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GambleAware publishes new research

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• Exposure to gambling advertising, including on social media, can have an impact on attitudes towards the prevalence and acceptability of gambling, and in turn the likelihood that a child, young person or vulnerable adult will gamble in the future.

• The attitudes and gambling behaviours of peers and parents are critical in shaping gambling activity; they were significantly associated with both a young person’s exposure to brands and advertising, as well as with current gambling amongst those aged 11-24.

• In the report, researchers identified a number of recommendations, including the need for clearer safer gambling messages and campaigns; a requirement to improve education initiatives; a reduction in the appeal of gambling adverts to children and improved use of advertising technology, to minimise the exposure of such content to children, young people and vulnerable adults.

GambleAware has published the findings of the research commissioned to examine the impact of gambling advertising and marketing on children, young people and vulnerable adults.

The programme of research was conducted by two separate consortia, led by Ipsos MORI and the Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling. The synthesis of findings across the research was written by Ipsos MORI. The research shows that regular exposure to gambling promotions can change perceptions and associations of gambling over time for children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Among those who don’t currently gamble, exposure to gambling promotions was one of the most significant associations with whether someone was likely to gamble in the future. However, the attitudes of peers and carers was also critical when looking at whether an 11-24-year-old was a current gambler. The report reveals that if a child or young person has a close friend or carer who gambles, that individual is six times more likely to be a current gambler, than those without such a connection.

However, when specifically looking at exposure, researchers observed that almost all (96%) of the 11-24-year-old participants had been exposed to gambling marketing messages in the last month. Furthermore, participants in the qualitative research were shown snippets of gambling logos and when asked to identify them, correctly identified an average of eight out of ten.

By using an age classifier on Twitter, researchers also found clear evidence of children following and engaging with gambling related accounts. It was estimated that 41,000 UK followers of gambling-related accounts on the social media platform were likely to be under 16 and 6% of followers of ‘traditional’ gambling accounts were found to be children, a figure that increased to 17% when looking specifically at eSport gambling accounts.

Researchers concluded that the rise of new forms of gambling marketing through social media have increased the ways in which children, young people and vulnerable adults can engage with gambling brands, which in turn helps to establish brand loyalty. One of the recommendations from the report was that more could be done to work closely with social media platforms to improve age screening tools, before individuals are allowed to follow accounts that promote gambling.

However, when examining where children and young people came across gambling in the past month, TV remained the most common source of exposure:

• More than four out of five (85%) aged 11-24 reported seeing gambling advertising on TV (including national lottery adverts).

• 70% of children and young people noticed gambling adverts in betting shops on the high street, window displays as well as promotions on shop floors and near tills. However, those aged between 18 to 24 had higher exposure to gambling during sports events, on smartphone apps, through merchandise, gambling websites, emails and from word of mouth.

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• Two-thirds (66%) reported seeing gambling promotions on their social media channels, that were most likely to be in the form of video adverts while watching clips on YouTube or ads appearing while scrolling through Facebook feeds.

Researchers identified a risk that some advertising may play on the susceptibilities of children, young people and vulnerable adults, particularly when their understanding of the risk of gambling may be poor. The appeal of a gambling promotions, for example ones that imply limited risk, or inflated suggestions of winning, may not always result in an immediate bet. Instead, these adverts were successful in eliciting a range of emotional and cognitive responses from children, young people and vulnerable adults. This therefore was likely to shape their attitudes and the likelihood as to whether or not they would consider gambling in the future.

Responding to the research findings, Marc Etches, CEO of GambleAware, has said: “Gambling is an adult activity, but this new research conclusively shows that it has become part of everyday life for children and young people. This constant exposure to it through advertising and marketing, or via close friends and family, has the potential for serious long-term implications for children and young people. The exposure to gambling on social media suggests there is a clear need for social media companies to improve age screening tools and for gambling companies to make full use of existing ones, to help protect children from potential harmful exposure to gambling. We must always be mindful that gambling is a public health issue and it can have serious implications for people’s mental health. This report is an apt reminder for us to ensure that the next generation is made aware of the risks of gambling as well as the help and support that is available via the National Gambling Treatment Service.”

Researchers at Ipsos MORI identified a number of recommendations to help protect children, young people and vulnerable adults from experiencing gambling harms. These included:

• The need for clearer safer gambling messages and campaigns, to increase the awareness of risk of gambling to children and young people.

• Improving safer gambling education initiatives, that extend to parents, as well as children and young people.

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• Reducing the appeal of gambling advertising, by addressing specific features that may appeal to children, for example the use of celebrities or humour, while also avoiding references to confusing financial incentives.

• Improved use of advertising technology and age screening tools, to minimise the exposure of such content to children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Steve Ginnis, Research Director at Ipsos MORI, has said: “The research points to the ubiquitous nature of gambling advertising, beyond sports and beyond television; and further demonstrates that the impact of exposure goes beyond traditional selling techniques that elicit an immediate response. The evidence captured in this research suggests that there is value in taking further action to reduce exposure and appeal of gambling advertising, which in turn is likely to help mitigate against the plausible risk of gambling-related harms among children, young people and vulnerable adults. Our recommendations are intended to help stimulate collective discussion and action.”

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Wings of Heroes raises the stakes with campaigns, jets and deeper progression

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The second quarter of 2026 marked one of the most important development periods for Wings of Heroes to date. The game introduced a new campaign system, expanded PvE gameplay, added new battle formats and began a strategic shift in player progression and the in-game economy. The last update continues this direction by expanding the campaign system with time-limited jet campaigns, including the first F-16 campaign, alongside a new skill-based game mode – Time Trial, and further improvements to gameplay variety.

Wings of Heroes is entering a new stage of development. In recent months, the team behind the mobile air combat game introduced a broad set of features designed to increase gameplay depth, strengthen long-term engagement and test new growth opportunities for the title. These include campaigns, expanded PvE experiences, a plane rarity system, a major economy rebalance, larger battle formats and additional gameplay modes.

The update reflects more than a regular content expansion. It marks a strategic shift in the way Wings of Heroes builds progression, engagement and monetization. While the game remains rooted in dynamic World War II-inspired aerial combat, the new systems add more structure, context and variety to the player journey. They also create new ways to build limited-time events, communicate aircraft value and develop stronger LiveOps mechanics around specific goals, rewards and aircraft types.

“- Over the last three months, we have been reshaping Wings of Heroes from a title built mainly around individual battle sessions into a broader, more scalable gameplay ecosystem. Campaigns, plane rarities, economy rebalance and new modes are not separate additions – they are connected systems designed to strengthen progression, give players more reasons to return and open new monetization opportunities,” said Michał Szurma, Product Owner of Wings of Heroes. “- This is an important strategic step for the game. We are testing new engagement and monetization levers, while at the same time making the player journey clearer, deeper and more rewarding.”

One of the key features introduced in the second quarter of 2026 was the campaign system. Campaigns bring a new PvE layer to Wings of Heroes, built around sets of missions connected by historical context and scenario-based progression. Instead of focusing only on standard battles, players can now progress through defined mission sequences, complete specific objectives and experience more immersive combat scenarios.

Depending on the campaign and the country of origin of the aircraft in the player’s hangar, players can also be supported by scenario-specific assistants, who guide them through the mission and strengthen the feeling of being part of a larger historical scenario. This gives the game a more narrative-driven layer and allows the team to develop content that combines action, progression and atmosphere.

Campaigns also introduce a new structure for temporary events. Some campaigns can become permanent parts of player progression, unlocked as players advance through tiers, while others can be time-limited. This creates new opportunities for LiveOps, goal-based engagement and monetization, as players are encouraged to complete missions, secure rewards and progress within a specific timeframe.

The June 30 update expands this system further with a new time-limited jet campaign. For the first time, players can take part in a special campaign-style experience featuring modern jets, with the first campaign centered around the F-16. Unlike regular battles, where players use aircraft from their hangar, jet campaigns are built around one specific aircraft provided within the campaign. Other jets may appear as enemies, but the player uses one dedicated jet during the experience.

Jets are one of the most distinctive additions to Wings of Heroes so far. With campaigns focused around modern jet fighters, the game moves beyond its classic World War II-based aerial combat formula for the first time, adding modern aircraft, a new visual layer and a different type of combat experience. This also creates an opportunity to reach new groups of players. At this stage, jets are available only within campaigns, allowing the team to test the format in a controlled, time-limited environment.

Together with jets, Wings of Heroes is also introducing a new Time Trial mode, where precision flying and maneuvering skills are key. Players navigate a specially designed route with a series of gates, aiming to pass through them as accurately as possible within a set time limit. The run ends when the player reaches the end of the route, the timer runs out, or the aircraft crashes. This single-player mode focuses on control, precision and mastery of flight, offering a skill-based experience built around piloting ability rather than direct combat.

Another important addition is Team Deathmatch, a more classic team-based mode in which players can return to combat with the same aircraft after being shot down and compete to reach the target team score.

In recent months, the team also expanded its game mode capabilities with NvN formats, including larger battles such as 10v10 gameplay. This system allows Wings of Heroes to create variations of existing modes with different numbers of players per team. The feature gives the team more flexibility in shaping future events and battle formats.

Alongside new gameplay features, Wings of Heroes introduced a significant change to aircraft progression through the plane rarity system. Aircraft are now assigned one of four rarity levels: Common, Rare, Epic or Legendary. The aim is to make progression smoother, aircraft value clearer and rewards more meaningful for different groups of players.

The rarity system was accompanied by a broad economy rebalance and changes in blueprint distribution, unlock costs and upgrade pacing. Common aircraft are easier to unlock, while rarer planes become more clearly differentiated within each tier.

Wings of Heroes also introduced in-game commendations, a new battle element that highlights combat actions such as double or triple kills. Commendations can be earned multiple times during a single battle and are designed to make combat feel more dynamic, interactive and rewarding.

“- Wings of Heroes has a strong foundation, but the next stage of development is about understanding how far we can take it,” added Michał Szurma. “- The systems introduced in recent months give us more room to experiment with events, aircraft formats, progression and player motivation. This creates a stronger framework for learning what drives engagement, what supports monetization and where the game’s further growth potential may come from.”

Together, these initiatives point to a broader strategic direction for Wings of Heroes. The game is expanding beyond standard battle loops into more structured progression, richer PvE, time-limited campaign experiences and clearer monetization systems. The end of June update is designed to help the team test what drives engagement and where the title’s further growth potential may come from.

The post Wings of Heroes raises the stakes with campaigns, jets and deeper progression appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Kongebonus becomes first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at iGB Affiliate Awards 2026

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Kongebonus has become the first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at the iGB Affiliate Awards 2026, a landmark recognition that names the independent Norwegian guide as the world’s leading casino affiliate for 2026.

The award was presented on 2 July during iGB L!VE London, where the iGB Affiliate Awards celebrated the affiliates, programmes, networks, suppliers and individuals helping to drive the iGaming sector forward.

iGB Affiliate described first-time contestant Kongebonus as a “Norwegian local hero”, noting that the platform claimed the award in a close race and ended Gambling.com Group’s two-year reign in the highly competitive category. Independent judges praised Kongebonus’ “super smart” approach, highlighting its combination of innovation, engaged player community, and strong editorial presence across Google News and the media.

The recognition reflects Kongebonus’ focus on detailed operator testing, transparent casino reviews, community-led content and player protection. The platform tests casinos with its own money before reviewing them, publishes its full methodology and continues to invest in responsible gambling resources, including practical guidance and support signposting for players.

 

David Nilsen, Editor-in-Chief at Kongebonus, said: “Winning Best Casino Affiliate at the iGB Affiliate Awards is a huge moment for Kongebonus and for everyone who has helped build the platform. To be recognised in a category alongside some of the biggest and most respected names in the affiliate industry is something we are incredibly proud of.

“I’ve spent more than ten years on the inside of this industry, and I’ve seen how big the gap can be between what a casino promises and what the player is actually left with. Closing that gap is the whole reason we test the way we do.

“What this award tells us is that being the most trusted guide matters more than being the biggest one, and that’s the only thing we’ve ever set out to build.”

The post Kongebonus becomes first Norwegian affiliate to win Best Casino Affiliate at iGB Affiliate Awards 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Ariel Reem CEO at Games Valley

Games Valley adds BGaming titles to aggregation platform

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Games Valley has signed a content aggregation partnership with BGaming, adding the studio’s online casino portfolio to the Games Valley platform.

Under the agreement, operators connected to Games Valley will be able to access BGaming titles via a single integration. The content slated for distribution includes slots, crash games, casual games and other online casino titles.

Games Valley and BGaming marked the partnership during NEXT Summit Valletta, where both companies supported the BGaming Charity Gala in aid of DAR Bjorn.

Ariel Reem, CEO at Games Valley, said: “BGaming has built a strong reputation as one of the most creative and dynamic studios, with games that combine strong visual identity, engaging mechanics and genuine player appeal. At Games Valley, our role is to help operators access the content that delivers real value to their players and their business, quickly and efficiently through a single integration. We’re delighted to welcome BGaming to the Games Valley platform, and we’re especially pleased that this partnership has grown from a relationship rooted in shared values.”

Marina Ostrovtsova, CEO at BGaming, added: “Games Valley has established itself as a modern and ambitious aggregation partner, helping operators access high-quality casino content with speed, flexibility and reliability. This partnership allows us to bring BGaming’s portfolio to a wider network of operators through a platform that shares our focus on innovation, strong partnerships and long-term industry growth.”

The post Games Valley adds BGaming titles to aggregation platform appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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