidential helpline, texting “NEXTSTEP” to 53342, or utilizing a chat feature on the DPG website. DPG’s helpline provides confidentiality and connects callers with a master’s level counselor who can connect them with available resources, including statewide treatment providers who specialize in problem gambling.

The helpline is available 24/7 to everyone facing a problem with gambling – individuals and affected family members, friends, or co-workers. Learn more and access resources at problemgambling.az.gov. Additionally, the ADG published a press release on March 3 recognizing PGAM.

Please view the press release by visiting our website’s Media Room, as well as DPG’s PGAM toolkit for more information.

 

The post Check Before You Bet – Play Responsibly Ahead of March Madness appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

FairPlay Sports Media

FairPlay Sports Media Launches ‘Customer Insights’, Delivering Objective Truth on Bettor Sentiment

Published

on

fairplay-sports-media-launches-‘customer-insights’,-delivering-objective-truth-on-bettor-sentiment

FairPlay Sports Media (FPSM), a leading sports media and BetTech network, has unveiled FairPlay Customer Insights, a continuously updated commercial decision-making engine built exclusively for UK betting operators.

Powered by a verified panel of over 1,000 active UK bettors, the self-serve dashboard gives operators instant, objective visibility into brand perception, product feature popularity, and competitive performance.

“A major challenge operators face today is understanding exactly why bettors switch apps,” said Jerome Underhill, Chief Operating Officer at FairPlay Sports Media. “Traditional market research is often too slow, expensive, and disconnected from day-to-day commercial decisions. FairPlay Customer Insights was built as a real-time decision-making engine, providing product teams with clarity on how core features—like their Bet Builder—compare to the competition, while helping media teams pinpoint the triggers that convert transient bonus users into loyal, long-term players.”

The platform updates quarterly to track trends over time and includes ‘flash research’ capabilities, enabling operators to submit custom queries to the panel ahead of major events such as the upcoming World Cup. This feature helps operators de-risk campaign planning with actionable insights.

FairPlay is currently onboarding a select group of operators for a 30-day Phase 1 Proof of Concept, offering company-wide access to validate the platform’s intelligence against operational challenges.

The post FairPlay Sports Media Launches ‘Customer Insights’, Delivering Objective Truth on Bettor Sentiment appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Gamzix

iGP Integrates Gamzix into iGaming Aggregator

Published

on

igp-integrates-gamzix-into-igaming-aggregator

iGP, the full-service B2B iGaming solutions provider, has integrated Gamzix into its casino aggregator, iGaming Aggregator, further strengthening the content available to operators through the platform.

Gamzix is a Maltese game provider with over five years of iGaming experience and an MGA licence. Known for its mobile-first, engagement-driven titles, the studio develops games designed to perform across diverse markets and player segments.

Through the integration, Gamzix titles are now available to operators via iGaming Aggregator, which offers more than 12,000 games from leading providers through a single API. Designed to move beyond traditional aggregation models, the solution enables operators to launch quickly while maintaining control through multi-brand management, embedded promotional tools, a built-in reporting suite and real-time data visibility.

Jovana Popovic Canaki, CEO at iGP, said: “Operators face constant pressure to scale faster while maintaining control across brands, content, and player engagement. iGaming Aggregator addresses this by combining high speed distribution with built in tools and real time visibility. Integrating Gamzix further strengthens the range of titles available to our partners.”

James Davies, Head of Commercial at Gamzix, added: “iGP’s focus on speed, control, and scalability aligns perfectly with how we approach distribution and long-term performance. We’re excited to bring our mobile-first, engagement-driven titles to more partners through this collaboration.”

The post iGP Integrates Gamzix into iGaming Aggregator appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Australia

NSW: More Than 650 Gaming Machine Exemptions Revoked to Address Gambling Harm

Published

on

nsw:-more-than-650-gaming-machine-exemptions-revoked-to-address-gambling-harm

The Minns Labor Government continues to reduce gambling harm by delivering on its commitment to remove outdated exemptions that enabled more than 650 pubs and clubs to operate gaming machines during standard shutdown hours.

Following an announcement in December by the Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris that exemptions would cease from 31 March 2026, more than 650 venues will be required from 1 April to shut down all gaming machines between 4am to 10am each day, in line with NSW standard shutdown hours.

The six-hour shutdown is a harm minimisation measure intended to provide players with an important break in play.

Of the 672 venues with a varied shutdown period, usually for three hours instead of six, many have been in place for more than 20 years. These were given for reasons including being in high traffic ‘tourist’ locations, a history of earlier opening hours or financial hardship.

Venues that believed they had a strong case to keep their exemptions under the legislation and the revised Ministerial Guidelines, had the opportunity to put their case to Liquor & Gaming NSW.

As of 24 March 2026, 649 have been revoked by Liquor & Gaming NSW under delegation from the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority and 10 by the Authority itself. Thirteen venues remain under assessment. All venues will be considered and an outcome communicated by 31 March 2026.

Sixty-two venues applied to keep their exemptions. Of the 49 applications assessed so far, all have been revoked.

Liquor & Gaming NSW will undertake a compliance campaign after 1 April when the new requirements come into effect, to ensure all venues are abiding by the changes.

A Review of Gaming Machine Shutdown Hours Framework conducted by Liquor & Gaming NSW in 2024 found that a minimum six-hour shutdown period, commencing no later than 4am, is effective at minimising gambling harm.

The move continues a suite of gaming reforms which the Minns Government has implemented since coming into office, including:

• Reducing the cash input limit from $5000 to $500 for all new gaming machines

• Reducing the state-wide cap on gaming machine entitlements, so that every year the number of gaming machines reduces based on forfeiture rates

• Banning political donations from clubs with electronic gaming machines

• Banning external gaming-related signage and internal gaming-related signage that can be seen from outside the venue

• Introducing Responsible Gambling Officers in venues with more than 20 gaming machine entitlements and mandating that extra Responsible Gambling Officers be on duty in venues after midnight

• Mandating that all venues with gaming machines must keep a Gaming Plan of Management and a Gambling Incident Register

• Banning gambling advertising on public transport and the ferries and terminals people catch it from

• Consulting with the community on a third-party exclusion scheme and use of mandatory facial recognition technology to support a statewide exclusion register for NSW hotels and clubs with gaming machines

Launching a NSW-first code of practice for the use of facial recognition in pubs and clubs that use the technology, following full consultation with a wide range of stakeholders including harm minimisation advocates, the NSW Privacy Commissioner and industry.

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said: “The Minns Labor Government takes gambling harm minimisation seriously and that’s why I called for a review of the gaming machine variations back in December that has removed outdated exemptions that enabled more than 650 pubs and clubs to operate gaming machines during standard shutdown hours.

“Following months of review, it was clear these variations enabling about 20 per cent of clubs and pubs with gaming machines to operate outside of the mandated hours, some of which were more than 20 years old, were no longer fit for purpose.

“To enable variations to be revoked, I updated the Ministerial Guidelines and set up a streamlined process for venues to make their case if they wished to keep their variation, and to allow for a transition period.

“These changes are expected to prevent and reduce gambling harm.

“The NSW Government will continue to deliver evidence-based reforms to ensure we are striking the balance of addressing gambling harm while supporting sustainable development of an industry that employs more than 150,000 people in NSW and injects billions into the economy.”

The post NSW: More Than 650 Gaming Machine Exemptions Revoked to Address Gambling Harm appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania