Press Releases

YGAM and GamCare go digital to deliver world class education programme despite Covid-19

Published

6 years ago

June 12, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Leading charities YGAM (The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust) and GamCare have risen to the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic by accelerating the digital transformation of their education resources and using virtual classrooms to raise awareness of gambling related harms. The two organisations, which were selected by the Betting and Gaming Council to deliver its £10 million funded national education programme, have succeeded in delivering over 20 classes reaching out to 350 individuals since April.

Explaining the challenges, Kev Clelland, Operations Director at YGAM, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically changed both personal and work life. The charity sector in particular has faced profound challenges impacting both funding and how organisations are able to reach the people they have the responsibility to support.

“During lockdown the YGAM Practitioner Workshops have been presented as a blended digital offering which is proving hugely popular with both teachers and other professionals. Our education team has trained over 300 practitioners online, significantly more than the number we had planned to train face-to-face. Such has been the success that YGAM is now building up to deliver a minimum of five blended digital Practitioner Workshops a week.”
He continued: “We have added to our education team during lockdown and also written a raft of new resources, including full schemes from year 3 to year 11 as well as youth work specific materials. We have also formed groups to look at how we best approach our work in Wales and Northern Ireland.”

YGAM has also launched its new ‘Parent Hub’ website dedicated to providing an abundance of important resources and activities to support families and help build digital resilience. Through the summer, the ‘Parent Hub’ will be developed further courtesy of additional video content, podcasts, and social media campaigns. With university courses expected to be facilitated online in some form for the remainder of 2020, YGAM is focused on adapting its student resources ready for the upcoming first semester.

GamCare workshops for young people and CPD accredited training sessions for professionals have been moved online, with the result that attendance has doubled from April to May with new eLearning modules in development. A brand-new delivery team has been on-boarded in order to scale up the programme both online and face-to-face when it is safe to do so.

Downloadable factsheets are available for parents and teachers who would like to introduce the topic to young people via www.bigdeal.org.uk, GamCare’s dedicated website for young people, parents and teachers, and a new working group has been convened to ensure that the team can continue to reach young people despite reduced contact and social distancing, including via YouTube.

For more information on the Betting and Gaming Council’s Safer Gambling Commitments: https://bettingandgamingcouncil.com/safer-gambling/

Arizona Department of Gaming

Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025

Published

2 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

arizona-sports-betting-hits-new-record:-$967-million-wagered-in-october-2025

The Arizona Department of Gaming (ADG) has released its sports betting report for October 2025, revealing a record-breaking month for the Grand Canyon State. Total wagers reached approximately $967.1 million, marking a significant 22.2% increase year-over-year and a 13.6% jump from September 2025.

This performance solidified Arizona’s position as a top-tier U.S. betting market, ranking 6th nationally in total handle for the month, just behind Pennsylvania.

October 2025 Performance Breakdown

The surge in betting activity was driven almost entirely by mobile operators, which accounted for 99.4% of the total handle.

Total Handle: $967,141,269 (New State Record)
Mobile Wagers: $961.4 Million
Retail Wagers: $5.7 Million
Gross Revenue: $82.0 Million (Before promotional deductions)
Privilege Fees (Taxes): $5.2 Million collected by the state.

Top Operators by Market Share

The “Big Three” continue to dominate the Arizona landscape, with FanDuel and DraftKings locked in a tight battle for the top spot.

Operator	October Handle	Mobile Handle	Adjusted Revenue
FanDuel	$317.1 Million	$317.1 Million	$13.4 Million
DraftKings	$297.8 Million	$293.7 Million	$22.7 Million
BetMGM	$102.9 Million	$102.0 Million	$5.0 Million
Fanatics	$88.2 Million	$88.2 Million	$4.8 Million
bet365	$55.0 Million	$55.0 Million	—

Note: While FanDuel led in total amount wagered (handle), DraftKings reported the highest adjusted revenue for the month at $22.7 million.

Fiscal Year-to-Date (FY26) Summary

Through the first four months of the 2026 fiscal year (July–October), Arizona has generated substantial revenue for state funds:

Total Privilege Fees: $20.7 Million
Event Wagering Fees: $20.2 Million
Fantasy Sports Fees: $462,576

The ADG also noted its continued focus on player protection, recently launching the “Too Young to Bet AZ” initiative to combat underage gambling and revoking Underdog Fantasy’s license due to concerns over its prediction market offerings.

The post Arizona Sports Betting Hits New Record: $967 Million Wagered in October 2025 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Family Feud Lottery

Scientific Games Unveils “GAME SHOW EXPERIENCE”: A Multi-Million Dollar Omnichannel Linked Game

Published

2 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

Scientific Games Unveils “GAME SHOW EXPERIENCE”: A Multi-Million Dollar Omnichannel Linked Game

Scientific Games, the global leader in lottery games, has officially launched GAME SHOW EXPERIENCE. Announced on January 6, 2026, this new omnichannel “Linked Game” leverages the massive brand equity of three iconic Fremantle television properties to offer players across the United States a chance to win up to $10 million in cash.

This launch follows the company’s proven strategy of combining retail tickets with digital second-chance opportunities to drive incremental sales for state lotteries.

The Brands: TV’s Powerhouse Lineup

The promotion features a “triple-threat” of game show nostalgia and modern popularity, specifically chosen after a 2025 consumer study confirmed their high purchase intent across all demographics:

THE PRICE IS RIGHT: Television’s longest-running game show, celebrated for over five decades of Emmy-winning entertainment.
FAMILY FEUD: Currently the #1 rated syndicated show for adults 25-54, celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.
PRESS YOUR LUCK: A high-stakes favorite known for the legendary “Whammy” and strategic gameplay.

The Prize: An Exclusive Hollywood Experience

Lucky winners from participating U.S. lotteries will be awarded a “Linked Game” experiential prize package that takes them to the heart of the entertainment world:

Host City: Los Angeles, California.
Date: Fall 2027.
The Trip: A five-day, four-night “white glove” experience in the entertainment capital.
The Highlight: Winners will attend a live taping of The Price is Right as special guests.
The Event: Following the taping, the lottery winners will take center stage on the iconic set for a private GAME SHOW EXPERIENCE event, where they will compete for a share of up to $10 million.

Omnichannel Strategy and Market Impact

Scientific Games pioneered the “Linked Game” concept in 2007. To date, these programs—including hits like Willy Wonka and Deal or No Deal—have generated more than US$6.6 billion in retail value.

Feature	Details
Game Formats	Instant Scratch, Fast Play, and Digital (iLottery)
Prize Cap	Up to $10 Million
Target Audience	Omnichannel (Retail & Digital players)
Producer	Scientific Games in partnership with Fremantle

“The incredibly broad appeal of these classic TV game show brands makes the GAME SHOW EXPERIENCE a perfect promotion for lottery, bringing to life the surprise, joy, and wins that players love,” said Tina Hoover, VP of Licensing for Scientific Games.

The post Scientific Games Unveils “GAME SHOW EXPERIENCE”: A Multi-Million Dollar Omnichannel Linked Game appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BetHero

BetHero Launch: Tackling Player Acquisition and Churn in 2026

Published

2 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Wladimir P.

bethero-launch:-tackling-player-acquisition-and-churn-in-2026

BetHero has officially announced the public launch of its mobile-first engagement layer, a strategic solution designed to address the iGaming industry’s most pressing twin challenges: skyrocketing acquisition costs and record-high player churn.

Already gaining massive momentum, BetHero has secured commercial agreements with several global operators and has been named a finalist for Mobile Sports Product of the Year at the 2026 International Gaming Awards.

Solving the “Leaky Bucket” Problem

In 2026, the iGaming market is more competitive than ever. Traditional sportsbooks and casinos are struggling with “leaky buckets”—spending heavily to acquire users only to lose them to complex interfaces or a lack of engagement.

BetHero’s platform is engineered to “plug the leaks” by introducing a simplified interaction model specifically for casual users. It integrates into existing tech stacks in just a few days, either as an add-on to a sportsbook or a turnkey entry point for casinos looking to offer sports betting without a full custom build.

“We didn’t want to tell the market that BetHero is different — we wanted to show it,” said Logan MacGillivray, CEO of BetHero. “Operators need immediate solutions… BetHero gives them a new solution to solve those challenges by helping them bring in more players and keeping them active longer.”

Core Features of the BetHero Platform

BetHero acts as a white-labeled engagement layer that matches an operator’s specific brand and regulatory compliance needs.

Mobile-Native UI: Designed for high speed and extreme ease of use, removing the friction typically found in “data-heavy” betting apps.
Social Mechanics: Features designed to drive sharing and community-led engagement, a key trend for the Gen-Z and Millennial demographics in 2026.
Free-to-Play (F2P) Entry: Low-barrier experiences that allow players to build confidence before naturally converting to real-money play.
Turnkey Flexibility: Can be deployed as a stand-alone layer for casinos or integrated into a complex sportsbook ecosystem.

The post BetHero Launch: Tackling Player Acquisition and Churn in 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.