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PAPYRUS & YGAM unite in their missions to keep young people safe

Published

5 years ago

December 11, 2020

Reading Time: 3 minutes

As UK Charity Week (7-13 December) draws to a close, the Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM) is celebrating a unique partnership with suicide-prevention charity PAPYRUS, coming together to raise awareness of the harms affecting young people.

Both charities use educational workshops to help young people understand the potential risks and prevent future generations experiencing harm. YGAM specialise in gaming and gambling-related harm prevention whilst PAPYRUS’s mission is to reduce the number of young people who take their own lives by shattering the stigma around suicide.

As well as aligning their missions to safeguard future generations, the two charities also have another poignant link. PAPYRUS was founded in 1997 by a mother, Jean Kerr, from Lancashire following the loss of her son to suicide. YGAM was founded by Anne Evans in response to her own son Alan tragically taking his own life following a long battle with a gambling addiction. These sad stories are at the heart of everything both charities do, and their foundations form a powerful social purpose informed by lived experience.

Ged Flynn, Chief Executive of PAPYRUS, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with YGAM and are looking at ways in which we can come together to support young people. We hear from young people every day on our helpline HOPELINEUK who are struggling with thoughts of suicide. Whilst there is never one sole reason that may lead a young person think suicide is an option, we know that gaming and gambling can be a contributory factor for some.”

“By working in partnership with YGAM we are able to better understand how gaming and gambling can impact on a young person’s mental health and offer the appropriate support. We know that this partnership will help to save lives.”

The team at YGAM have now received SP-ARK training from PAPYRUS. This enabled YGAM to reflect on their personal and organisational approach to discussing and reducing the stigma surrounding suicide in day-to-day life. It also highlighted and reaffirmed the importance of self-care, a key message that is included within YGAM’s own training where they seek to inform, educate, and safeguard young and vulnerable people.

Members of the PAPYRUS team has also undergone YGAM’s free training which covers information on gaming and gambling and provide the tools needed to protect people from the risks of gambling and gaming-related harm, including lesson plans, activities, signs to look out for and information on where to go for advice and support. All training sessions have been assured by City & Guilds and the resources have been approved by the PHSE Association.

Sandy Thompson, the YGAM Education Manager for Greater London, said: “It was fantastic to train more of our colleagues from PAPYRUS, working together to continue our shared commitment to improve young lives by increasing awareness around these crucial issues.”

She continued: “PAPYRUS provide vital support to young people struggling with thoughts of suicide, whilst also engaging and building awareness in communities, and training organisations and groups. Working together in partnership is a crucial step in highlighting these important areas and continuing to provide the support and information that our young people desperately need.”

Suicide is the biggest killer of young people under 35 in the UK. Every year many thousands more attempt or contemplate suicide, harm themselves or suffer alone, afraid to speak openly about how they are feeling. PAPYRUS believes that many young suicides are preventable, and today the charity engages communities and volunteers in suicide prevention projects and delivers training programmes to individuals and groups.

UK Charity Week is a campaign designed to give the people of the United Kingdom an opportunity to place awareness and fundraising for charities high on the national agenda.

Amigo Gaming

VeliGames adds 10 studios as content library tops 35,000 games

Published

8 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

veligames-adds-10-studios-as-content-library-tops-35,000-games

VeliTech’s aggregator names Amigo Gaming, Playnetic, FA CHAI Gaming and GameBeat among new partners.

VeliGames, the aggregation platform from VeliTech, has expanded its supplier roster with 10 additional content studios, the company said on 14 April 2026. The aggregator now offers “35,000+” games from “160+” suppliers via its Single API.

New providers now available through VeliGames are Amigo Gaming, Playnetic, FA CHAI Gaming, GameBeat, Ready Play Gaming, Slot Mart, Dynabit Gaming, EEAI, IMK 365 and Triple Cherry. VeliGames also distributes its exclusive in-house studios VeliPlay (crash and instant games) and Heaven of 7 (slots).

The company said the expansion is aimed at helping operators diversify and localise their game lobbies for emerging markets through a single integration. VeliGames said its catalogue spans slots, live casino, scratch cards, table and crash games, with tailoring for Asia, Africa and Latin America, including “regionally adjusted pricing” and back-office capabilities.

Irakli Kakhidze, CEO at VeliGames, said: “Our technology is shaped by real-world operator needs, and that’s why VeliGames is a plug-and-play solution that allows operators to access more than 35,000 titles from 160+ providers, plus market-ready customisation, and robust engagement and reporting tools.

“VeliGames has established itself as a partner that understands the business of gaming, not just the code, and these integrations are a testament to that.

“The Single API approach only delivers real value when it is built on battle-tested technology. That has made VeliGames the go-to choice for operators in high-growth markets across the world.”

Revaz Janelidze, Operations Lead at VeliGames, added: “At VeliGames, we live and breathe content, and that’s why we pull out all the stops to constantly bring remarkable providers to our platform.

“These are studios that are pushing boundaries to deliver never seen before themes, mechanics, bonuses and formats, and in doing so are tearing up the rulebook for iGaming content.

“We look forward to seeing our clients strengthen their casino lobbies with the likes of Amigo Gaming, Playnetic and others, while we’re already hard at work on the next round of integrations, so watch this space.”

The post VeliGames adds 10 studios as content library tops 35,000 games appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Broadcaster Video on Demand

Comparasino launches three-month ITVX BVOD ad campaign

Published

8 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

comparasino-launches-three-month-itvx-bvod-ad-campaign

Leeds-based casino comparison platform spotlights its Recommendation Engine and Member Zone in exclusive ITVX placement.

Comparasino has launched a three-month Broadcaster Video on Demand (BVOD) advertising campaign running exclusively on ITVX, starting Tuesday 14 April, 2026. The Leeds-based online casino comparison platform said the campaign will run across ITVX premium prime-time programming and hit shows.

Check out the ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqAM4KOi3UQ

The company said the creative focuses on its proprietary Recommendation Engine, positioning it as an alternative to static casino list formats. Comparasino said the tool asks users for preferences such as bonuses, payment methods and minimum deposits, then returns matches from UK Gambling Commission (UKGC)-licensed brands.

Comparasino also pointed to its free-to-join Member Zone, which allows users to save preferences and a list of matches. The company said the portal’s automation engine surfaces new matches in real time as additional casino partners are added, and that members can receive brand-launch news and profile-based bonus offers.

Martyn Hannah, Co-founder and CEO of Comparasino, said: “Advertising on ITVX is a transformative step for us. For too long, the online casino search process has been a ‘one size fits all’ experience. Our mission is to humanise that journey by putting the player’s specific needs first.

“By launching this three-month campaign on a platform as prestigious as ITVX, we’re not just building brand awareness, we are showing the UK public that there is a smarter, safer and more tailored way to play.”

Comparasino said all brands featured on its platform are licensed by the UK Gambling Commission, positioning compliance and player protection as central to its UK-facing proposition.

The post Comparasino launches three-month ITVX BVOD ad campaign appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

blask

Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand

Published

8 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

blask-data:-lottery-drives-78%-of-france’s-gambling-search-demand

New category-level analysis breaks down non-branded iGaming demand by vertical across France, Brazil, India, Italy and Switzerland.

Blask says lottery-related queries account for around 78% of total gambling search demand in France, outweighing online casino (~10%) and live dealer, betting and poker (each ~4%). The company positions the data as evidence that sports betting is not the primary driver of gambling demand in every market.

Blask said the figures come from non-branded search data and are part of a new category-level analysis feature designed to break down demand across verticals and subcategories within each market. The tool is intended to help operators compare player intent across jurisdictions, including “lottery in France, football betting in Brazil, or culturally driven formats in India.”

Outside France, Blask’s data shows Brazil is more betting-led, with online betting at ~52% of demand, which the company attributes largely to football. Lottery represents ~25%, fantasy sports ~11%, while casino (~6%) and live dealer (~2%) remain smaller segments.

India is described as more evenly distributed, with lottery at ~35% and live dealer at ~29%, and online casino, betting and fantasy each at roughly 10%. In Europe, Italy’s demand is reported as seasonally influenced by football, with fantasy sports leading at ~37%, while Switzerland is presented as casino-first, with online casino at ~38%.

Across the markets analysed, Blask said two themes recur: older categories often remain the biggest, and regulation heavily shapes demand. Where certain verticals are restricted, the company said interest tends to shift into adjacent or offshore segments rather than disappearing.

The post Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.