Latest News
Emotions test reveals: The online purchases making us 67% happier!
- On average, online purchases are found to raise our positive feelings by 56%
- Participants reported the biggest increase in happiness when purchasing houseplants – positive emotions soared by 67%
- Gaming console purchases saw the second highest increase in positive feelings (+66%)
- Trainers and fiction books are also among the purchases raising positive emotions most
- Holidays abroad came in last; participants noted high levels of excitement but also reported an increase in concern due to its uncertainty
Thanks to ‘doom shopping’, it was revealed that the UK spends three times more when online shopping compared to the global average, costing the average person a whooping £1,382 per year! Clearly these purchases keep us coming back for more, but how do we enjoy splashing our cash the most?
Interested in online shopping, money.co.uk conducted an emotions test among 2,560 participants to discover which online purchases bring us the most joy!
Participants were asked to complete a variation* of the BMIS test (Brief Mood Intensity Scale) and record the intensity of 10 different emotions after making an online purchase. The intensity of each emotion was allocated a score based on its positivity, with a maximum score of 500 points per item – the higher the score, the better. Participants were also asked to complete the same test before making any purchases to uncover the percentage increase in positive emotions when shopping.
Which online purchases make us happiest?
Money.co.uk can reveal that a houseplant purchase increases our intensity of positive emotions more than any other transaction!
Collecting 478 points out of a potential 500, moods improved by 67% after making a plant purchase. Plants are proven to invoke feelings of vitality by improving the state of mind and lifting spirits – no wonder it scores highly!
With the PS5 still proving hard to get, purchasing a gaming console is the second online transaction that makes us happiest.
As many gamers are left on the edge of their seats waiting to snatch the latest console, it accumulated 475 points out of 500, and purchasing a console was found to raise positive feelings by 66% on average.
In third position are trainer purchases. With the demand for sneakers like Jordan 1s only increasing, those who purchased new trainers reported a 64% increase in happiness, and purchases racked up 472 points.
With bookworms reported to be happier than those who don’t read, the transaction that makes us fourth happiest is a fiction book, improving positive emotions by 64% and collecting 470 points.
Due to the huge surge in personal fitness and wellbeing during lockdown, home gym equipment purchases are found to make us fifth happiest! This transaction led to a 63% increase in positive emotions and scored a healthy 468 points.
To complete the top 10 purchases that increase our intensity of positive emotions:
6. Video game: 466 points, +62%
7. Eyeshadow palette: 465 points, +62%
8. Scented candle: 463 points, +61%
9. Exercise clothing: 461 points, +61%
10. Fashion jewellery: 459, +60%
Coming in last is a holiday abroad with 393 points out of 500 (+37%). Those who plan on jet-setting this year reported high levels of excitement and happiness but were pushed down the table as feelings of worry and nerves due to its current uncertainty.
Interested in the reasons behind our vast improvement in positive feelings, money.co.uk spoke exclusively to Lee Chambers, psychologist and wellbeing consultant, to uncover why shopping makes us happy.
“Online shopping has the ability to make us happy through several different mechanisms. Firstly, even in a world of plenty, we are still evolutionarily designed to consider scarcity. Because of this, acquiring new items, especially when discounted or limited, tends to make us happy, the feeling we have satisfied a need and potentially averted a future threat.
Shopping is also an exercise in control. We select from millions of items precisely what we want, and especially in the uncertain times we live in, we know we will get exactly what we have purchased, and it will be delivered straight to us. This control of selection and guarantee of receipt is powerful, as it becomes a defined event. We also build a level of expectation and anticipation from the moment we press the purchase button, as we believe we now have ownership over the item but have a delay until it is with us physically.
From a cultural perspective, we have been conditioned to see shopping as a reward, either an investment in ourselves or for the satisfaction of others. Shopping is likely to activate the nucleus accumbens in our brain, releasing dopamine and motivating us to repeat the behaviour. Buying printed media taps into our desire to better ourselves, gain knowledge, understand the world around us and provide stories and entertainment that can take us on a journey. And let’s not forget how lovely they look on your bookshelf on a video call, as books have become a decorative symbol over the past year.
And why do we keep buying? Our brain is adaptive, and shopping can relieve stress, provide entertainment when bored and give us a hit of dopamine. The rewarding feeling will keep us finding new things to purchase, especially since our excitement and anticipation fade once we’ve received the item.”
Catherine Hilley, mobiles expert at money.co.uk, said: “Our research reveals how small purchases can increase customers’ emotions in a positive way, something we all need after the past 12 months. With an average 63% increase in positive emotions noted across all top 10 purchases, it seems that shopping online for items such as houseplants, trainers and candles are sparking a lot more joy at the moment, than booking a holiday, which comes with a lot of added uncertainty.”
For more information, please see the blog post for the full rankings and a breakdown by sex, and age: https://www.money.co.uk/mobiles/online-shopping-joy
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ELA Games
ELA Games releases Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win slot
New title adds a Hold & Win bonus to the studio’s retro fruit-themed “Flames Fruits Frenzy” line.
ELA Games has released a new slot title, Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win, expanding its Flames Fruits Frenzy series with a Hold & Win bonus feature.
The game uses classic fruit-machine iconography, including cherries, lemons, oranges, grapes, and watermelons, presented with updated high-definition visual effects, according to the company.
ELA Games positioned the release as a seasonal summer-themed update and said it is aimed at players who prefer traditional fruit-slot formats paired with modern mechanics.
The company did not disclose target markets, operator rollout partners, RTP, volatility, maximum win, or a specific release date beyond announcing the launch in the statement.
The post ELA Games releases Flames Fruits Frenzy Hold and Win slot appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
Games Global and Posh Monkey Studios debut brand-new reel expansion feature in Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™
Games Global has cast its line into the popular fishing genre with the launch of Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
, developed by exclusive partner Posh Monkey Studios, introducing an all-new evolving reel mechanic that continuously unlocks new ways to win.
Leveraging the enduring appeal of the classic genre, Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
features the innovative QUADGROWS
feature, where every spin contributes toward greater potential.
Beginning on a 5×3 reel-set, the game gradually expands to seven rows, where each progression level unlocks additional paylines, larger Fish Instant Prizes and enhanced Collect Multipliers, rewarding players as they venture deeper beneath the waves.
The Fisherman Collect mechanic remains at the heart of the experience, awarding all visible Fish Instant Prizes when the Fisherman lands on reel five. As QUADGROWS
unlocks additional rows, new Collect Multipliers become active, increasing the value of every successful catch.
Three or more Scatters trigger eight Free Spins, where larger multipliers create even bigger payout opportunities, while five Scatters award the game’s maximum 10,000x prize.
Completing the feature set is Posh Monkey Studios’ proprietary Posh Spins
, an optional boost that increases the chance of triggering the bonus round.
Combining one of the most popular game themes with an evolving reel mechanic, Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
adds a new layer of progression to the classic collect-style experience.
Connor Blinman, Co-Founder of Posh Monkey Studios, said: “Fishing games continue to resonate with players, but standing out in such an established genre means delivering something genuinely different.
“The QUADGROWS
mechanic creates a real sense of progression throughout the player journey, with every milestone unlocking bigger opportunities and adding another layer of excitement to the experience.”
Dave Reynolds, Director of Games Strategy and Partner Management at Games Global, added: “Posh Monkey Studios has taken a proven formula and introduced an engaging progression system that gives players a reason to keep coming back.
“Fishin’ Madness
QUADGROWS
is another example of how Games Global and its exclusive studios continue to evolve popular mechanics through creative gameplay innovation. We’re excited about the roadmap ahead for Posh Monkey Studios’ and the fresh ideas they’ll be bringing to the table.”
The post Games Global and Posh Monkey Studios debut brand-new reel expansion feature in Fishin’ Madness™ QUADGROWS™ appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Latest News
ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK prize draw market
ZEAL Network SE has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire the remaining 96.5 percent of the shares in SevenCanyon Limited, in which ZEAL already holds a 3.5 percent stake. With this acquisition, the market leader for online lotteries in Germany is entering the UK market, gaining immediate access to Europe’s largest market for digital prize draw offerings.
“SevenCanyon is one of the most successful prize draw operators in the UK – we have known them for years. With the acquisition, we hit the ground running in a highly attractive and growing market. We also accelerate the implementation of our strategy to selectively diversify our business model through new products and new markets”, says Dr. Stefan Tweraser, CEO of ZEAL Network SE.
SevenCanyon operates several established UK prize draw platforms, including 7days Performance, Redline Competitions and UK Carp Competitions. This market segment comprises digital prize draws and offerings with non-cash prizes such as houses, cars, and lifestyle products. In the most recent financial year 2026 (04/25–03/26), SevenCanyon generated an operating profit (EBITDA) of more than GBP 10 million.
The transaction opens potential for further scaling of the UK business through ZEAL’s capabilities in acquisition marketing, monetisation, customer retention, data analytics, regulatory professionalism, and platform operations. Furthermore, ZEAL expects the UK prize draw market to continue to move towards more formalised rules, which will favour operators like ZEAL with strong compliance capabilities and regulated market experience.
“SevenCanyon is a highly profitable company with a proven business model. The purchase price will mainly be financed through a new loan agreement. This preserves our financial flexibility to continue our growth-oriented and shareholder-friendly capital allocation in the future”, says Andrea Behrendt, CFO of ZEAL Network SE.
Purchase price and financial impact for 2026
The transaction comprises a cash purchase price for the remaining 96.5 percent of the shares of approximately GBP 33.8 million (subject to post-completion adjustments, including an adjustment for vehicle inventory in the single-digit millions of GBP range), as well as an earn-out payment of up to GBP 4.8 million, to be paid over a period of six months after completion.
The acquisition financing is supported by a EUR 40 million term loan with a duration of seven years, arranged by Deutsche Bank.
The Management Board expects SevenCanyon to make a meaningful contribution to ZEAL’s revenue and EBITDA following consolidation. ZEAL will assess the necessary adjustments to its revenue guidance after the IFRS presentation of SevenCanyon’s revenue streams has been finalised.
On EBITDA, ZEAL confirms the range of EUR 70–75 million under the assumption of a normal jackpot environment in Germany. The updated forecast reflects anticipated non-recurring expenses in the mid-single-digit millions of euros in connection with the transaction.
For the first full financial year following completion of the transaction, ZEAL expects it to have a positive impact on EBITDA in the high-single-digit millions of euros.
The post ZEAL acquires SevenCanyon and enters the highly attractive UK prize draw market appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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