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GAMSTOP surpasses 50,000 female registrants

Published

5 years ago

February 5, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

GAMSTOP, the free, independent self-exclusion tool for people living in the UK, has announced that more than 55,000 women have registered to self-exclude from all online gambling sites through the tool.

The proportion of women self-excluding through GAMSTOP has risen since the coronavirus pandemic struck last year. In March 2020, 26% of all registrants to GAMSTOP were women, a number that had risen beyond 31% by the end of the year.

Surpassing the 50,000 mark in registrations is significant in demonstrating that online gambling addiction, often regarded as being a ‘male’ problem that is linked to sport, is having an increasing impact on women.

Statistics released by the National Gambling Treatment Service had already shown an increasing number of women receiving treatment, up from 19% in 2015/16 to nearly 25% in the year to the end of March 2020. This coincides with increases in those with an addiction to gambling online, up from 57% to 69%.

According to Gamcare, the number of women reporting gambling problems is increasing at double the rate of men, but only 1% of women who experience gambling related harm contact the National Gambling Helpline.

Reacting to the news, GAMSTOP CEO Fiona Palmer said:

“ As we begin to understand the demographic make up of our register it is important to feed back to the various support agencies and work together to encourage those women who have registered with GAMSTOP to access the help they may need going forward. 50,000 female registrants is a significant number and we are pleased that they have found the GAMSTOP self-exclusion scheme and that it is a useful practical tool to help with their gambling issues”.

Psychotherapist Liz Karter said:

“The pandemic is creating a perfect storm of triggers for addictive gambling in women: feeling trapped, anxious and depressed, and overwhelmed by families or loneliness. As mental health problems increase so too will addiction to gambling. I treat young women who are wild with anxiety and stress, and for whom gambling started as self-medication, but the end results are always devastating costs to their mental health and finances. Women feel that they will be judged more for a gambling addiction than an addiction related to drink or drugs, even though the physical cravings and withdrawal symptoms are similar, and equally dangerous.”

Lisa Walker, who has been in recovery from gambling addiction for more than two years, and now counsels others who are struggling with addiction said:

“There is such a big stigma that women don’t gamble, which isn’t accurate. What I have found is that women don’t feel that they can talk about their addiction, with it often being seen as a male issue. I think its fantastic that women are signing up to GAMSTOP and seeking help, though it also shows that there is lots more work to be done.

I have spoken with many women who don’t feel they can go to support meetings, and I find it so upsetting that somebody could feel that way, as though they can’t even seek help. I hope things change and if we can increase the visibility of women who are recovering in the media, that could make a big difference.”

Anna Hemmings, CEO of leading national gambling support charity GamCare, says:

“We must get to grips with the unnecessary shame and stigma women feel around asking for help with gambling. Gambling is not just a male activity, and it can affect women in significant, potentially life-changing ways.

Our dedicated Women’s Programme has told us that we need to remove barriers for women to access help with gambling related harm – the issues that women are facing are often hidden from support services. GamCare is pleased to be able to work with GAMSTOP so people registering for online self-exclusion can also be swiftly connected through to specialist support and treatment services, which greatly increases the chance of sustaining a recovery from gambling harms.”

AGLC

High 5 Games wins AGLC supplier approval ahead of Alberta iGaming launch

Published

34 minutes ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

high-5-games-wins-aglc-supplier-approval-ahead-of-alberta-igaming-launch

The supplier can now distribute its online casino titles beyond Play Alberta to all licensed operators in the province.

High 5 Games has secured supplier approval from the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC), allowing the studio to supply its online casino content to all licensed operators in Alberta’s newly opened commercial iGaming market.

The company has been live in the province since 2024 via Play Alberta, the government-operated platform, where it said titles including DaVinci DeluxeWays, Billionaire’s Bank and Green Machine have become player favourites. With the commercial market now open, High 5 Games said the same portfolio can be offered across operators entering Alberta.

Alberta’s commercial iGaming market is set to open on July 13, 2026, becoming Canada’s second province after Ontario to allow private-sector operators. The market is overseen by AGLC and the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) and launched with nearly 50 registered operator brands, according to the company.

“Alberta players already know and love our games through Play Alberta, that is a head start no newcomer to this market can claim. With the open market live, every operator in the province can now offer their players the award winning High 5 titles they have been playing for years, from day one.” says Tony Singer, CEO at High 5 Games.

High 5 Games said the AGLC approval expands its regulated North American footprint, which it listed as including New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, West Virginia, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The company said it has developed more than 300 games over three decades.

The post High 5 Games wins AGLC supplier approval ahead of Alberta iGaming launch appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Desiree Dickerson CEO and co-founder of THNDR

Jackpot.com adds THNDR PvP skill games across six US states

Published

34 minutes ago

July 10, 2026

Wladimir P.

jackpot.com-adds-thndr-pvp-skill-games-across-six-us-states

Jackpot.com has launched real-money player-vs-player (PvP) skill games and tournaments through a new partnership with B2B skill games platform THNDR. The games are now live in Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Ohio via the Jackpot.com app on iOS and Android.

Under the rollout, Jackpot.com users can play head-to-head skill titles including Solitaire and Blocks, as well as tournament formats intended to drive repeat engagement alongside draw games and scratch tickets.

“Jackpot.com is the first big operators in real-money gaming to put skill games in front of its players, and launches at this scale are how skill gaming goes mainstream,” said Desiree Dickerson, CEO and co-founder of THNDR. Dickerson added that THNDR’s network has seen “more than 160 million games played and verified” and cited a “99.99% match-fill rate.”

THNDR said its cross-operator liquidity matches players against “a real opponent” and uses “patent-pending game verification and a 50/50 target win rate” for match integrity. The company also positioned the offering as compliance-ready for regulated operators, noting that its CEO chairs the Online Skill Games (OSG) Committee within the International Gaming Standards Association (IGSA).

“Jackpot.com has always believed the future of gaming is a single platform where every type of player finds their game. The launch of skill games and tournaments is the next step in that vision: expanding how players engage, giving them more reasons to return, and more ways to win,” said Dharin Nanavati, Chief Growth Officer at Jackpot.com.

The post Jackpot.com adds THNDR PvP skill games across six US states appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

GGPoker

GGPoker adds Action Voice packs featuring Doyle Brunson and other pros

Published

12 hours ago

July 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

ggpoker-adds-action-voice-packs-featuring-doyle-brunson-and-other-pros

New software option replaces standard table announcements across cash games, tournaments and formats including All-In or Fold and Spin & Gold.

GGPoker on July 9, 2026 announced Action Voice, a new software feature that lets players replace standard table announcements with voice packs recorded by poker personalities, including Doyle Brunson.

The initial lineup named by the operator includes ten-time WSOP bracelet winner Doyle Brunson, Daniel Negreanu, Michael “The Grinder” Mizrachi and Kevin Martin, with additional voices “to be confirmed in the near future.”

Action Voice is available now across GGPoker’s product offering, including cash games, tournaments and formats such as All-In or Fold and Spin & Gold. Players can select voice packs in the desktop client via ‘My Page’ and then ‘My Action Voice’.

“Doyle Brunson may not be at the tables in the way that he used to, but his voice still can be,” said Sarne Lightman, Managing Director of GGPoker. “Action Voice is our way of keeping the legends who built this game part of the everyday experience – right alongside the players carrying it forward today, like Daniel and Michael. It’s a unique and fun new element to our software, and we can’t wait to reveal the rest of the lineup soon.”

GGPoker said more Action Voice packs will be announced in the coming weeks as it rolls out the full roster.

The post GGPoker adds Action Voice packs featuring Doyle Brunson and other pros appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.