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.

Industry News

Playtika Announces Organisational Changes and New Layoffs

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

playtika-announces-organisational-changes-and-new-layoffs

Playtika Holding Corp. has announced a major restructuring plan for Q1 2026. In the streamlining process, the company will dismiss 15% of its workforce during Q1 2026 and will recognise costs of $12-15 million for compensating employees and accompanying costs. At the end of 2024, the company had about 3500 employees. This means the company will shed 500 employees. Estimates are that about 1000 of the company’s employees are in Israel.

Playtika founder and CEO Robert Antokol wrote in a letter to employees, “The decision was not made lightly, and it reflects a fundamental change in the way we operate, so that we can invest in the future and continue to lead in the highly competitive environment of the mobile gaming market.”

Antokol added that for years, Playtika has been operating from a broad growth perspective, while implementing similar resource allocation models across its entire game portfolio. “The economic reality of the industry has changed, and the ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is no longer appropriate for the new reality,” Antokol wrote.

According to him, in order to continue leading, the cost structure must be adjusted. “If we do not make the necessary adjustments to the cost structure today, we will compromise our ability to invest in the growth and future of the company. We cannot continue to allocate resources to mature games at the same historical levels while simultaneously trying to build a new future. By precisely adjusting our investment scope across our entire game portfolio, we can free up the resources needed to invest in games with high growth potential,” he explained.

Antokol continued: “This time is different,” because the change opens a new chapter for the company that will create new growth opportunities for it. “This is not a retreat, but a proactive move to focus strength and power. Our aim remains unchanged: to be the leading independent mobile games company in the West,” Antokol wrote, adding that Playtika will do this, among other things, by developing a new game development channel and expanding direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, as well as using AI and automation. “This is our moment to shape the next decade of Playtika. I am confident that with your passion and focus, we will not only get through this period, but we will grow together and lead Playtika to be stronger than ever,” concluded Antokol.

The post Playtika Announces Organisational Changes and New Layoffs appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Balkans

CT Interactive Appoints Martin Dimitrov as its New Commercial Manager

Published

3 days ago

January 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

ct-interactive-appoints-martin-dimitrov-as-its-new-commercial-manager

CT Interactive has appointed Martin Dimitrov as its new Commercial Manager. Martin brings over eight years of experience in sales, client management and business development, with the past two years dedicated to the dynamic iGaming industry.

Throughout his career, Martin has managed a diverse portfolio of clients and partners, successfully developing and strengthening long-term commercial relationships. His active participation in key industry events has enabled him to build an extensive professional network and maintain a strong, up-to-date understanding of market trends and dynamics.

Martin’s strong leadership and strategic thinking allow him to identify new business opportunities, drive sustainable growth and support partners with tailored commercial solutions. His collaborative approach and results-driven mindset make him a trusted point of contact for clients and colleagues alike.

With his deep understanding of the iGaming landscape and proven commercial expertise, Martin Dimitrov is a valuable addition to the CT Interactive team.

The post CT Interactive Appoints Martin Dimitrov as its New Commercial Manager appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

blask

Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained

Published

4 days ago

January 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

greece-led-europe’s-igaming-growth-in-2025-—-now-the-drivers-are-fully-explained

In the second half of 2025, Greece emerged as Europe’s fastest-growing iGaming market. While several major jurisdictions slowed or declined, Greek market demand rose by more than 50% between June and December, standing out as one of the year’s clearest growth stories.

According to data from Blask, the surge was not the result of a single tournament or seasonal spike. Instead, it reflected a structural shift driven by a combination of sports momentum, regulatory reform and casino market dynamics — factors that can now be traced in detail through Blask’s newly released Market Explanation feature.

Continuous sports momentum without demand gaps

Greece’s growth was underpinned by a tightly stacked sports calendar that sustained engagement across multiple months. EuroBasket 2025 in late August, the kickoff of the Stoiximan Super League, UEFA Champions League matchdays under the new league-phase format, and the EuroLeague season featuring Greek clubs created a continuous rhythm of high-interest betting cycles throughout autumn.

Rather than short-lived peaks followed by sharp declines, demand remained elevated well beyond individual events. This is a pattern clearly visible on the Blask Index trend line.

Casino reform reshaped demand behavior

One of the most significant contributors came from the casino segment. Greece’s decision to raise RNG stake limits from €2 to €20 altered the mechanics of the market, allowing online casinos to absorb demand during sports off-peak periods.

As sports-led acquisition increasingly converted into casino play, operators reported double-digit iGaming growth. Market Explanation analysis shows that this effect persisted over time, confirming the shift as structural rather than seasonal.

Enforcement redirected demand to licensed operators

Regulatory action further reinforced the upward trend. In December, Greek authorities blocked approximately 11,000 illegal gambling domains. Instead of suppressing demand, the move redirected player interest toward licensed platforms, strengthening regulated market performance.

The impact was amplified by the adoption of IRIS instant payments, which reduced deposit friction and improved conversion from interest to activity.

From tracking trends to understanding causes

To surface these drivers, Blask has introduced Market Explanation — an AI-powered layer within the Blask Index that allows users to click on any country’s trend line and instantly see a sourced breakdown of the forces behind the movement. Sports calendars, regulatory changes, casino dynamics and macro factors are analyzed together, turning raw demand signals into actionable market context.

Greece’s 2025 performance illustrates how this approach changes market analysis. Rather than simply observing that demand is rising, operators, suppliers and investors can now see why it is happening — and which levers are shaping the trajectory of a market in real time.

The post Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.