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Which Games Do Players Need the Most Help with to Complete?

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Red Dead Redemption 2 receives 36,540 monthly searches from gamers looking for tips and tricks in order to complete it
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In second place is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild; 32,370 searches are made each month from people searching for shortcuts
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Gamers in the USA find the original Halo the hardest to complete, with 19,750 people making searches each month
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Gamers in Canada need the most assistance with Grand Theft Auto V (4,570 monthly searches)
Many games hold well-deserved reputations for being difficult, but which ones do players need the most assistance with?
Gamblingdeals.com sought to find out by scouring the internet to discover which games are the hardest and most time consuming to complete. Using SEMrush they analysed search volumes for terms such as ‘[game] final boss’ and ‘[game] solution’ to uncover which one gamers find the hardest to complete. *
Which Games Are Hardest to Complete?
After analysing data from Germany, Canada, France, USA and UK, Gamblingdeals.com can reveal that Red Dead Redemption 2 is the game that players need the most assistance with.
It receives 36,540 online searches each month from gamers trying to discover how to complete, beat and understand the ending. On average, completionists of this game spend 164 hours trying to finish the main story and extras!
In second place is The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild! Each month there are 32,370 searches from gamers trying to figure out how to complete the game and beat Calamity Ganon, the final boss.
Breath of the Wild takes an estimated 186 hours to finish, and although it was released in 2017, it appears that many are still struggling to reach the end.
Ranking as the third hardest game to complete is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, receiving 31,870 searches per month from gamers who wish to reach the end and bring Alduin to his demise. In total, taking an estimated 229 hours to complete the game, so there’s no surprise it ranks highly!
Following in fourth, fifth and sixth are Halo (26,300 monthly searches), Grand Theft Auto V (20,630 monthly searches) and Dark Souls III (19,850 monthly searches).
To complete the top 10, other games which players need help with include:
7. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas receives 18,430 monthly searches and takes 84 hours to fully complete.
8. Grand Theft Auto IV receives 10,200 monthly searches and takes 77.5 hours to fully complete.
9. The Legend of Zelda receives 9,360 monthly searches and takes 10.5 hours to fully complete.
10. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City receives 7,410 monthly searches and takes 91.5 hours to fully complete (including Vice City Stories).
Which Games Are Hardest for Each Country?
Gamblingdeals.com analysed monthly search volume data across North America and Europe countries to discover which countries from these countries generate the most gaming revenue and can reveal the games they find hardest to complete!
USA ($36,921M): Halo (19,750 searches), Red Dead Redemption 2 (13,170 searches) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (11,630 searches).
Germany ($5,965M): The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (11,070 searches), Red Dead Redemption 2 (8,480 searches) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (7,250 searches).
UK ($5,511M): Red Dead Redemption 2 (5,450 searches), Grand Theft Auto V (4,520 searches) and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (3,650 searches).
France ($3,987M): The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (10,100 searches), Red Dead Redemption 2 (5,550 searches), The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (5,400 searches).
Canada ($3,051M): Grand Theft Auto V (4,570 searches), The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (3,940 searches), and Red Dead Redemption 2 (3,890 searches).
*Methodology:
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GamblingDeals.com analysed 41 different games which have been compiled from previous articles that state they are among the ‘hardest’ or take the ‘longest’ to complete.
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Using search analytics tool SEMrush, they looked at the number of searches made from gamers looking for shortcuts or tips on how to complete the game. To do this they looked at the search volumes for each game alongside different words. The words they included are as follows: final boss, complete, ending, beat, final mission, final level, and solution*. For example, one search analysed includes ‘Skyrim final boss’.
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When analysing search volumes for non-English speaking countries, the English and translated word were both analysed. For example, the search volumes for ‘Red Dead Redemption lösung’ and ‘Red Dead Redemption solution’ were added together to get the final number for Germany.
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They looked at the number of searches made from the UK, USA, Germany, Canada and France as these are the top five North American and European countries that generate the highest gaming revenue, according to https://newzoo.com/insights/rankings/top-10-countries-by-game-revenues/.
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GamblingDeals used https://howlongtobeat.com to find out how long each game takes for full completion.
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2025 First Quarter Results
Churchill Downs Incorporated Reports 2025 First Quarter Results

Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN) (the “Company”, “CDI”, “we”) today reported business results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2025.
Company Highlights
- First quarter 2025 financial results, as compared to the prior year quarter:
- Record net revenue of $642.6 million, up $51.7 million or 9%
- Net income attributable to CDI of $76.7 million, down $3.7 million or 5%
- Record Adjusted EBITDA of $245.1 million, up $2.6 million or 1%
- We opened Owensboro Racing and Gaming in Western Kentucky in February 2025, with 600 historical racing machines, a retail sportsbook, simulcast wagering, and food and beverage offerings.
- We announced two new projects at Churchill Downs Racetrack that will enhance the 152nd Kentucky Derby experience for our guests in the Finish Line Suites and The Mansion. We also announced that we are pausing The Skye, Conservatory, and Infield General Admission capital projects due to the current economic environment.
- In February 2025, we closed the seventh amendment of the Credit Agreement, which reduced the interest rate for Term Loan B-1 and eliminated the 0.10% credit spread adjustment.
- In March 2025, the Board of Directors approved a new $500 million share repurchase program.
- We ended the first quarter of 2025 with net bank leverage of 4.0x and returned $119.5 million of capital to our shareholders through share repurchases and dividends.
- We repurchased $89.4 million of shares in the first quarter of 2025.
- On January 3, 2025, we paid a $0.409 per share dividend to shareholders of record as of December 6, 2024, which represents the fourteenth consecutive year of an increased dividend per share.
CONSOLIDATED RESULTS |
First Quarter | |||||||
(in millions, except per share data) | 2025 | 2024 | |||||
Net revenue | $ | 642.6 | $ | 590.9 | |||
Net income attributable to CDI | $ | 76.7 | $ | 80.4 | |||
Diluted EPS attributable to CDI | $ | 1.02 | $ | 1.08 | |||
Adjusted EBITDA(a) | $ | 245.1 | $ | 242.5 | |||
(a) This is a non-GAAP measure. See explanation of non-GAAP measures below. |
SEGMENT RESULTS |
The summaries below present revenue from external customers and intercompany revenue from each of our reportable segments. All comparisons are against the applicable prior year period unless otherwise noted.
Live and Historical Racing
First Quarter | |||||||
(in millions) | 2025 | 2024 | |||||
Revenue | $ | 276.4 | $ | 248.9 | |||
Adjusted EBITDA | 102.0 | 100.8 | |||||
First Quarter 2025
First quarter 2025 revenue increased $27.5 million due to an $18.2 million increase at our Virginia HRM venues, an $8.9 million increase from our Kentucky HRM venues, and a $0.4 million increase from our other Live and Historical Racing properties. The Virginia HRM increase of $18.2 million was primarily due to the November 2024 opening of The Rose Gaming Resort in Northern Virginia, partially offset by a decrease from our other Virginia HRM venues primarily due to lower unrated play from consumer softness and competition, the impact of weather, and one less day in the quarter due to the 2024 leap year. The Kentucky HRM increase of $8.9 million was primarily due to the February 2025 opening of Owensboro Racing and Gaming in Western Kentucky and growth from our Northern and Southwestern Kentucky properties, partially offset by a decrease at our Louisville properties due to the impact of weather and one less day in the quarter due to 2024 leap year.
First quarter 2025 Adjusted EBITDA increased $1.2 million due to a $3.1 million increase at our Kentucky HRM venues, partially offset by a $1.9 million decrease primarily from our Virginia HRM venues. Our Kentucky HRM venues increase was primarily due to the February 2025 opening of Owensboro Racing and Gaming in Western Kentucky and growth at our Northern and Southwestern Kentucky properties, partially offset by a decrease from our Louisville properties due to the impact of weather and one less day in the quarter due to the 2024 leap year. Our Virginia HRM venues decreased $2.0 million primarily due to lower unrated play from consumer softness and competition, the impact of weather, increased handle tax and racing-related expenses, and one less day in the quarter due to the 2024 leap year, partially offset by the November 2024 opening of The Rose Gaming Resort.
Wagering Services and Solutions
First Quarter | |||||||
(in millions) | 2025 | 2024 | |||||
Revenue | $ | 115.8 | $ | 114.1 | |||
Adjusted EBITDA | 41.3 | 39.6 | |||||
First Quarter 2025
First quarter 2025 revenue increased $1.7 million due to a $3.1 million increase from Exacta due to incremental HRMs in Virginia and New Hampshire and a $0.8 million increase in TwinSpires Horse Racing. These increases were partially offset by a $2.2 million decrease from our sports betting business.
First quarter 2025 Adjusted EBITDA increased $1.7 million due to a $3.8 million increase from Exacta due to a $2.7 million increase primarily from incremental HRMs in Virginia and New Hampshire and a $1.1 million decrease from lower compensation expense. These increases were partially offset by a $1.1 million decrease from our sports betting business and a $1.0 million decrease from TwinSpires Horse Racing due to increased legal expenses.
Gaming
First Quarter | |||||||
(in millions) | 2025 | 2024 | |||||
Revenue | $ | 267.2 | $ | 243.2 | |||
Adjusted EBITDA | 123.5 | 122.8 | |||||
First Quarter 2025
First quarter 2025 revenue increased $24.0 million due to a $31.6 million increase from the April 2024 opening of the Terre Haute Casino Resort, partially offset by a $7.6 million decrease primarily due to regional gaming softness, increased competition, one less day in the quarter due to the 2024 leap year, and the impact of weather at certain properties.
First quarter 2025 Adjusted EBITDA increased $0.7 million due to an $11.5 million increase attributable to the opening of the Terre Haute Casino Resort in April 2024, partially offset by a $6.6 million decrease from our wholly owned gaming properties and a $4.2 million decrease from our equity investments primarily due to regional gaming softness, increased competition, higher labor and benefit expense, one less day in the quarter due to the 2024 leap year, and the impact of weather at certain properties.
All Other
First Quarter | |||||||
(in millions) | 2025 | 2024 | |||||
Revenue | $ | 2.0 | $ | — | |||
Adjusted EBITDA | (21.7 | ) | (20.7 | ) | |||
First Quarter 2025
First quarter 2025 revenue increased $2.0 million increased due to intercompany revenue related to the captive insurance company that was established in April 2024. All captive revenue is eliminated in consolidation.
First quarter 2025 Adjusted EBITDA decreased $1.0 million driven primarily by increased corporate compensation-related expenses and other corporate administrative expenses as a result of enterprise growth.
CAPITAL MANAGEMENT |
Share Repurchase Program
On March 12, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a common stock repurchase program of up to $500 million (“2025 Stock Repurchase Program”). The 2025 Stock Repurchase Program includes and is not in addition to the $125.6 million remaining under the prior 2021 Stock Repurchase Program authorization.
The Company repurchased 798,250 shares of its common stock at a total cost of $89.4 million in the first quarter of 2025. We had approximately $434.6 million of repurchase authority remaining under the 2025 Stock Repurchase Program as of March 31, 2025.
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO CDI |
First Quarter 2025 Results
The Company’s first quarter 2025 net income attributable to CDI was $76.7 million compared to $80.4 million in the prior year quarter.
The following factors impacted the comparability of the Company’s first quarter 2025 net income to the prior year quarter:
- a $6.7 million after-tax decrease in other recoveries, net primarily driven by insurance claim proceeds recorded in the prior year quarter.
This was partially offset by:
- a $5.6 million after-tax decrease in transaction, pre-opening, and other expenses.
Excluding the items above, first quarter 2025 adjusted net income attributable to CDI decreased $4.8 million primarily due to the following:
- a $3.0 million after-tax decrease in equity income from our unconsolidated affiliates;
- a $2.0 million after-tax increase in interest expense associated with lower capitalization of interest related to capital projects in the current year, partially offset by lower interest rates; and
- a $0.5 million after-tax decrease due a portion of United Tote’s income being recognized as noncontrolling interest.
This was partially offset by:
- a $0.7 million after-tax increase primarily driven by the results of our operations.
Conference Call
A conference call regarding this news release is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 9 a.m. ET. Investors and other interested parties may listen to the teleconference by accessing the online, real-time webcast and broadcast of the call at http://ir.churchilldownsincorporated.com/events.cfm, or by registering in advance via teleconference here. Once registration is completed, participants will be provided with a dial-in number containing a personalized conference code to access the call. All participants are encouraged to dial-in 15 minutes prior to the start time. An online replay will be available by noon ET on Thursday, April 24, 2025. A copy of the Company’s news release announcing quarterly results and relevant financial and statistical information about the period will be accessible at www.churchilldownsincorporated.com.
Use of Non-GAAP Measures
In addition to the results provided in accordance with GAAP, the Company also uses non-GAAP measures, including adjusted net income, adjusted diluted EPS, EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization), and Adjusted EBITDA.
The Company uses non-GAAP measures as a key performance measure of the results of operations for purposes of evaluating performance internally. These measures facilitate comparison of operating performance between periods and help investors to better understand the operating results of the Company by excluding certain items that may not be indicative of the Company’s core business or operating results. The Company believes the use of these measures enables management and investors to evaluate and compare, from period to period, the Company’s operating performance in a meaningful and consistent manner. The non-GAAP measures are a supplemental measure of our performance that is not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP, and should not be considered as an alternative to, or more meaningful than, net income or diluted EPS (as determined in accordance with GAAP) as a measure of our operating results.
We use Adjusted EBITDA to evaluate segment performance, develop strategy, and allocate resources. We utilize the Adjusted EBITDA metric to provide a more accurate measure of our core operating results and enable management and investors to evaluate and compare from period to period our operating performance in a meaningful and consistent manner. Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as an alternative to operating income as an indicator of performance, as an alternative to cash flows from operating activities as a measure of liquidity, or as an alternative to any other measure provided in accordance with GAAP. Our calculation of Adjusted EBITDA may be different from the calculation used by other companies and, therefore, comparability may be limited.
Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted EPS exclude discontinued operations net income or loss; net income or loss attributable to noncontrolling interest; transaction expense, which includes acquisition and disposition related charges, as well as legal, accounting, and other deal-related expense; pre-opening expense; and certain other gains, charges, recoveries, and expenses.
Adjusted EBITDA includes our portion of EBITDA from our equity investments and the portion of EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interest.
Adjusted EBITDA excludes, as applicable in each period:
- Transaction expense, net which includes:
- Acquisition, disposition, and property sale related charges;
- Other transaction expense, including legal, accounting, and other deal-related expense;
- Stock-based compensation expense;
- Rivers Des Plaines’ impact on our investments in unconsolidated affiliates from legal reserves and transaction costs;
- Asset impairments;
- Gain on property sales;
- Legal reserves;
- Pre-opening expense; and
- Other charges, recoveries, and expenses.
For segment reporting, Adjusted EBITDA includes intercompany revenue and expense totals that are eliminated in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income. See the Reconciliation of Comprehensive Income to Adjusted EBITDA included herewith for additional information.
The post Churchill Downs Incorporated Reports 2025 First Quarter Results appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Conferences
R. Franco Digital is getting ready to shine at GAT Expo Cartagena 2025 with its most comprehensive offering of land-based and digital gaming

Franco Digital has confirmed its participation in GAT Expo Cartagena 2025, one of the most iconic gaming industry events in Latin America, which will take place from April 28 to 30 in the walled city.
The Spanish company will bring to the trade show its latest lineup of products for the retail, platform, and online gaming segments, reinforcing its commitment to innovation, technology, and the development of the industry in the region.
The event, renowned for bringing together the industry’s key players, will feature an outstanding agenda including international-level conferences, product exhibitions, and much more. Attendees will take part in panels and roundtable discussions focused on regulations, market trends, and innovation.
In this context, R. Franco will showcase its solid portfolio of land-based products, highlighting successful titles such as Rocket Link, Ice & Fire, and Boom Balink, along with its On Mix solution designed for route operations. Additionally, the digital division will present its advanced online gaming platform, and a portfolio of titles created to maximize both player experience and operator profitability.
Javier Sacristán, director of R. Franco International, said: “GAT Expo is a must-attend event for us. Colombia is a key and constantly evolving market. That’s why we are fully committed to delivering solutions that meet the needs of both operators and their customers, combining innovation, design, and profitability.
“Our presence at this trade show reflects the Group’s commitment to Latin America. We are presenting a comprehensive offering that meets the new demands of the market—from next-generation land-based games to a powerful digital proposition that reinforces our position as a global provider.”
GAT Expo Cartagena represents a valuable opportunity to continue building alliances with new strategic partners in the region and to strengthen existing business relationships, all within a setting that blends a high level of professionalism with the cultural, culinary, and natural charm of Cartagena de Indias.
With this comprehensive presence, R. Franco and R. Franco Digital reaffirm their commitment to the Latin American market and to a gaming industry that is safe, sustainable, and innovative.
The post R. Franco Digital is getting ready to shine at GAT Expo Cartagena 2025 with its most comprehensive offering of land-based and digital gaming appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
Appodeal Publishing
Appodeal’s 2025 Mobile Casual Benchmarks report shows hybrid casual games significantly outperforming hypercasual when it comes to ad-based monetization

Appodeal Publishing, part of Appodeal Ad Mediation Solution for Mobile Apps and Games that helps developers and studios launch and scale their games, today released its latest report, which takes a deep dive into the casual mobile games category, sharing a wealth of data on the best and worst performing casual game genres and subgenres. The report found that, while the best-performing hypercasual games are still delivering the biggest number of installs, the amount of advertising revenue per user they are generating is much lower than games using a hybrid casual approach, where games offer players a deeper level of engagement whilst still being designed to be easy to pick up and play.
The ‘Mobile Casual Benchmarks Report 2025’ is based on data from billions of installs of more than 10,000 mobile casual games by US users between June 2024 and January 2025. The data is drawn specifically from installs of Android apps.
With the vast majority of free-to-play mobile games using in-game advertising as a key revenue generator, ensuring a game generates enough engagement and longevity for ads to be displayed to the player is key. While hypercasual games remain a popular choice, Appodeal’s data shows a strong case for developers and publishers to be exploring hybrid casual game design over pure hypercasual, with deeper engagement mechanics – such as progression systems, collection elements, and light RPG or simulation features – allowing for a mix of ad monetization and in-app purchases (IAP).
Some of the key takeaways from the report include:
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Hypercasual games have a low ARPU of $0.86 on average, compared to Party and Match genre games, which generate the highest ad revenue, with an ARPU of $4.90 and $2.99, respectively. These two genres are the most lucrative when it comes to ad-supported monetization models.
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When it comes to monetization, the best-performing subgenre is Merge 3, with an ad ARPU of $14.83 This is considerably ahead of the next best-performing subgenre, Luck Battle games (games which use a random battle element to drive engagement), which have an ARPU of $12.23. Running and slicing themed games had the lowest ad ARPU amongst the subgenres looked at, at $2.34 and $2.19.
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Puzzle and Match Games rely heavily on ads, with the highest number of interstitials (72.5 and 36.5 per user), rewarded video (23.4 and 39.1 per user), and banner ads (241.5 and 114.3 per user). Finding the balance between ad frequency and user experience is critical; otherwise, retention will be affected.
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Rewarded Video works well in Merge and Idle games, with Merge 3 games serving an average of 101.5 videos per user, and Idle 73.2. This shows that the gameplay and meta mechanics of these titles naturally encourage users to watch ads for added in-game benefits.
“We know that the popularity of hypercasual games has passed its peak, and the data in our Mobile Casual Benchmarks report shows a continuing shift from hypercasual to hybrid casual games,” said Tanya Moroz, General Manager at Appodeal. “Despite hypercasual games still leading in terms of downloads, they suffer from low ad ARPU and poor retention. Hybrid casual games, by contrast, combine mass-market appeal with deeper engagement mechanics, significantly improving retention and monetization. We expect to see more developers and publishers shifting their strategy towards these kinds of games, which offer a richer gameplay experience coupled with better revenue potential.”
With genre-level and subgenre-level breakdowns across critical KPIs like retention, session time, ARPU, and ad formats, the report is aimed at mobile game developers, studios and publishers working in the casual to mid-core space, especially those currently developing hypercasual or ad-driven titles, and who want to make more informed genre choices and design decisions.
The post Appodeal’s 2025 Mobile Casual Benchmarks report shows hybrid casual games significantly outperforming hypercasual when it comes to ad-based monetization appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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