Press Releases
UK’s BGC calls for Online Harms Bill to crackdown on black-market unregulated gambling operators endangering children
Standards body BGC Calls for government to use Online Harms Bill to crackdown on unregulated gambling operators
Analysis conducted for the new standards body, the Betting and Gaming Council which represents UK regulated operators, reveals consumers are exposed to large numbers of unlicensed operators (38%) through search results for key gambling terms on major search engines.
- 4 in 10 search results for key gambling terms on major search engines are unlicensed black-market operators
- Danger that children are accessing illegal websites with no strict ID and age verification measures unlike U.K. licensed operators.
- 27 million visits from UK IP addresses to black—market gambling sites
- Estimated 200,000 people in U.K. have used illegal gambling sites in past 12 months
The BGC calls on the government to ensure that the Online Harms Bill, soon to be introduced in parliament, includes action to crack down on platforms who profit from unregulated, black market gambling operators.
There is a particular danger that children are accessing these websites where there are no strict ID and age verification measures deployed by U.K. licensed operators. New strict age verification procedures introduced in May 2019 for UK licensed operators require full verification of name, age and address before anyone can open an online account or place a bet.
The regulatory Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (formerly RGSB) warned in 2018 that internet service providers, app stores, search engine companies, and other relevant providers should be vigilant to the possibility of third party use of their products to provide illegal gambling to children and young people, and should be proactive in preventing it.
The sizeable proportion of gamblers using unlicensed operators reveals that the size of the active ‘black market’ in the UK today is worth around £1.4bn in stakes.
Web traffic statistics suggest that there are 27 million visits from UK IP addresses. Some unlicensed websites block customers from the U.K. but many of those can be circumvented using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks).
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the BGC, said: “Search platforms are promoting black-market gambling operators for profit, putting the British consumers, including children, at risk. None of the UK’s strict licensed safeguards are in place on these illegal sites.
“Regulated bookies and online operators have a strict zero tolerance approach to underage gambling, yet unlicensed operators are free to prey on vulnerable consumers.
“We welcome the Government’s Online Harms Bill. But it also provides the Government with a chance to clamp down on the black-market and help protect punters who want a flutter in a safe environment.”
content-supply
Million Games launches Skull King’s Treasure with partner studio Arcane Pixel
High-volatility 6×6 cluster slot goes live to operators and aggregators via Million Games on 30 June 2026.
Million Games has launched Skull King’s Treasure, a high-volatility cluster slot developed in partnership with Million Stars studio Arcane Pixel. The game becomes available to operators and aggregators through the Million Games distribution network on 30 June 2026.
The title is Arcane Pixel’s first release under the Million Games brand. It runs on a 6×6 grid with a cluster pay mechanic, paying on connections of five or more matching symbols and using cascading wins to enable multiple outcomes from a single spin.
Gameplay is built around Wild generation and multiplier progression via the Skull King mechanic. Winning Wild symbols are absorbed to increase the multiplier for subsequent cascades, linking continued wins with increased payout potential.
A Free Spins mode triggers on four or more Scatter symbols and awards up to 10 spins. During Free Spins, the multiplier does not reset between spins.
“With Skull King’s Treasure, Arcane Pixel has delivered a confident first release,” said Thomas Nimstad, CEO of Million Games. “The game combines familiar cluster mechanics with strong multiplier progression, creating a clear and engaging experience with real upside. It’s exactly the kind of partner-driven innovation the Million Stars programme is built to support.” Million Games said the title has a maximum win potential of 10,000x the bet.
The post Million Games launches Skull King’s Treasure with partner studio Arcane Pixel appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
executive-moves
Paysecure hires Entain’s Ganesh Iyer as Head of Product
The payment orchestration platform also appoints Lili Piper as Senior Partnership Manager and adds infrastructure and blockchain leads.
Paysecure has appointed Ganesh Iyer, formerly of Entain, as Head of Product, as the payment orchestration platform looks to scale internationally across iGaming and global ecommerce.
Paysecure said Iyer will lead the next stage of product design. At FTSE 100-listed Entain, he led Global Payments across 20+ regulated markets, managing a team of seven Product Managers and distributed engineering squads.
The company also named Lili Piper as Senior Partnership Manager. Piper previously worked as Business Development Director at Volt.io and Senior Business Development Manager at Paysafe, and will focus on growing revenue from Paysecure’s partner network and adding strategic partners to expand payment method choice for clients.
Paysecure added that it has made further hires over the last two months, including Head of Infrastructure and Head of Blockchain, as it expands its technical footprint.
Ganesh Iyer, Head of Product, Paysecure, commented, “After time at Entain, I am pleased to join the Paysecure team and having worked on the operator side of the orchestration space, I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to refining our products to clearly address the deep needs of our client personas, and surface clear product and functionality feature sets that differentiate us in our market as a challenger brand.”
Amit Hooja, Co-Founder and CEO at Paysecure, said: “We’re excited to welcome Ganesh and our new colleagues to the Paysecure team. Ganesh will spearhead our product development, and there’s a shared sense of purpose towards the work we are doing, which we believe is game changing in the payment orchestration space. We look forward to bringing new products to the market and continue to lead the way in the sector”.
The post Paysecure hires Entain’s Ganesh Iyer as Head of Product appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Affiliate Management
ReferOn shortlisted for Best Affiliate Management Platform at iGB Awards 2026
Winners will be announced on July 2 during iGB L!VE week in London.
Affiliate management platform ReferOn has been shortlisted for “Best Affiliate Management Platform” at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026. The winners will be announced live on July 2 during iGB L!VE week in London.
ReferOn said the nomination reflects its recent growth and product development, positioning the platform for high-volume affiliate programmes. The company said it processes “millions of data points” across partner networks and automates operational workflows to reduce admin overhead for operators and affiliates.
Alex Bukin, CEO at ReferOn, commented on the shortlisting: “Being shortlisted for an iGB Affiliate Award is a significant milestone for our team. As affiliate programmes scale, complexity often becomes the biggest obstacle to growth. Our goal is to remove that complexity by giving operators clearer insights, stronger automation, and full control over their affiliate operations. This nomination reflects the direction in which we’re continuing to invest in.”
The company also pointed to a recent platform update, Refie, described as a new user experience layer aimed at simplifying navigation of complex workflows. ReferOn said Refie provides clearer visual guidance across onboarding screens and system state pages, with the goal of improving visibility across operational processes.
ReferOn said it will attend iGB L!VE London to meet partners, operators, and affiliates.
The post ReferOn shortlisted for Best Affiliate Management Platform at iGB Awards 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Bonusetu.com7 days agoFinland Sets Casino Gambling Risk Limits at 2% of Income, 4 Days, 2 Game Types
-
Compliance Updates6 days agoDutch Gambling Trade Association Sues Meta Over Illegal Gambling Ads
-
30-0 Kongeserien7 days agoKongebonus launches 30-0 Kongeserien Eliteserien fantasy draft game
-
BetWarrior6 days agoKambi Group Extends its Partnership with BetWarrior
-
Latest News7 days agoPlay’n GO Releases its Latest Slot Game “Shark Feast”
-
Amusnet6 days agoAmusnet Strengthens its Position Among Bulgaria’s Leading Employers in ICAP CRIF Ranking
-
Alex Baliukonis Game Producer at BGaming7 days agoBGaming releases Frenzy Clusters slot with expanding grid feature
-
Australia6 days agoFeedback Sought on How Public Lotteries are Run in NSW



