Latest News
3 in 10 Brits Have Skipped a Shower or a Meal to Play Video Games in Lockdown
More Brits than ever played video games last year to beat the boredom of staying home, and our third lockdown in 2021 has seen the trend gain even more traction. With games being released on more platforms, and more genres than ever now is an excellent time to be a gamer!
Fresh Student Living took a deep dive into the gaming industry in the UK to see just what an impact Covid has had on gaming.
More than four in ten UK gamers say they’ve been gaming more during the COVID-19 outbreak (43%). Plus, UK gamers now make up over two thirds of the population (67%); six in ten of this group say they play mobile games (52%); a quarter PC games (25%); and three in ten console games (28%).
When the pandemic first put a stop to everyday life, the gaming world expanded with regular players putting in even more time, and new people joining the trend to connect with friends, kill time and indulge in much-needed escapism. As more people picked up controllers, the UK gaming population exploded by a whopping 63%! People reported feeling happier and calmer, with a higher sense of freedom, thanks to how immersive the best video games are.
The Average Gamer Spent the Equivalent of 39 Days Playing Last Year
Games like FIFA 21, Call of Duty, Animal Crossing and Last of Us were some of the most played games of 2020, with 3 in 10 people skipping showers and meals to play uninterrupted. Almost 6 in 10 Brits also admit to losing sleep due to gaming sessions.
Pre lockdown, the average gamer spent around 13 hours a week playing their favourites. This increased by 5 hours during lockdown with Brits spending 18 hours or more exploring new worlds online – that’s equivalent to 39 whole days spent gaming!
The average gamer usually sets aside a conservative 1-3 hours to play, but in the UK, at least 3% of the population confesses to playing for 15 hours or more in one sitting.
What Video Games is Everyone Playing?
Most Played Video Games of 2020 According to Units Sold
FIFA 21 dominated in 2020 as one of the most anticipated games in the UK, with around 14 games selling per second in the UK last year.
- FIFA 21 (2.18 million)
- Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (1.4 million)
- Grand Theft Auto 5 (1.1 million)
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons (800,000)
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (660,000)
- The Last of Us Part II (530,000)
- NBA 2K20 (480,000)
- Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege (430,000)
More Brits Are Hooked on Video Games
Lockdown has given us all more time to kill, and today the split between male and female video gamers is strictly 50-50. In the UK, 54% of men and women play a game most days, lowering stress and connecting with others being two of the primary motivators.
Multiplayer Games Keep us Connected
With time to kill and social distancing in effect for most of last year, multiplayer games’ popularity soared as more people jumped online to chat and connect. Even ex-gamers again picked up their controllers to join online communities playing games like Call of Duty, Animal Crossing or Fortnite.
Unsurprisingly, lockdown saw most Brits opt for action-packed and interactive genres, with most gamers choosing fighting, action and huge multiplayer Battle Royale games with lots of other players!
Most played genres in 2020
- Fighting – 81%
- Action – 79%
- Massively multiplayer online games – 78%
- Multiplayer online battle arena games – 75%
The Rise of Covideogamers in 2021
Lockdown has massively changed the gaming community across the world. In the UK, younger gamers spend loads of time playing while self-isolating and spend around two hours a month watching other people play online – a pastime that has increased since lockdown began.
The pandemic has also created a whole new subgenre of gamers known as Covideogamers, who exclusively started gaming during lockdown. Compared to 36% of existing gamers between the ages of 18 – 34, Covideogamers now make up 46% of the population in the same age group – 35% of these new gamers have also admitted it’s so relaxing and stress-relieving, they’re going to start playing more, long after lockdown ends!
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Argentina
Win Systems deploys Wigos CMS at Casino City Center Rosario, linking 2,500+ slots
The Argentina rollout adds player tracking and QR-based cashless payments via Win Pay, the company says.
Win Systems has implemented its Wigos casino management system (CMS) at Casino City Center Rosario in Argentina, connecting more than 2,500 slot machines to operate and report in real time. The supplier announced the deployment on May 4, 2026.
According to Win Systems, the Wigos rollout centralizes operational management across gaming and customer-facing functions, with modular components spanning slots, tables, players, promotions, and payments. The company said the installation is designed to support operator oversight and decision-making through a single real-time view.
The project also introduces new functionality at the venue, including Player Tracking for player identification and management, and the activation of “Fun Plays.” Win Systems also said the site can enable a QR-based cashless option that allows players to load credit directly to a machine from a bank account or electronic wallet, via its Win Pay payment management platform.
Francisco de Moya, CEO of Halkkon Capital Partners, commented: “This launch represents an important step in the technological evolution of our operation, allowing us to optimize management, enhance the customer experience, and lay the groundwork for future developments.”
Eric Benchimol, CEO of Win Systems, added: “The deployment of Wigos at City Center Rosario is a clear example of how our technology adapts to large-scale operations, enabling operators to optimize processes, improve the player experience, and evolve toward increasingly digitalized models.” Darío Zutel, Executive Chairman of Win Systems, said: “This implementation is part of our growth strategy in the region and reflects our commitment to supporting operators with robust, scalable, and future-ready technology.”
The post Win Systems deploys Wigos CMS at Casino City Center Rosario, linking 2,500+ slots appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Win Systems drives its expansion with the implementation of Wigos CMS at Casino City Center Rosario
Win Systems takes another step forward in its international expansion plan with the launch of Wigos CMS at Casino City Center Rosario, strengthening its presence in one of Argentina’s leading entertainment destinations. The installation connects more than 2,500 slot machines, all operating and reporting in real time, reinforcing the operator’s efficiency, control, and decision-making capabilities.
Wigos is the casino management system designed to centralize operations, optimize processes, and provide a complete real-time view of the business. Its scalable and modular architecture allows it to adapt to large-scale operations, integrating slots, tables, players, promotions, and payment management, all under the highest security and regulatory compliance standards. This implementation at City Center Rosario further reinforces Wigos’ role as a key platform for the modernization and digitalization of casino operations.
Casino City Center Rosario is one of the country’s most important entertainment complexes, recognized for its broad offering of gaming, hospitality, gastronomy, and live shows, as well as for its continuous commitment to innovation and operational excellence. Its vision, focused on modernization and the continuous improvement of customer experience, makes it a benchmark within the gaming industry in the region.
This milestone also marks the beginning of new key functionalities within the operation, such as the implementation of Player Tracking for player identification and management, along with the activation of Fun Plays, which bring greater dynamism, engagement, and value to the player experience. In line with the industry’s shift toward increasingly digitalized environments, the project also introduces the possibility for players to load gaming credit directly onto the machine from a bank account or electronic wallet, securely and instantly, through an interoperable QR code. This solution, part of the Win Pay payment management platform, drives a more agile and secure cashless model aligned with the evolving demands of the market.
Francisco de Moya, CEO of Halkkon Capital Partners, commented: “This launch represents an important step in the technological evolution of our operation, allowing us to optimize management, enhance the customer experience, and lay the groundwork for future developments.”
Eric Benchimol, CEO of Win Systems, added: “The deployment of Wigos at City Center Rosario is a clear example of how our technology adapts to large-scale operations, enabling operators to optimize processes, improve the player experience, and evolve toward increasingly digitalized models.”
“This implementation is part of our growth strategy in the region and reflects our commitment to supporting operators with robust, scalable, and future-ready technology,” said Darío Zutel, Executive Chairman of Win Systems. “Moving forward together with a benchmark such as City Center Rosario allows us to further strengthen our positioning and deliver real value to the operation.”
With this new installation, Win Systems reinforces its commitment to the Argentine market and continues to steadily advance its expansion strategy, supporting leading operators with state-of-the-art technological solutions.
The post Win Systems drives its expansion with the implementation of Wigos CMS at Casino City Center Rosario appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Aggregator
SOFTSWISS wins ‘Aggregator of the Year’ at SBC Awards Europe 2026
SOFTSWISS has solidified its leadership position in the European iGaming market by winning the Game Aggregator of the Year category.
The recognition took place during the prestigious SBC Awards Europe 2026 ceremony, held on April 30 in Malta.
The event served as the official closing of the SBC Summit Malta, bringing together the industry’s top operators, suppliers, and regulators.
The award highlights the platform’s ability to provide content scalability and high-impact engagement tools for its global partners.
Technical performance and scale at the industry’s core
With a portfolio exceeding 40,000 titles, the SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator connects operators with over 300 providers across 24 regulated jurisdictions.
Beyond volume, technical stability remains a key pillar, maintaining a 99.999% uptime even during peak traffic loads.
Tatyana Kaminskaya, Head of SOFTSWISS Game Aggregator, celebrated the win in Malta, often considered the capital of the iGaming world.
According to Kaminskaya, the award reflects the team’s dedication to creating a practical tool for the daily management of operator brands.
Innovation in retention and new prediction markets
The victory at the SBC Awards follows the recent launch of new features, such as the Tournament Report and Instant Tournaments.
These tools allow operators to monitor campaign metrics in real-time and adjust marketing strategies without switching platforms.
The company has also diversified its B2B offering with the introduction of its Prediction Markets Platform.
This solution focuses on fixed-odds for real-world events, covering areas ranging from politics and economy to technology.
With over 15 years of experience and a team of 2,000 professionals, SOFTSWISS reaffirms its role as a global technology hub in the gaming ecosystem.
The post SOFTSWISS wins ‘Aggregator of the Year’ at SBC Awards Europe 2026 appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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