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BGC spokesperson Wes Himes shares insights on the gambling industry under the current national lockdown in exclusive interview with Online Bingo

Published

5 years ago

January 25, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Wes Himes at the BGC praises the success of the measures ensuring gambling remains safe and responsible, throughout this lockdown and beyond.

Bingo comparison site Online Bingo releases exclusive interview with Wes Himes of the BGC
Himes speaks of the successes of the BGC regarding its safer gambling tools
He asserts that casino venues were safe for reopening during the tier system put in place late last year
The BCG will continue to work with the government to ensure that land-based venues can reopen when possible
Himes expresses confidence in the regulations venues have in place to protect players from over gambling during the pandemic

In a two part series, Hannah Timoney of Online Bingo interviewed Wes Himes, Executive Director of Standards and Innovation of the BGC, to discuss the successes of the BGC and its continued mission to raise awareness for gambling harm.

In the first of the two interviews, https://onlinebingo.co.uk/news/interview-with-wes-himes-bgc, Himes discussed the success of the BGC since its foundation, and how the aims of the standards body have changed since the effects of coronavirus and lockdown shook the industry.

He talked about the BGC’s “extraordinarily positive feedback” over the year and praised the BGC’s implementation of new safer gambling tools, such as the whistle-to-whistle ban and the ad-tech code which increased the sensitivity level for access to age-related products on social media. He also hints that “there will be a number of other measures coming out around bonuses”, though did not share what that could entail.

The second interview focused on the national lockdowns. https://onlinebingo.co.uk/news/interview-with-wes-himes-part-2 Most notably, Himes spoke on the BGC’s call for land-based casinos to reopen during the tier system late last year, which he justified by insisting that casinos had “invested a tremendous amount of time and resources” into putting precautionary measures in place which were sufficient enough to mitigate infection risks.

He assures us these measures will continue if and when land-based venues are allowed to reopen, which he is eager to happen, saying “We are committed to continuing to explore with the government, as and when the time comes, what we can do to ensure that those premises can open.“

He went on to express confidence in the regulations venues have in place to protect players from over gambling, whether that behaviour is caused by the stresses of the pandemic or not. He says “these are the types of measures that we continue to raise standards on, these do help provide a very safe environment of play to the customers.”

Editor of Online Bingo, Max Wright, says “We’re thrilled to be able to speak to important members of the industry like Wes, and offer our readers some deeper context into issues like tackling problem gambling and improving legislation, which can sometimes be portrayed in an entirely negative light by the wider media.”

Online Bingo will continue to provide our audience of bingo and slots fans with informed insights from important gambling industry figureheads in order to shine a light on the decision making that affects gameplay and protects players from harm.

GCGRA

South African expat wins AED 5m in The UAE Lottery’s Wednesday Lucky Day draw

Published

29 minutes ago

May 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

south-african-expat-wins-aed-5m-in-the-uae-lottery’s-wednesday-lucky-day-draw

A 39-year-old South African expat, Branden Tekram, has won AED 5 million in The UAE Lottery’s Lucky Day draw, according to the operator. The company said the win marks “the first time the second prize has been won on a Wednesday draw since its recent introduction.”

Tekram said he discovered the result while checking email. “It’s still overwhelming and unbelievable. I don’t know how to explain it. I mean, I’m a millionaire in Dubai,” he said. He added that he told his wife at home and they “sat there in disbelief.”

The winner said the family plans to take a staged approach to using the money, including funding a prototype linked to a patent application his wife is working on, and potentially moving into a villa. He also said the win could help them access additional support for their son.

The operator said it has awarded more than AED 300 million in prizes to more than 340,000 winners across its portfolio, including Lucky Day, Scratch Cards, and E-Instants. Lucky Day draws run every Wednesday and Saturday, with prizes including the AED 30 million grand prize and AED 5 million second prize. The company said all games are regulated by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).

The post South African expat wins AED 5m in The UAE Lottery’s Wednesday Lucky Day draw appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

game release

Spinomenal adds Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3 to slot portfolio

Published

29 minutes ago

May 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

spinomenal-adds-desperado-drifter-hold-&-hit-3×3-to-slot-portfolio

Spinomenal has released The Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3, the latest addition to its Hold & Hit portfolio.

The Western-themed slot uses a 3×3 bonus grid and features a Wild symbol (a bag of gems) that substitutes for all symbols except Bonus and Bonus Collect. Bonus coins land on reels one and three, while the Bonus Collect coin lands on reel two.

When Bonus Collect lands alongside one or more Bonus symbols, the game triggers an Instant Win Feature that collects the values and adds them directly to the player’s balance. The same symbol combination also starts the Bonus Game, with triggering symbols locked in place and three spins awarded initially.

During the Bonus Game, only Bonus and Bonus Collect symbols can appear. Spins can apply multipliers of x1, x2, x5, x7, x10 and x15, and the feature includes jackpots set at Mini (x25 total bet), Minor (x50 total bet), Major (x150 total bet) and Grand (x5,000 total bet) for filling all nine positions. The spin counter resets each time a new symbol lands.

Spinomenal CO-CEO, Omer Henya, commented: “The Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3 gives players the chance to join a high-stakes Wild West adventure. Smart visuals, nail-biting gameplay and a four-tier jackpot peaking at x5,000 make this a title that will keep players coming back for more.”

The post Spinomenal adds Desperado Drifter Hold & Hit 3×3 to slot portfolio appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Affiliate Succes

Kwiff appoints RavenTrack as primary affiliate tracking provider

Published

29 minutes ago

May 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

kwiff-appoints-raventrack-as-primary-affiliate-tracking-provider

Kwiff has appointed RavenTrack as its primary affiliate tracking provider, as the sports betting operator looks to strengthen oversight and reporting across its affiliate channel.

The companies said the partnership will see Kwiff integrate RavenTrack’s platform-as-a-service tracking technology to support “greater transparency, accuracy, and efficiency” for its affiliate programme.

Kate Scowen, sales and growth manager at RavenTrack, said: “From our very first conversation, it was clear that Kwiff were looking for more than just a tracking platform, they needed a partner who could genuinely match their ambition and long-term strategic vision. We’re truly grateful that Kwiff chose RavenTrack in what was a highly competitive process, and I’m personally proud to have helped bring the partnership together.”

Jack Milner, campaign manager at Kwiff, added: “RavenTrack came highly recommended and with a strong track record within the iGaming sphere. We have enjoyed a fantastic start, working with their brilliant and incredibly helpful team and I look forward to a long and fruitful partnership together.”

Kwiff said the move supports its ongoing expansion across the UK and international markets, and that RavenTrack will provide infrastructure to manage affiliate data and optimise ROI for the channel.

The post Kwiff appoints RavenTrack as primary affiliate tracking provider appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.