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YGAM launch ‘Parent Hub’ as university research highlights loot box danger amongst children

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National charity, YGAM has joined with research teams from Newcastle and Loughborough Universities to help parents and carers understand the danger of loot boxes, with one young respondent in the Economic and Social Research Council funded project confirming how he spent nearly £500 buying packs of random cards.

The expert insight and advice is being posted on YGAM’s new ‘Parent Hub’ website www.parents.ygam.org. The hub which has been developed thanks to funding received from Lottoland, GVC and Playtech, provides families with the resources, information and activities to help build digital resilience and safeguard children. ‘Parent Hub’ helps explain why children are drawn to purchase loot boxes, ranging from the surprise and suspense of opening a box and the desire to win something rare, to receiving specific items that deliver an in-game advantage or boost their social status.

The research covers the potential harm loot boxes can cause, such as young people’s exposure to and normalisation of gambling style systems, as well as the emotional and financial harm from repeat spending – with one young person telling researchers how he spent nearly £500 in a mobile card game by buying packs of random cards, playing for up to seven hours a day. The advice covers how parents can take important steps to safeguard children, including the use of parental controls and identifying potential signs of harm.

“For some children, the act of opening a loot box is as important as what it contains” explains Dr James Ash, Reader in Technology, Space and Society at Newcastle University, who is leading the research. “Feelings of surprise and suspense lead to the repeat purchase of loot boxes. But this is often short-lived.

“Children and young people have told us how they feel disappointment, frustration, anger, and regret at loot box purchases, yet they are still driven to purchase again. This is concerning, given the deliberate design of these mechanisms – the visual stimulus, the randomised contents, and the very unfavourable odds for unboxing rare items – which can lead to repeat loot box purchases.”

Amanda Atkinson, Head of Parental Engagement at YGAM said the research will help inform and develop the charity’s educational programmes so that all young and vulnerable people are safe from gaming and gambling related harms. She stated: “Certainly the enormous variety of games and in-app purchases that are available can make it confusing for parents to keep on top of safety controls. Through our educational resources, we are focused on providing crucial information to parents so they can identify changes in behaviours and understand the effects this may have on mental and financial wellbeing.”

In collaboration with GamCare, YGAM is delivering the UK’s ground-breaking National Gambling Education and Prevention Programme. Supported by members of the Betting and Gaming Council, the £10 million programme will reach over 3 million young people to raise awareness of the risks of potential gaming and gambling related harms.

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Regulated iGaming markets push operators toward audit-ready affiliate tracking

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As regulators scrutinise AML, RG and advertising, operators face rising pressure to validate attribution and partner payouts end to end.

Growing regulation in iGaming is changing how operators manage affiliates, track player acquisition, and control partner payouts, according to a new statement from affiliate platform provider Affnook.

The company argues that in regulated markets affiliates are increasingly treated as an extension of an operator’s marketing activity, raising the stakes for oversight in areas such as affiliate advertising practices, responsible gambling controls, anti-money laundering (AML) and data privacy. The release points to the Danish Gambling Authority as one example of a regulator highlighting potential AML risks linked to affiliate partnerships and urging operators to strengthen risk assessments across third-party acquisition channels.

Affnook says the industry is moving away from “Trust Me” affiliate reporting as stakeholders demand performance data and revenue attribution that can be independently verified. It lists audit-ready reporting, verifiable revenue attribution, transparency into tracking and commission calculations, and consistent reporting standards as key expectations in more heavily regulated environments.

The company also frames financial governance as a parallel priority to tracking, citing the need for net gaming revenue (NGR) verification, commission accuracy, invoice reconciliation and payment oversight. It adds that multi-touch player journeys and reduced effectiveness of cookie-based attribution are widening “attribution blind spots,” which can fuel partner disputes, weaken decision-making and complicate compliance reviews.

In the release, Affnook positions platform features such as audit logs, partner activity monitoring, consent-aware tracking, real-time commission calculations and server-to-server tracking as the types of capabilities operators should evaluate as regulatory expectations increase.

The post Regulated iGaming markets push operators toward audit-ready affiliate tracking appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Play’n GO goes live in Alberta iGaming with 10+ operators

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Supplier expands to its third regulated Canadian province after Ontario and Québec, launching on Alberta’s market opening week.

Play’n GO has entered the newly regulated Alberta iGaming market, launching its casino games with more than ten licensed operators on the market’s opening week, the supplier said on 16 July 2026.

The Alberta rollout marks Play’n GO’s third regulated Canadian province, following Ontario and Québec, and extends the company’s North American regulated-market footprint.

According to the company, its content was made available in Alberta for the first time on launch day via a network of licensed operators.

Esteban Perez, New Market Entry Lead at Play’n GO said: “Entering Alberta with more than 10 operators on day one of regulation is a significant milestone for Play’n GO and a testament to the strength of our regulated market strategy. Canada continues to be a key focus for us, and expanding into our third province reflects both the demand for our content and the strength of our partnerships with licensed operators.

“We are proud to support Alberta’s regulated market with a portfolio that prioritises entertainment, compliance and long-term sustainability.”

The post Play’n GO goes live in Alberta iGaming with 10+ operators appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

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Play’n GO strengthens Canadian footprint with Alberta iGaming market entry

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The Swedish gaming giant confirms its entry into its third regulated Canadian Province with its industry leading portfolio of games now available in Alberta for the first time

Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, today announced its successful entry into the newly regulated Alberta iGaming market, with a wide range of its premium content going live with more than ten licensed operators on market launch day this week.

The milestone further reinforces Play’n GO’s commitment to regulated market expansion across North America and marks the company’s third Canadian province, following established operations in Ontario and Québec.

Play’n GO’s launch in Alberta ensures players have immediate access to a portfolio of world-class titles from day one of the market’s regulated opening. By partnering with a broad network of licensed operators at launch, the company has solidified its position as a trusted supplier in newly regulated jurisdictions.

The Alberta rollout builds on Play’n GO’s strong track record of working alongside regulators and operators to deliver safe, compliant, and high-quality entertainment to players, while supporting sustainable market growth.

Esteban Perez, New Market Entry Lead at Play’n GO said: “Entering Alberta with more than 10 operators on day one of regulation is a significant milestone for Play’n GO and a testament to the strength of our regulated market strategy. Canada continues to be a key focus for us, and expanding into our third province reflects both the demand for our content and the strength of our partnerships with licensed operators.

“We are proud to support Alberta’s regulated market with a portfolio that prioritises entertainment, compliance and long-term sustainability.”

To find out more about Play’n GO, please visit playngo.com

The post Play’n GO strengthens Canadian footprint with Alberta iGaming market entry appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

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