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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Latest News
Slotegrator using AI tools to fight fraud, analyze performance, and smooth payments
When everyone has access to AI, the future belongs to those who use it strategically. Slotegrator’s updated platform has a suite of AI-powered tools that do the heavy lifting so clients can focus on strategy and business development.
Suppliers are racing to incorporate AI features. Instead of just keeping up with the hype, Slotegrator updated its platform with a suite of AI tools that help its clients by doing most of the heavy lifting and handling tasks that require large amounts of processing power. The company’s platform software now features AI tools for fighting fraud, analyzing essential business data, and reducing payment friction.
Fraud is a major concern for online casino operators, particularly when it comes to bonus abuse.
Bonus abusers are constantly developing new techniques and tactics to defraud casinos — even more so now that they have access to AI tools. Good deepfakes can potentially even pass liveness checks, and synthetic IDs (fake IDs made of real parts) are difficult to spot.
Slotegrator’s Anti-fraud module has an AI assistant to help operators combat fraud. The assistant provides summaries of real-time situations with just the touch of a button. Operators choose from one of three preset questions: 1. What is the overall risk situation? 2. Which risk categories are currently the most critical? And 3. What should be prioritized right now?
When they choose one of them, the assistant automatically analyzes the relevant data, yields structured conclusions, and makes recommendations for next steps. After you’ve made a selection, the AI assistant instantly processes dashboard metrics and provides a brief summary. The assistant works at both the project and individual level.
“As artificial intelligence becomes commonplace, the companies that integrate AI into core aspects of their business will be the ones that get ahead,” explains Slotegrator COO Olga Ivanchik. “AI is capable of more than automation. Incorporating AI at a strategic level, making it a core part of the business architecture, is the only way to stay competitive in the long run.”
Slotegrator’s platform also has an AI business intelligence module.
Latest News
Reflex Gaming launches Sidewinder Xtra Power via Yggdrasil Masters
Sequel adds an Xtra Power bar to the Sidewinder Shuffle feature, with multipliers and Wild upgrades built into the trail mechanic.
Reflex Gaming has launched Sidewinder Xtra Power, a sequel to its Sidewinder title, with distribution through the Yggdrasil Masters Program.
The game uses a 5×3, 20-payline fruit slot format and brings back the Sidewinder Shuffle mechanic. Reflex said the Sidewinder Feature is triggered when five orbs light up above the reels, turning losing spins into winners as the reels shuffle into position.
Reflex said each winning shuffle increases a multiplier trail, with trail targets unlocking Wilds, Super Wilds, Mega Wilds and symbol upgrades. Mystery symbols can also land in the base game, with shutters opening simultaneously across the reels to reveal the same symbol.
The main addition is the Xtra Power Sidewinder feature. Reflex said four orbs in the base game boost a power bar, and once the bar is full, the next triggered shuffle feature opens Xtra Power. During Xtra Power events, each triggering orb reveals a multiplier boost.
Mat Ingram, CPO at Reflex Gaming, said: “With Xtra Power, we wanted to give the Sidewinder experience an extra dimension, and the power bar does exactly that.
“Players now have two things to chase simultaneously, and when the Xtra Power feature fires with the multiplier already boosted from the start, it delivers the kind of moment that is truly the cherry on top.”
The post Reflex Gaming launches Sidewinder Xtra Power via Yggdrasil Masters appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Amusnet
Amusnet Wins “Best Software Provider” Award at the AskGamblers Awards 2026
Amusnet, a leading international provider of advanced casino solutions, has won the prestigious Best Software Provider title at the 9th edition of AskGamblers Awards 2026. Hosted at the St. Regis Belgrade, the gala ceremony brought together top-tier industry players in the Serbian capital to honour standout achievements. This accolade arrives at a momentous milestone for Amusnet, marking a decade defined by continuous growth, technological evolution and commercial success.
Dejan Vukosavljević, Country Director at Amusnet Serbia, attended the high-profile event as the company’s official representative to accept the accolade.
“This award validates the team’s dedication to our software platform and inspires us to further raise our standards of quality and product excellence. Securing this title is a fantastic achievement and a true honour, especially given our strategic partnership with AskGamblers. As we celebrate Amusnet’s 10th anniversary, our focus remains on global uniqueness, with the ambitious goal of expanding our footprint to more than 100 markets worldwide over the next ten years,” stated Vukosavljević.
As one of the industry’s premier affiliate platforms for casino reviews, boasting a vibrant community of over 1,000,000 active players, AskGamblers has been a key partner for Amusnet since the beginning of the year. Receiving this recognition from such a player-centric platform underscores Amusnet’s strong market resonance and deepening industry ties.
By combining technological innovation with creative excellence, the company is actively shaping the future of digital entertainment. This milestone ensures that Amusnet’s localised, high-performing content continues to captivate and engage audiences on a truly global scale.
The post Amusnet Wins “Best Software Provider” Award at the AskGamblers Awards 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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