Industry News

As Online Gambling Legalization Expands, So Do Scams and Regulatory Issues

Published

6 years ago

January 30, 2020

iovation research finds large rise in bonus abuse, credit card fraud and self-exclusion reports

iovation, a TransUnion company, today released its 2020 iGaming Report. Now in its fourth year, the report analyzes more than four billion global online gambling transactions iovation screened for fraud indicators over the past 15 years.

Among the findings, bonus abuse was the number one reported fraud by iovation’s iGaming customers for the third year in a row, rising 72% from 2018 to 2019 (pg. 10). Gambling bonuses often include giving a new player house money to gamble or existing customers incentives to play more. Bonus abusers then use multiple accounts with different email addresses in order to claim the same bonus sometimes hundreds of times, which is often against gambling operators’ terms.

“Deposit bonuses can be a valuable tool for attracting and retaining players,” said Greg Pierson, TransUnion’s senior vice president of business planning and development. “Unfortunately, a few bad apples can abuse otherwise effective programs to the point of eliminating all their value.”

Another key trend in the report was the rise in self-exclusion (pg. 12). iovation received over 363,000 reports of player self-exclusion in 2019, a 63% increase over 2018. Self-exclusion is when a player admits they have a gambling problem and tells an operator not to allow them to gamble. The operator is now legally obligated to ensure the player does not resume gambling activities. In many instances a self-excluded gambler tries to set up a new account, many times with the information of another family member, when they have a change of heart. Or fraudsters set up a new account using a stolen credit card, deposit funds using that card and then self-exclude before the chargeback – a forced transaction reversal initiated by the cardholder’s bank.

“When looking at devices and accounts associated with self-exclusion reports in 2019, we saw eight times (three million) the number of devices and three times (1.2 million) the number of accounts in comparison to reports of self-exclusion. This paints a clear picture that those who self-exclude are not always walking away,” said Angie White, iovation product marketing manager. “Having multiple devices and accounts linked to self-exclusion reports could point to a self-excluded player trying to use another device to set up a new account or something more problematic like a fraud ring.”

Other key findings in the report include:

Credit Card Fraud Continues Climb: iovation iGaming customers reported a 37% growth in credit card fraud from 2018 to 2019. While operators look to stop credit card fraud, consumers expect reduced transaction reviews and unnecessary step-up authentication with their credit card transactions. (pg. 11)
Significant Majority of Transactions go Mobile: 79% of all iGaming transactions came from mobile phones and tablets in 2019, an increase of 13% over 2018. It’s clear consumers expect a mobile-first experience. (pg. 6)

“Providing a secure and friction-right mobile experience to onboard new players has never been more important for competing effectively in the iGaming market with new countries and states seemingly legalizing online gambling every week,” said Pierson.

Download iovation’s 2020 iGaming Report. To discuss it in person Feb. 4-6, visit iovation at the ICE London gaming technology event, stand N9-500. For more details about the findings, register for the Feb. 19 2020 iGaming Report webinar.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU):

TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.®

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

About iovation:

iovation, a TransUnion Company, was founded with a simple guiding mission: to make the Internet a safer place for people to conduct business. Since 2004, the company has been delivering against that goal, helping brands protect and engage their customers, and keeping them secure in the complex digital world. Armed with the world’s largest and most precise database of reputation insights and cryptographically secure multifactor authentication methods, iovation safeguards tens of millions of digital transactions each day.

game studios

Evoplay rolls out Season of Legends campaign with €512,000 spring prize pool

Published

6 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

evoplay-rolls-out-season-of-legends-campaign-with-e512,000-spring-prize-pool

Evoplay has launched Season of Legends, a year-long network campaign built around four seasonal phases, starting with a spring edition carrying a €512,000 prize pool. The spring phase launched in March and runs across March, April and May.

The studio said the new format follows its previous Big Adventures network campaign and is designed to drive sustained engagement through a more structured seasonal approach. Each season runs for three months with new mechanics and prize pools.

A new mechanic, Infinity Prize Drops, will run daily throughout each month and is not tied to tournament windows. The spring edition also includes a Tournament and Wheel of Fortune, each operating in four monthly phases: 1st- 5th, 9th- 13th, 17th- 21st, and 25th- 29th.

Evoplay said the €512,000 spring prize pool will be distributed across the three-month period via a consolidated leaderboard spanning participating operators. Players earn points through qualifying spins on selected Evoplay titles including Hot Triple Sevens, Piggy Bank: 3 Pots Bonanza, and the Penalty Shoot-out series.

Diana Larina, Head of Marketing at Evoplay, said: “Season of Legends marks the next evolution of our network campaigns. With Big Adventures, we saw just how effective long-term engagement can be, and this new format takes that even further.

“By introducing seasonal structure and mechanics like Infinity Drops, we’re giving operators the tools to maintain consistent player activity, rather than relying on short-term spikes. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to build momentum throughout the year.”

The post Evoplay rolls out Season of Legends campaign with €512,000 spring prize pool appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

executive-moves

Swintt appoints Etienne Azzopardi as Managing Director

Published

7 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

swintt-appoints-etienne-azzopardi-as-managing-director

Swintt has appointed Etienne Azzopardi as Managing Director, confirming its former COO in the permanent role after a three-month interim period that began in January. The move follows the departure of outgoing CEO David Mann, as the company continues a wider strategic restructure.

Swintt said Azzopardi will lead product strategy, future market expansion and team development. During his interim term, the company said it released 12 titles, including three games under its Elysium Studios label.

The supplier also pointed to two partnership deals signed during the same period: NetBet adding Swintt content for Greece, and SkillOnNet taking Select, Premium and Elysium Studios games across its .com, UK and MX brands.

Looking ahead, Swintt said it plans to maintain monthly content output and pursue further growth in regulated jurisdictions. The company added that Switzerland is scheduled to be its next major market target in 2026.

Etienne Azzopardi, Managing Director at Swintt, said: “I’m delighted to have been appointed Managing Director at Swintt. Since joining the company in 2021, I’ve had a hand in everything from operational management and roadmap optimisation to market licensing and game certification, and the experience I’ve picked up in those four and a half years will prove crucial in my new role.

Having spent three months acting as Interim Managing Director, I feel very privileged to be taking the role on a permanent basis and believe this will be the catalyst for Swintt to continue its outstanding recent growth in regulated markets worldwide. With a packed product roadmap already planned for 2026, it’s going to be an amazing journey and I’m excited to continue growing the Swintt brand.”

The post Swintt appoints Etienne Azzopardi as Managing Director appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Free spins

3 Oaks Gaming adds Flexible Free Spins to its promo tools

Published

8 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

3-oaks-gaming-adds-flexible-free-spins-to-its-promo-tools

3 Oaks Gaming has added a new bonus mechanic, Flexible Free Spins, to its promotional tools offering, the company said.

The feature allocates free spins based on a total value rather than a fixed number of spins at a set stake. Players can then select how to use the award from up to 20 options, choosing between different combinations of bet size and spin count while staying within the same budget.

3 Oaks Gaming said each option is mathematically pre-calculated to remain within the defined value. When the award is issued, players see a modal pop-up with the available choices, with the default selection set to the median option.

Anna Nozdran, Acting Product Owner at 3 Oaks Gaming, said: “Flexible Free Spins deliver a fresh take on the traditional bonus setup within an online slot, providing players with greater control over their gameplay experience that suits their preferences.

“Every option is pre-calculated within the same budget, ensuring consistency for operators while offering a more dynamic experience for players. We firmly believe this new addition will complement the existing 3 Oaks Gaming portfolio and deliver greater value for our partners.”

The post 3 Oaks Gaming adds Flexible Free Spins to its promo tools appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.