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UK’s BGC calls for Online Harms Bill to crackdown on black-market unregulated gambling operators endangering children

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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.”

Chicken X & Friends

Million Games unveils multiplayer crash game Chicken X & Friends at ICE

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Million Games is heading to ICE 2026 with its most ambitious release yet.  Chicken X & Friends is a real-time, unlimited multiplayer crash game and the official sequel to their award-nominated hit Chicken X.

Set across a chaotic multi-lane highway, Chicken X & Friends brings the beloved Jack Chicken back into action. This time, he is not crossing the road alone. Players jump into a shared, always-on playground where gameplay never pauses and no sessions need to fill. There is no waiting. Players can join at any moment and start their run instantly.

The game introduces a genre-first for crash gameplay. Unlimited, real-time multiplayer gameplay. Players see each other live on screen as they navigate traffic, build multipliers, and decide when to cash out before the crash hits.

“This is a big moment for us,” said Thomas Nimstad, CEO at Million Games. “Crash games are built on tension and timing. With Chicken X & Friends, we’ve made that tension social. You’re not just watching a multiplier climb. You’re watching other players make decisions in real time. We’re pushing the format further by making it social, visible, and strategically deeper.”

Player choice at the core

Gameplay takes place across multiple traffic lanes, each offering a different risk-and-reward profile. Slower lanes feature lighter traffic and steadier multiplier growth. Faster lanes increase volatility with denser traffic, but multipliers rise much quicker.

Players actively decide where to play. Stay in safer lanes. Push into danger lanes. Or move between them as traffic patterns change. Every jump is a choice, and every choice affects potential payout.

Safe zones offer a brief pause from traffic, but they are not an escape. Stay too long and the game will automatically cash you out, keeping the pace fast and the pressure on.

Movement is intuitive and fast, controlled via taps or directional buttons, allowing players to react instantly as traffic closes in.

Always social, always competitive

Up to eight players appear live on screen in each public playground. Jack Chicken represents you, while other players appear as pigeons, creating instant visual awareness of who is still in the race. The current top performer is crowned “the king”, highlighted with a unique skin and a visible live multiplier.

Leaderboards track the best runs over the past hour and the past 24 hours, allowing players to compare performance, chase rankings, and return repeatedly to improve their position.

Players can choose how they want to play. Join a public playground by default and compete with others. Create a private room and invite friends. Or play solo without other players visible. The experience adapts to different play styles while keeping the same high-pressure core.

Play it first at ICE

Chicken X & Friends will be showcased at ICE 2026 ahead of its official launch on 28 January. Visitors can experience the game live at the Million Games stand 2C72, where a daily tournament will run throughout the show, giving attendees a hands-on look at real player behaviour, competition, and pacing.

The original Chicken X was shortlisted for Crash Game of the Year and quickly became one of Million Games’ most played titles. With Chicken X & Friends, the studio expands the format with unlimited gameplay, deeper strategy, and visible multiplayer tension.

Fast to enter. Hard to master. Impossible to ignore.

Operators and partners interested in early access or distribution opportunities are encouraged to visit the Million Games team at ICE 2026.

The post Million Games unveils multiplayer crash game Chicken X & Friends at ICE appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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QTech Games shepherds more creative content through Wild Sheep Games

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QTech Games, the leading game aggregator for emerging markets, has continued to build the strong momentum in its pipeline, thanks to its exclusive deal with the rising star supplier, Wild Sheep Games.

Integrating content from such a forward-thinking studio, ably abetted by its founders’ combined decades of experience and expertise in the slots sector, adds yet more creative muscle to QTech Games’ offering, which is taking the broadest spectrum of online games to emerging territories with established names sitting alongside the industry’s most exciting up-and-coming providers – of which Wild Sheep Games is another timely example.

Wild Sheep Games is known for its high quality slots and engaging gameplay, which has manifested itself in a range of ten popular initial releases, with two more new titles scheduled to follow each week until the end of 2026. These titles will comprise a wider library of constantly upgraded content, all of which is now exclusively available via the QTech Games.

The announcement organically broadens Wild Sheep’s international footprint, unlocking untapped jurisdictions for global growth, where Wild Sheep is looking to make a big impression over the coming 12 months. Philip Doftvik, QTech Games’ CEO, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil this partnership with Wild Sheep, making the point that our diverse portfolio draws from a deep well of established stars and emerging forces in slots provision. Their unique focus on emerging markets perfectly matches our own ethos, while the power of their production line is relentless.

A Wild Sheep Games spokesperson added: “Wild Sheep Games is growing at a great pace, thanks to our “players-first” mentality to game development and only build high-quality games. This collaboration with QTech will only accelerate that growth. Moreover, every title benefits from Wild Sheep’s RG mantra of great returns, transparent mechanics, and certified integrity. We don’t copy — we craft. Every slot runs on fresh, in-house maths that’s built to keep our partners’ players coming back for more.

“We can’t wait to see how these games perform across a spread of new territories via QTech Games’ preeminent platform for emerging markets.”

To find out more, or book a demo, email: [email protected] or visit: https://wildsheepgames.com/

The post QTech Games shepherds more creative content through Wild Sheep Games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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2026 Tech Partnerships

eyeDP Partners with idvcheck to Provide Anti-Money Laundering Solutions

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eyeDP, the innovative provider of AI-powered document verification technology, has announced a strategic partnership with idvcheck, an international identity verification and customer acquisition specialist.

Per the partnership, eyeDP’s Anti-Money Laundering (AML) services will be integrated into the idvcheck platform, enhancing existing systems to help clients maintain their AML obligations across iGaming, fintech, financial services, and other regulated sectors.

Additionally, idvcheck will integrate eyeDP’s core document verification services including data extraction from unstructured documents; AI-powered data summarisation; content validation; and document tamper and fraud detection. to boost efficiency across its service offering.

This two-way partnership will see idvcheck’s manual review and forensic investigation workflows being fully integrated into eyeDP’s platform, providing built-in failsafe for cases that cannot be automatically verified or more sophisticated requests that require further intervention. This combination of AI-powered verification and human expertise will provide the highest quality document verification and AML protection in the market.

idvcheck currently verifies documents from around 200 countries worldwide, specialising in white-labelled customer acquisition services. By integrating eyeDP’s AML technology, idvcheck will be able to process a higher volume of straightforward cases, more efficiently, whilst enabling its team to focus their expertise on more complex tasks.

Jess Whitehouse, Director of Customer Operations, at eyeDP, said: “This partnership gets 2026 off to a strong start for eyeDP as we continue to grow and establish ourselves as one of the leading document processing companies on the market.

idvcheck has a strong, international presence that will allow our platform to showcase its ability on a larger scale. Together, we can continue to develop identity and document verification solutions that provide efficient, reliable safety checks for our partners.”

Andy Pinks, Chief Operating Officer at Idvcheck, said: “During extensive testing, the benefits of integrating eyeDP’s technology into our existing infrastructure became quickly apparent. Although (at least in its current form) AI cannot replace human experience, the symbiosis of human and artificial intelligence has created immediate operational improvements. This enables us to deliver a more cost-effective and time-efficient service, to all markets, without compromising on quality.

We are excited to be working in partnership with eyeDP to deliver new and innovative products that satisfy the ever-evolving needs of our clients.

The post eyeDP Partners with idvcheck to Provide Anti-Money Laundering Solutions appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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