Latest News

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

Published

6 years ago

July 21, 2020

Reading Time: 2 minutes

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.

AI in gaming

ZingBrain AI Boosts Hondubet Engagement

Published

3 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

ZingBrain AI Drives Hondubet Growth with Real-Time Personalisation

ZingBrain AI is reshaping the iGaming landscape by delivering measurable performance gains for Hondubet through advanced real-time personalization technology.

By replacing its manually curated casino lobby with a fully automated, API-driven solution, Hondubet has unlocked a new level of player engagement and operational efficiency. The AI-powered system dynamically adapts content to individual player behaviors, ensuring that each user encounters games tailored to their unique preferences.

Significant Performance Gains Across Player Segments

Data from a controlled A/B test comparing the legacy manual lobby with the new personalized system highlights substantial improvements:

A 25% increase in Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) and turnover among newly registered players
A 10% rise in total bets placed by returning users
A 25% boost in the number of unique games explored across the player base

These results underscore the effectiveness of AI-driven personalization in enhancing both user engagement and revenue generation.

From Manual Management to Intelligent Automation

Previously, Hondubet relied heavily on manual processes to manage its casino lobby, requiring constant updates and resource-intensive oversight. According to Julian Pareja Garcia of Hondubet, the shift to ZingBrain AI has been transformative.

The automated system continuously learns from player interactions, refining game recommendations and lobby sections without human intervention. This allows the operator’s team to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine maintenance.

Smarter Player Experiences Through AI Innovation

Oleg Smolerov emphasized the collaborative approach between the two companies, highlighting a shared commitment to innovation and product excellence.

Rather than static content placement, the AI engine ensures that every element of the lobby evolves in response to real-time data. This creates a more intuitive and engaging user experience, where players are presented with content that feels both relevant and natural.

Aligning Commercial Goals with User Experience

Beyond engagement metrics, the integration also supports Hondubet’s commercial strategy. Through ZingBrain AI’s Game Promotion tool, priority titles can be strategically surfaced within personalized sections.

Crucially, the system evaluates performance continuously. Games that fail to resonate with players are automatically deprioritized and replaced with more relevant options. This ensures a balance between promotional objectives and player satisfaction, maximizing both retention and monetization.

A New Standard for iGaming Personalisation

The success of this integration signals a broader shift within the iGaming industry toward intelligent automation and data-driven experiences. By leveraging AI to personalize every touchpoint, operators like Hondubet are setting new benchmarks for engagement, efficiency, and revenue growth.

As competition intensifies, solutions like ZingBrain AI are poised to become essential tools for operators seeking to deliver meaningful, high-performing user experiences at scale.

The post ZingBrain AI Boosts Hondubet Engagement appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Gambling in the USA

AGS Interactive Announces Launch of Cash Cow Bonus Wheel

Published

3 hours ago

April 9, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

ags-interactive-announces-launch-of-cash-cow-bonus-wheel

AGS yesterday announced the launch of Cash Cow Bonus Wheel marking the North American debut of AGS Interactive’s newest character-driven franchise, now available in all licensed real-money online gaming markets.

The title expands AGS’ stepper portfolio and introduces Bartholomoo the Cash Cow — a fresh, fully marketable character designed to anchor a multi-title franchise. Powered by AGS’ proven math models and player-favorite mechanics, Cash Cow Bonus Wheel delivers a contemporary take on the classic 3-reel stepper experience with energetic game play and an approachable design.

“We are so excited to introduce this innovative, character-driven game to the online gaming world,” said Zoe Ebling, Vice President of Interactive at AGS. “With Cash Cow Bonus Wheel, we are leveraging our proven performance-validated math models to reduce performance risk for operators, while pairing that strong foundation with a deliberate, recognizable character and IP strategy. This approach enables us to create franchise assets built for marketing impact, player delight, and scalable, long-term operator success – well beyond the lifecycle of a single title.”

The launch serves as the first chapter in AGSi’s new Cash Cow franchise, a long-term strategy built on character recognition, scalable assets, and compounding operator value. The franchise roadmap includes a buildable ecosystem designed to span multiple formats, channels, and promotional opportunities.

Additionally, Cash Cow Bounty Board will be available in all licensed real-money online gaming markets April 15, with the Cash Cow 3-pot game to follow later in the year.

For more information, visit newsroom.playags.com.

©2026 AGS LLC. All® notices signify marks registered in the United States. All notices signify trademarks, which are not registered on any country-wide basis. Products referenced herein are sold by AGS LLC or other subsidiaries of PlayAGS, Inc.

The post AGS Interactive Announces Launch of Cash Cow Bonus Wheel appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.

Latest News

N1 Partners at Search iGaming Conference 2026 in Limassol

Published

8 hours ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

n1-partners-at-search-igaming-conference-2026-in-limassol

The N1 Partners team will attend the Search iGaming Conference 2026, held on April 16 in Limassol, Cyprus.

The conference will bring together more than 1,200 professionals in SEO and iGaming, including PPC experts, ASO teams, and affiliate programs representatives for networking and sharing insights.

At the event, the N1 Partners team will not only be an active participant but also a conference bags sponsor for guests. This is the part of a comfortable event experience that helps participants focus on networking and knowledge-sharing.

The conference is a perfect place to discuss profitable deals and SEO traffic, as well as learn more about the N1 SEO Traffic Cup, the first tournament in the N1 Traffic Cups global promo series from N1 Partners. The team will explain how to enter the promotion with highest efficiency at the final stage — there’s still a chance to join the tournament until April 30th.

Participate in the largest SEO tournament in the industry this spring and acquire generous prizes!

In addition to the current promo, N1 Partners affiliate managers will be happy to discuss working with any of the 14+ brands in the portfolio, top Tier-1 GEOs, as well as individual payment terms and payment models.