Latest News

Emotions test reveals: The online purchases making us 67% happier!

Published

5 years ago

March 24, 2021

George Miller

Reading Time: 4 minutes

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

Andreas Larsson Casino Manager for Entain

Spinomenal content goes live in Estonia via Entain NCE brands

Published

10 minutes ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

spinomenal-content-goes-live-in-estonia-via-entain-nce-brands

Spinomenal has expanded its presence in Estonia through a new content partnership with Entain NCE (Entain North and Central Europe).

Under the agreement, Entain NCE’s Estonia-facing brands Ninja Casino and Boost Casino will offer Spinomenal titles via Light & Wonder’s OpenGaming platform. Games cited by the company as now available include Majestic King, Demi Gods V and Fairytale Beauties 2.

The deal extends Spinomenal’s wider commercial relationship with Entain across regulated European markets, with the Estonia rollout delivered through Entain NCE’s regional operation.

Yossi Shayovits, Head of Business Development for Spinomenal, said: “Entain is one of the most influential groups in the global gaming industry, and expanding our presence with them in Estonia demonstrates the quality of our content. This is an important part of a broader, evolving relationship across different markets, and we look forward to what’s to come.”

Andreas Larsson, Casino Manager for Entain, added: “Time and time again, Spinomenal knows what it takes to create content that our players genuinely love. Estonia marks the next chapter in a highly productive partnership that we expect will deliver strong results.”

The post Spinomenal content goes live in Estonia via Entain NCE brands appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

engagement

Infingame expands campaign management for operators with fully customizable engagement tools

Published

10 minutes ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

infingame-expands-campaign-management-for-operators-with-fully-customizable-engagement-tools

Infingame, a leading gaming aggregator, is enabling iGaming operators to take a more controlled and flexible approach to promotional campaigns through its Challenges and Tournaments tools, built to support fully customizable campaign design, execution, and optimization.

As operators increasingly move away from rigid promotional formats, the ability to configure campaigns around specific business goals and adjust them in real time has become a key differentiator. Infingame’s engagement tools are designed to give operators that level of control across the entire campaign lifecycle.

Both Challenges and Tournaments allow operators to define campaigns with a high degree of precision, adapting mechanics to match different engagement strategies.

In Tournaments, operators can choose from multiple mechanics, including multiplier races, win races, bet races, highest win, and highest multiplier formats. This makes it possible to tailor campaigns to different player behaviors and monetization goals.

Challenges, in turn, offer mission-based engagement using mechanics such as spins and winning spins, where players earn points based on activity. These formats are particularly suited for retention and progression-driven campaigns.

Across both tools, operators can configure:

participation rules and minimum bet conditions
eligible games (from 16,000+ titles across 150+ providers)
campaign duration and timing
reward structures, including cash, free spins, and non-monetary prizes

This level of flexibility allows campaigns to be built around specific segments, markets, or player behaviors, rather than relying on one-size-fits-all mechanics.

A core feature of Infingame’s tools is the ability to monitor and manage campaigns while they are live.

Operators have access to real-time performance data, including player participation and progression, supported by in-game elements such as progress bars, leaderboards, and campaign dashboards.

This visibility allows teams to quickly identify trends and make adjustments without stopping the campaign.

The tools also include configurable engagement features that help operators shape player behavior during campaigns.

For example, the Happy Hours functionality in tournaments allows operators to apply score multipliers during specific time windows, encouraging activity during peak or strategic periods.

Visual elements such as customizable banners and branded pop-ups further support campaign differentiation, allowing operators to maintain a consistent brand experience throughout the player journey.

Campaign execution is supported by automation features that reduce manual workload and improve operational efficiency.

For instance, tournament payouts can be processed automatically or with a single action, eliminating the need for manual prize distribution. Operators can also control how different types of bets are treated within campaign logic, ensuring full alignment with promotional rules.

With all campaign data consolidated within the platform, operators can evaluate performance across different formats and iterate quickly.

Jana Filagina, Head of Commercial at Infingame, comments: “Operators today want more than ready-made promotions. They want full control over how campaigns are built and how they perform. With Challenges and Tournaments, they can configure every element, monitor results in real time, and adjust campaigns instantly. This level of flexibility allows teams to respond faster to player behavior and continuously improve outcomes.”

The ability to compare campaigns, analyze engagement patterns, and adjust mechanics in real time supports a continuous optimization cycle, turning campaigns into an ongoing process rather than a one-off activity.

About Infingame

Infingame is a leading game aggregator built to help operators move faster and scale smarter. Through a single API integration, the platform gives access to a portfolio of over 16,000 games from more than 150 providers, allowing partners to launch quickly without dealing with multiple integrations.

Delivered via a single API, Infingame offers unparalleled technical excellence, the industry’s fastest spin times, exclusive tournaments and strategic partnerships with top-tier operators in North America, LatAm and beyond. Spanning a portfolio of slots, crash games, sweepstakes and live casino, book a demo via the LinkedIn page, website or at [email protected].

The post Infingame expands campaign management for operators with fully customizable engagement tools appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

diversity and inclusion

Pronet Gaming lands nine shortlists at Women in Gaming Diversity Awards 2026

Published

10 minutes ago

May 19, 2026

Wladimir P.

pronet-gaming-lands-nine-shortlists-at-women-in-gaming-diversity-awards-2026

Pronet Gaming has been shortlisted across nine categories at the 2026 Women in Gaming (WIG) Diversity Awards, set for 12 June at The Savoy Hotel in London.

The omni-channel turnkey provider is nominated for the Corporate Wellness Award, which the company said is driven by an initiative in Bulgaria that provides structured medical and mental health support for employees.

Eight Pronet Gaming employees are also on the shortlist: Barsha Shrestha (Employee of the Year), Jovana Grabez (Industry Achiever), Devora Kotseva (Inspiration of the Year), Gina Lama (Leader of the Year), Klara Tomažič (Positive Role Model of the Year), Sunkiran Boyal (Outstanding Mentor), Tilly Chandler (Executive Assistant of the Year), and Desislava Velcheva (HR Champion of the Year).

Pronet Gaming pointed to its 2025 WIG recognition, when it was shortlisted for Company of the Year and Great Place to Work, alongside nine individual nominations. Jade Sienna-Ricciardi won Young Leader of the Year.

Commenting on the shortlist, Pronet Gaming CEO Alex Leese said: “Being shortlisted once again is something we’re incredibly proud of. These nominations reflect not only the talent and dedication of our people, but also our shared commitment to building a positive, supportive, and forward-thinking workplace culture across the business.”

The post Pronet Gaming lands nine shortlists at Women in Gaming Diversity Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.