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We must be guided by the education sector to deliver effective prevention programmes to young people
YGAM Chief Executive Lee Willows reflects on some of the key topics to emerge from three reports published last week and highlights the valuable contribution the charity is making.
Last week was a significant week for everyone connected the gambling industry. Reading the Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (ABSG) annual progress report; The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report and the Lords Select Committee report, it was pleasing to read these reports all featured insight from people with direct experience of the tragic harm that gambling can cause some individuals, such as the YGAM Founders. As Chief Executive of the YGAM charity and personally as someone who lost everything to a gambling addiction, I was grateful for the opportunity to contribute my insight and experiences. Such inclusion would have been unheard of five-years ago. Having three incredibly helpful reports published in quick succession over a period of five days is in many ways helpful and timely as YGAM continues to evolve our strategy. I congratulate everyone involved in producing three fascinating reports that will inform the debate moving forward.
At YGAM, we strongly believe that prevention, including education is an essential component to reduce gambling-related harms. We engage with the education sector daily and we are constantly listening to the needs of teachers, practitioners and young people. It is very clear from these conversations that teachers and practitioners need and appreciate our resources more than ever. The feedback we get from teachers, practitioners and young people and the insight from external evaluations is overwhelmingly positive and there is an enormous demand for information on gambling and gaming. Whilst it was pleasing to see education feature in all three reports, the voices of the professionals working in that sector should also be taken into consideration. We must continue to be guided by professionals working in the education sector to deliver effective prevention programmes to young people.
The focus on the blurred lines between gaming and gambling is welcomed. The YGAM workshops help build digital resilience and educate people on the different types of games accessible to children. We agree with the DCMS Select Committee and the Children’s Commissioner that loot boxes that contain the element of chance should not be sold to children under 18. The concern about allowing children to access loot boxes is that it is conditioning them to gambling behaviour from an early age. Building on our discussions with DCMS we look forward to contributing to the government’s call to action on loot boxes which will hopefully lead to consideration of an appropriate regulatory intervention.
The debate around gambling advertising and the impact it has on younger generations is imperative. You do not have to work in this sector to notice that gambling adverts dominate the promotional spaces at most sporting events. The YGAM resources tackle this topic head on as we continue to raise awareness of the potential harms and the support available. We believe concerns about marketing and sponsorship should be addressed by evidence-based analysis that puts the safety of young people first and we look forward to contributing to this debate.
When the Gambling Commission launched the National Strategy to Reduce Gambling-Related Harms, there was real hope for change and there has been some positive change; yes more can be done and some actions need to move in a more expedient manner, but change does take time. I also worry that in the desire to affect structural change, or radically change strategic direction part way through a national strategy may result in valuable insight being lost. I do see many people and organisations coming together to deliver the strategy which is superb and that is where we will continue to have a relentless focus.
Certainly in my time in YGAM I have seen Safer Gambling teams within operators increase from one employee, who led Safer Gambling work on a part-time bases, to now large Safer Gambling teams with twenty plus employees working full-time in this area of work. In that time, I have also seen and been fortunate to work alongside others who have been affected by gambling-harms set up their own organisations and I have witnessed the rise of passionate campaigners who demand change, often following tragic circumstances. At the heart of all this work is a shared commitment to reduce-harms and it would be so oxygenating if more time can be spent finding common goals and delivering the national strategy.
As a prevention charity we will continue to focus on the delivery of education, building and sharing insight and demonstrating impact. This is a crucial period for the future of this sector and everyone at YGAM looks forward to working collaboratively with all stakeholder groups to ensure all young and vulnerable people are safe from gaming and gambling related harms.
Finally, YGAM has published its strategic plan 2019 – 2021 and within our annual review filed with the Charity Commission and Companies House we share progress against our strategic goals and insight. However next week, we will have a dedicated page on our website which will also show this progress, insight, and our impact in a succinct manner. I am incredibly proud of the YGAM team and many colleagues from all parts of the sector (inc charities, trade bodies, operators, regulators, ABSG, DCMS, teachers, young people, EbEs); working hard to make a difference in this space.
Lee Willows
Chief Executive, YGAM
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Evoplay, the award-winning game development studio, has released Don Juan Peppers, a fiery new slot that blends bold bonus features with festive flair.
Set in a sun-soaked Mexican town bursting with colour, rhythm and celebration, the game invites players to join the charismatic Don Juan himself for a lively fiesta across 20 fixed paylines.
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The post Evoplay starts a big fiesta in spicy new title Don Juan Peppers appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Greek casino industry is undergoing a major transformation, with high-profile investments and relocations redefining the market.
While casinos now account for a smaller share of the broader gambling industry, with the total Greek gambling market reaching $31.5 billion in wagers in 2023 and gross gaming revenue of $2.8 billion, the flurry of new licenses, relocations and integrated resort projects is reshaping the sector and attracting international attention.
Following global trends, Greek casinos are evolving into integrated resorts, where gambling is just one part of a broader entertainment and hospitality experience.
These resorts aim to attract high-end tourists, generate consistent visitor flows, boost tax revenue and enhance Greece’s international brand in luxury tourism. The next five years will be critical in establishing Greece as a leading Mediterranean destination for integrated resorts.
Leading the wave is the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens at the former Ellinikon site, a project valued at $1.6 billion. The venture is a partnership between Hard Rock International (51%) and GEK TERNA (49%), a major Greek construction and energy company, set to create one of Europe’s largest integrated resorts.
Standing 646 feet (197 meters) tall with 42 floors, the resort will include a five-star hotel, a conference center, event spaces and a casino built to international standards. Completion is expected within three years, creating three thousand construction jobs and three thousand permanent positions once operational.
Another key development is the relocation of Parnitha Casino to Marousi. The plan, initially proposed thirteen years ago, overcame legal hurdles after the Council of State approved Presidential Decree No. 36 (FEK 79/A/30-3-2023), which permits the transfer and modernisation of the casino into a multifunctional complex.
This Voria complex will occupy 52 acres near Golden Hall—an upscale shopping mall in Marousi—with 27 acres allocated for public spaces and 25 acres housing the casino, a five-star hotel with 150 rooms, a 1400-seat auditorium, dining, entertainment areas and a 636-space underground parking garage.
The $270 million investment is projected to create three thousand construction jobs and three thousand permanent positions, with completion expected three years after the building permit, anticipated in September 2025.
Three other casinos—in Rio, Alexandroupolis and Corfu—are undergoing financial restructuring.
Saint George Participations, linked to the Arfani and Chioni families, secured operational approval from the Hellenic Gaming Commission (EEEP) and plans to acquire licenses and control by purchasing existing loans and shares.
Although legally and financially complex, investors have already committed $13 million, signaling long-term involvement even before taking equity stakes.
The EEEP is also preparing to award a new casino license in Gournes, Heraklion, Crete, independent of the broader redevelopment of the former US base managed by Dimand.
Crete’s strategic location, strong tourism and new infrastructure make it highly attractive. The license is expected to be offered via tender by early 2026, drawing international interest.
The post Greek Casino Industry Undergoes Major Transformation appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Ukrainian Gambling Council (UGC) has called for a united, tech-based plan to tackle the worldwide increase in illegal online betting.
Viktoriya Zakrevskaya, UGC’s Deputy Chair, said the quick growth of digital platforms has led to more unlicensed operators. These operators often use cryptocurrencies and social media to avoid getting caught and to attract users.
Illegal operators now make up a big part of the $618.7 billion global iGaming market expected by the end of 2025. These platforms often register offshore, use anonymous payments and market online, making it harder to enforce laws against them.
Zakrevskaya pointed out that nations across the globe are trying out solutions that mix rules, tech and people’s involvement. Argentina, for example, has put in place tough age-checking systems and stops blacklisted websites on public Wi-Fi networks. This method, she explained, has made illegal sites harder to reach for at-risk groups such as kids.
In Indonesia, where betting is outlawed, officials have started watching money flows to cut off unlawful activity. Just last year, they froze 26,000 bank and e-wallet accounts tied to illegal betting operations, showing how focused money controls can limit unregulated gambling.
The US struggles with a unique problem because of its scattered rules. Unlawful betting websites are growing almost twice as fast as legal ones in the US. Over 80% of users see ads for unlicensed sites. People are now trying to tighten control on digital money and push big tech companies to better manage gambling content.
Ukraine has stepped up its crackdown. The country’s new watchdog PlayCity, which started after KRAIL was shut down, is teaming up with global tech firms like Meta to take down social media accounts that promote illegal casinos. The government has also blocked more than a hundred unlicensed sites thought to be sending money to Russia. Kyiv thinks Moscow uses the underground gambling world to fund its ongoing war.
A crucial element of Ukraine’s long-term plan involves creating a system to monitor bets and tax income in real time with transparency. The Ministry of Digital Transformation is working with tech experts to construct the platform, which should enhance supervision and boost public confidence in the regulated market.
The post UGC Calls for Global Teamwork to Stop Illegal Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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