Industry News
BetBlocker Welcomes RET Donation from Greentube
Responsible Gambling charity BetBlocker is thrilled to announce a recent donation earlier this year from Greentube, a donation that will help fund improvements to the charity’s iOS mobile app. BetBlocker relies on charitable contributions from industry players, government and corporate interests, and individuals wishing to help them in the fight against problem gambling.
Greentube, a gambling content provider and subsidiary of Novomatic, made the donation as part of its annual research, education and treatment (RET) programme. In taking this step Greentube have taken the initiative and an industry leading position in helping BetBlocker to assist their users in engaging with gambling in a responsible manner.
The Problem of Problem Gambling
The current lock down situation that is impacting large areas of the world and expected to continue for months to come seems likely to result in increased levels of problematic behaviour as large volumes of people are isolated within their homes, without their usual modes of entertainment. Excluding the sports betting markets – which have largely disappeared due to the cancellation of all major sports events – these factors are likely to result in increased uptake and engagement with online gambling. Marrying this with economic stress that a very large number of households will find themselves under and you sadly have very fertile ground for gambling addiction to grow and the potential damage it can cause during these challenging times could be significant.
Recent research (conducted before lock downs began) has shown a startling lack of knowledge about the tools available to help players engage with online gambling in an responsible fashion. Here are some compelling stats explaining why BetBlocker’s work is so important:
46% of people surveyed had gambled within the last 4 weeks
96% of all online gambling occurs in the home (due to lock downs a far large number of people are now spending far more time in their homes)
Only 6% of those surveyed had ever self-excluded from a gambling operator
53% of those surveyed did not know what a self-exclusion was/entailed.
With such a high proportion of those engaging with online gambling unfamiliar with the tools available to help them engage with gambling in a healthy manner alongside the likely increased engagement that will result from lock downs, it is more important than ever that the entire industry works together to promote responsible gambling and protect vulnerable players.
Further supporting the supposition that the lock downs could result in increased problematic gambling behaviour, since the beginning of March, BetBlocker has seen more than a 40% increase in traffic visiting our site. Alongside this we have seen at least a fivefold increase in user contacts looking for assistance to remove the app so they can return to gambling. This clearly indicates that there is increased interest in a tool to help restrict online gambling.
Q&A – How the Greentube Donation Will Help
The best way to understand how the Greentube donation will help further BetBlocker’s mission is to let them explain the opportunities they see. To that end, BetBlocker officials participated in a brief Q&A session to help supporters better understand what they are doing:
Q: Will the entire donation amount go to improving your iOS app?
Every penny that is donated to BetBlocker is spent on improving or maintaining the app. The Greentube donation is being invested in making the iOS app more challenging to bypass.
Every operating system has its own policies for developers that create different challenges to producing an effective and robust restriction. The simple facts are no operating system wants to allow any developer the facility to lock their app in place on the user’s device. Malicious developers could exploit this functionality to develop virus or malware that once on a device could not be removed. But the very purpose of BetBlocker is to place a restriction between users and reengaging with gambling. One that cannot be removed when the user is vulnerable to relapsing. This makes our job in developing an effective service a challenging one.
The iOS platform is particularly restrictive in the actions they allow their developers to take and we are constantly working to find new ways to work within the allowed policies while still providing an effective block to users. We’re far from perfect yet, but we are constantly working to improve the strength of the restriction.
We would love for the development teams at the various operating systems to step forward and work with us to ensure that BetBlocker provides the service that gambling addicts need – they could do a huge amount of good with very little effort – but to date while we have made efforts to talk to a number of platforms our enthusiasm has not been reciprocated.
Q: What kinds of improvements will be made to the app?
We cannot say too much on this front without educating our users as to potential weaknesses with the app. So let’s just say that the upgrades will make it more difficult to remove the restriction put in place by the iOS app before the chosen restriction period has ended.
Q: How will those improvements help problem gamblers?
For any addict abstinence is a crucial part of recovery. Putting barriers between yourself and the activity that you are struggling to control can be a significant aid when working towards recovery. The harder we make BetBlocker to remove or bypass, the stronger the barrier between a gambling addict and re-accessing problematic behaviours.
Q: Are there any other improvements BetBlocker is looking at down the road?
We have a shopping list of improvements that we’d like to make to the app that are just waiting on funding coming in. These include:
– Putting together an alternative, stronger version of our desktop apps to allow users a choice between a more robust restriction and more flexible system use.
– Adding further profiles to allow for the functionality to restrict ‘freemium’ apps.
– Improving the activation process to make sure the set-up process is more intuitive and that the user is given the best possible information on the potential consequences of each selection.
– Providing information live on site showing how many users are currently using the app. This would both demonstrate how many people are helped by any donation and ensure that potential new users feel less alone, providing understanding that there are thousands of other people with the same issues.
Q: How can problem gamblers avail themselves of BetBlocker services?
Simple – visit https://betblocker.org/ and from the homepage you can download our app for the Android, iOS, Windows, Apple, Linux or Fire OS.
Q: Is there a cost associated with the app?
The app is entirely free to all users. It’s also free and without strings for all operators who would like to build it into their Responsible Gambling information/policies. Support via a donation would certainly be appreciated, but is not required to make use of the app by any means.
Q: How can gambling operators help BetBlocker fulfil its mission?
The most obvious way is via donations. BetBlocker is not a massively expensive project to run but it does require funding and we always welcome any donations sent our way. Donations also count towards the UKGC license RET contributions so also help operators meet their license requirements. This year we’ve already received donations from Greentube, L&L Europe, White Hat Gaming and even an affiliate marketer – CasinoGuide – and these have been put to great use improving the service.
Beyond this however, the simplest way that operators can support the BetBlocker project is by including information about the service in their Responsible Gambling literature. This costs the operator nothing but ensures that vulnerable players can find a service that is free to help them take control of their gambling.
About BetBlocker.org
BetBlocker.org is a charitable organisation established to help relieve the burdens caused by gambling through the prevention of problem gambling. The organisation’s main tool is software that can be downloaded and installed to prevent online devices from gaining access to gambling sites. The software is offered free of charge to both consumers and gambling operators. It is funded through charitable contributions.
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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.
Latest News
VGO Promo, a long-standing platform known for bridging the worlds of cryptocasinos, cryptocurrency exchanges and CSGO skins gaming, has announced a comprehensive expansion of its verification framework designed to bring transparency to online promotional offers. The updated system enhances how users evaluate bonuses across three intersecting ecosystems. Founded during the peak of the CSGO skins economy, VGO Promo originally provided referral codes for case opening websites and virtual item platforms. As the industry evolved towards blockchain based gaming, Bitcoingambling and crypto trading, VGO Promo expanded its scope to support modern platforms including Roobet, Stake, Rollbit, CSGORoll, Duelbits, Binance, OKX, ByBit, Bitget and various case opening services within the CSGO community. The updated verification framework applies a structured, cross industry methodology to help users navigate rapidly changing promotional conditions.
FanDuel has announced the launch of Pass The Leg, a first-of-its-kind in-app feature that transforms traditional parlay betting into a shared, social experience just in time for holiday gatherings. Pass The Leg allows customers to build a single group parlay collaboratively, with each participant adding their own leg before placing individual bets using their own funds. Designed to bring friends and family together around one of the biggest football days of the year whether near or far, the feature allows users to start or join a Group Build, invite others to contribute picks, and then add the completed parlay to their personal betslip. Each contributor can also take advantage of a dedicated Pass The Leg Profit Boost, amplifying the excitement and potential payout of the shared pick. Available exclusively for the three NFL games taking place on Thanksgiving Day, Pass The Leg marks the first true multi-user parlay-building experience offered by a major U.S. sportsbook operator.
Partnerships
The St. Louis Blues announced an agreement designating DraftKings an Official Sports Betting and Daily Fantasy Operator of the Blues. The announcement comes ahead of the launch of legal sports betting in Missouri scheduled for Dec. 1, 2025. DraftKings has been an Official Sports Betting, Daily Fantasy Sports and iGaming Partner of the National Hockey League since 2021. As part of the agreement, DraftKings will spotlight responsible gaming through a pregame, in-arena feature, encouraging fans to play responsibly, have fun and access DraftKings’ comprehensive suite of responsible gaming tools and resources. DraftKings will have rights to use St. Louis Blues intellectual property — including team trademarks and logos — across marketing and promotional materials. The collaboration will feature in-arena signage, brand integrations across television and radio and exclusive hospitality experiences throughout the season, all designed to elevate fan engagement at the Enterprise Centre and beyond.
Signature Systems Inc (SSI) has announced a new partnership with Yellow Dog Software. The integration connects Yellow Dog’s advanced inventory capabilities with SSI’s PDQ POS system, enabling operators to streamline operations, improve cost control and gain real-time visibility across their properties. The partnership was initiated to meet the inventory needs of Osage Casinos, a major name in tribal gaming. The integration, which went live in September, was first deployed to support convenience store reporting and ordering across the properties.
The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – November 24-30 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Balkans
EGT Digital Wins “Online Platform of the Year” for the Second Consecutive Year at the Golden Spade’s Awards 2025
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EGT Digital celebrated a remarkable achievement at this year’s Golden Spade’s Awards, securing the prestigious title “Online Platform of the Year” for its modular platform X-Nave for the second year in a row. The award was accepted by Georgi Mihaylov, Deputy CEO of EGT Digital, marking another milestone in the company’s continued progress and commitment to technological excellence.
In 2025, X-Nave distinguished itself through the integration of EGT Digital’s proprietary in-house AI core, developed entirely by the company’s data science team. This innovation transformed X-Nave into a holistic, intelligent ecosystem with capabilities such as real-time player protection, predictive churn prevention, intelligent campaigns, personalized game recommendations, automated bonus optimization, and enhanced QA through simulated behavior. Combined with its modular structure – comprising the CRM Engine, Gaming Aggregator, Sport Product, and Payment Gateway – X-Nave continues to serve as one of the most advanced and reliable platforms in the industry.
Accepting the award, Georgi Mihaylov expressed his gratitude: “These awards are an exceptional recognition of our work. On behalf of the EGT Digital team, a huge thank you, and I can’t wait for us to come back again next year.”
Special Recognition for Industry Leadership
The Golden Spade’s Awards also honored Mr. Vladimir Dokov, CEO of both EGT Digital and EGT, with the distinguished title “Outstanding Contribution to the Development of the Gaming Industry.” This accolade recognizes his long-term leadership, strategic vision, and significant impact on the growth and evolution of both the Bulgarian and global gaming sectors.
Mr. Dokov accepted the award with a message dedicated to his team:
“What we have achieved is not thanks to me, but thanks to our team of 4,300 people and this award belongs to them.”
A Milestone Year for the EGT Group
These recognitions highlight an exceptional year for both EGT Digital and EGT, reflecting their shared commitment to innovation, responsibility, and delivering impactful solutions for partners and players worldwide.
The post EGT Digital Wins “Online Platform of the Year” for the Second Consecutive Year at the Golden Spade’s Awards 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Entain’s Pitching In initiative has beaten off fierce competition to be named Grassroots Initiative of the Year at the Global Football Industry Awards. Launched by Entain in 2020, the trailblazing initiative has made a huge impact at the non-league level of England’s national game.
Pitching In is the title sponsor of the Isthmian, Northern Premier and Southern Leagues – collectively known as the Trident Leagues – that comprise 264 clubs at Steps three and four of the non-league pyramid.
Pitching In, however, has always been about more than a flagship sponsorship. At the heart of the initiative is the ambition to enhance engagement between football clubs and their local communities. This led to Entain being the founding partner of the Trident Community Fund (TCF).
The TCF was launched to help clubs establish and expand community initiatives, maximising the remarkable impact that grassroots football clubs have on their local area. Every club in the Trident Leagues is encouraged to apply for a grant of up to £5000 annually to support community initiatives. The TCF has now supported more than 150 such projects, helping to expand youth, women’s and walking football, as well as supporting initiatives focusing on local upskilling, tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting local veterans and food banks.
In 2022, Pitching In launched the Volunteer Hub to provide a one-stop online portal for clubs to post volunteering vacancies and for local people to sign up and get involved.
Pitching In’s contribution to the grassroots game has now been recognised at the Global Football Industry Awards, a landmark global ceremony which brings together industry giants and trailblazers from every corner of the football ecosystem.
Pitching In was up against the likes of McDonalds, Barclays, Adidas, Nike and Coca-Cola, who were among the other shortlisted nominees for the Grassroots Initiative of the Year prize. Hosted by football royalty – Jamie Carragher and Peter Crouch – the awards celebrate the visionaries, pioneers and change-makers powering world football from behind the scenes.
Stella David, CEO of Entain, said: “We are delighted to see Pitching In recognised in this manner. Football is central to our business, which is why we feel it is so important to invest in the sport at the grassroots level, playing our part in bringing clubs and their communities closer together.
“When we started this project back in 2020, non-league clubs – and English football more generally – were staring into an uncertain future amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The grants Pitching In provided at that time proved crucial and we have continued to grow our relationship with the more than 260 clubs, who are the backbone of the English game, over the time since. We love supporting grassroots football and are excited by how this partnership can grow and evolve further.
“We would like to thank the Northern Premier League, Isthmian League and Southern League for their continued support, along with every single volunteer who gives up their time for their local football club. The game at this level could not run without you and Pitching In will continue to do what we can to highlight your invaluable contributions.”
Carmen Alexander from the Global Football Industry Awards added: “Congratulations to Entain and all 2025 Global Football Industry Award winners.
“Our judges were impressed by the commitment Entain has shown to grassroots football over a prolonged period of time and particularly the Trident Community Fund, which continues to make a tangible difference to non-league clubs across the country. Entain is very worthy of this recognition.”
The post Entain’s Pitching In Initiative Crowned Grassroots Sports Initiative of the Year appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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