Industry News
Third of Swedish players search for ‘unlicensed casinos’, research finds
Bonusfinder.com data finds ‘channelisation’ strategy failing and growing numbers of players looking for black market sites
– Warning to German regulators to reconsider recent restrictive proposals
Almost a third of Swedish players are searching online for ‘unlicensed casinos’, with growing numbers turning to black-market brands due to the market’s restrictive gaming regulations, according to data produced by customer-first affiliate brand Bonusfinder.com.
Research carried out by BonusFinder.com monitoring the Swedish market since it regulated in January 2019 has uncovered a spike in Swedish players searching for a basket of black-market keywords.
Up to 30% of players have searched for terms such as ‘unlicensed casino’ (casino utan licens). This reinforces the theory that aggressive restrictions on licensed operators drives players to search for, and convert to, unlicensed black-market brands.
According to recent official data from the Swedish regulator (SGA), 91% of gambling is carried out by licensed operators in a market worth more than €1.2 billion.
Data from H2 Gambling Capital estimates Sweden’s ‘channelisation’ strategy towards licensed sites to be 85%, however Bonusfinder.com research shows the proportion of Swedish players using legal casinos to be closer to 70% with almost a third being diverted to unlicensed brands.
The findings are a stark warning to other newly regulating markets including Germany that is considering even tougher regulations on online casino products.
German lawmakers recently approved regulations to legalise online poker and casino from 1 July 2021 with punitive measures including slots subject to a €1 per spin stake limit, no auto play and no jackpots, while casino games must be offered separately to table games.
One large operator in Germany, on condition of anonymity said that future licensed brands there could see casino revenues fall by up to 70% with many players flocking to black market sites if regulators passed restrictive proposals.
“With the 16 Federal States in Germany approving the new gambling regulation everyone was anticipating a regulated and safe gambling environment for online and land-based players in Germany.
“The strict policies in the new Interstate Treaty on Gambling, however, will force players and operators into illegal channels and, if this goes ahead, the market with the biggest potential in Europe will have lost its opportunity. For many operators, revenues will drop by 60 to 70%, and on top of that, taxes and fees will make this licence unattractive.”
Fintan Costello, Managing Director, Bonusfinder.com, said: “Instead of misguidedly declaring phase one of Swedish legislation a “success”, regulators should be focusing on the rising proportion of players searching for ‘unlicensed’ brands.
“Equally concerning is that newly regulating markets such as Germany appear to be ignoring their mistakes. There is no regulated market on earth that is proposing such damaging rules, and we would urge them to take heed of Sweden’s rapid plunge toward encouraging unlicensed activity.
“This should serve as a real warning for German lawmakers who have plenty of time to alter their proposals to benefit and protect players and to ensure their newly regulated framework is commercially successful.
“At Bonusfinder.com we aim to give players more choice, presenting them with all the options before they commit to gambling on specific sites. Our aim is to help people “play with more” in a safe environment. Our core principles are built on a common sense approach to regulation that involve honest and open conversations between regulators, operators, affiliates and players. This is exactly the approach German regulators should be taking.”
Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc., has launched Super Heli Premium, an expanded version of its flagship crash game now live across core markets.
Super Heli Premium introduces four new gameplay mechanics designed to broaden player appeal and increase session engagement. The additions address operator demand for content that retains players without requiring promotional spend.
New Game Modes
Over/Under allows players to predict whether the crash multiplier will land above or below a set threshold, with maximum bet multipliers up to 24x. The mode rewards pattern recognition and adds a prediction layer to the base crash mechanic.
Range betting requires players to predict the multiplier range where the helicopter’s flight will end. Wider ranges offer lower payouts with reduced risk. Narrower ranges increase volatility and potential returns. The mechanic gives conservative and aggressive players different optimal strategies within the same game.
50% Cash-Out enables partial exits during active rounds. Players can secure half their stake at any multiplier while keeping the remaining half in play. The feature reduces all-or-nothing pressure and extends average session length.
Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out provide preset betting parameters for players who prefer hands-off gameplay across multiple rounds.
Regional Customisation
Operators can deploy market-specific visual themes (US, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Japan) without changing core mechanics or RTP. The customisation supports localised marketing campaigns and cultural preferences across different jurisdictions.
The game maintains a 97% RTP across all modes and themes, matching the original Super Heli’s player return rate while adding strategic depth through the new mechanics.
Market Context
The original Super Heli became one of the most requested titles in European iGaming within months of launch, with operators reporting session lengths above industry averages and retention metrics “materially better than category norms”.
Super Heli Premium positions the title as a platform rather than a single game variant. Operators can configure volatility, bet limits and visual themes to match specific player demographics without requiring separate game integrations.
Expanse Studios currently operates across 1300+ B2B partnerships globally, with over 300 new operators added in Q3 2025 alone. Super Heli Premium expands the studio’s portfolio to 66 proprietary titles, all 100% owned IP with no licensing dependencies.
The game is now live across Expanse’s operator network in core markets globally.
The post Expanse Studios Launches Super Heli Premium Across Core Markets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
New data from Flashscore, the world’s leading platform for live scores and sports content, reveals that almost 34,000,000 users tuned in yesterday for one of the most dramatic nights in UEFA Champions League history.
The intensity of the matches generated a massive wave of digital engagement, with 18 matches all taking place at the same time on the final day of the league format.
From the football-mad streets of Brazil to the frozen research stations of Antarctica, fans across 239 countries and territories checked their phones as Benfica’s goalkeeper scored a 98th-minute header and Real Madrid crashed into the playoffs.
Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “Yesterday wasn’t just a matchday; it was a global event and we were well prepared. When game-changing moments decide matches – from a goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid to last-minute winners across Europe – the world doesn’t just watch, it reacts. Flashscore sent out over 700 million push notifications to our users as drama unfolded across the continent.
“Our data shows unprecedented engagement from all over the world, and I am glad we could bring these extraordinary moments to fans from Brazil to Antarctica.”
TOP MATCHES ranked by number of users
The drama at the Estádio da Luz dominated the global conversation, with nearly 10 million users following the Benfica-Madrid clash alone.
1 Benfica vs. Real Madrid (9,7M users): The undisputed main event. Fans flocked to the match detail as Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a historic 98th-minute header to seal a 4-2 win, sending Real Madrid to the playoffs.
2 Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen (8,3M users): Massive interest as Barcelona thrashed the Danes 4-1 to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16.
3 Napoli vs. Chelsea (5,9M users): A rollercoaster in Naples. Chelsea fought back to win 3-2, eliminating Napoli despite a stunning “Maradona-esque” pirouette goal from Antonio Vergara.
TOP PLAYERS ranked by number of users
1. Jorginho (995K users): The Kairat Almaty midfielder trended globally after scoring a penalty against his former club, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium—a major talking point that drove nearly 1 million profile views.
2. Anatoliy Trubin (725K users): The unlikeliest hero. The Benfica goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid sent his profile traffic into the stratosphere.
3. Andreas Schjelderup (368K users): The 21-year-old Norwegian announced himself to the world with a brace against Real Madrid.
4. Kylian Mbappé (317K users): Even in defeat, the superstar commanded attention and ranked 4th. He scored twice for Madrid, but his team’s collapse was the bigger story.
TOP TEAMS ranking by users:
1. Real Madrid (1,6M users): The “Kings of Europe” falling into the playoff round after a chaotic 4-2 loss drove massive traffic.
2. Benfica (1,1M users): The victors of the night. Their miraculous comeback and “goalkeeper goal” made them the second most-clicked team worldwide.
3. Barcelona (930K users): Solid interest as they cruised to victory and the next round.
Flashscore Global Reach
While Brazil was the single most active nation, the traffic was evenly split across continents: In Europe the huge engagement was driven by fans in Italy, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
Africa’s continent showed massive interest, led by Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Football fever also swept across Asia, with significant user numbers from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
The obsession reached the most remote corners of the Earth. Flashscore recorded active users from Antarctica and Christmas Island, proving that even in the most isolated locations, fans refused to miss the drama.
The post Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Hunter Hunstock
Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere
Playersoft has announced Remote Enrollment, a progressive web app that allows casino teams to enroll guests from virtually any location using any mobile hardware. By leveraging a cloud-driven architecture, Remote Enrollment supports true off-site capability for prospecting and remote sign-up.
Why it matters
Traditional enrollment workflows often depend on specific hardware, on-property connectivity, or fixed stations that can create bottlenecks and limit enrollment opportunities outside the property. Remote Enrollment removes those constraints with a hardware-agnostic progressive web app and cloud-driven architecture—while retaining the consistent, intuitive user experience Playersoft is known for.
What Remote Enrollment delivers
• A progressive web app that runs on virtually any mobile hardware—no special devices required.
• Cloud-driven operations to support off-site prospecting and remote signups.
• A dedicated prospecting feature that enables customer communication and information capture without creating accounts or introducing incomplete data into the player system.
• Conversion tracking from prospect to enrolled player to support measurable outreach efforts.
• Configurable security and policy controls aligned to property requirements.
• Integration with Playersoft ONE for operational oversight and reporting.
“Remote Enrollment is about making it easy for our clients to capture new players wherever the opportunity arises—without sacrificing control, data quality, or usability,” said Hunter Hunstock, President at Playersoft.
Availability:
Remote Enrollment is available now as part of the Playersoft ONE ecosystem.
The post Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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