Canada
Psychology of Online Casinos vs Land Based, Analysis of 41 Studies
Scientists have uncovered new information that may uncover why some people have problems controlling their gambling — and reveals all the ways casinos may be encouraging bad behavior
Leanbackplayer has released a summary of new findings on the psychology of gambling and how it affects the brain:
The research looked at 41 studies from 17 different journals over the past 5 years and compiled findings from each.
The research was performed by Will Titterington and Quincy Miller, veteran gaming industry professionals.
The Research Findings
Finding #1
Online casinos have built-in advantages that their brick-and-mortar counterparts struggle to match. Online casinos are more convenient, require less overhead to operate, and allow players to gamble in complete anonymity — important advantages that regular casinos will never be able to replicate.
“In online live casino gaming, the anonymity of the internet allows players to privately engage in gambling without the fear of stigma,” said Dr. Mark Griffiths, a Distinguished Professor of Behavioural Addiction at Nottingham Trent University.
Finding #2
The biggest advantage brick-and-mortar casinos have is consumer trust. Despite advances in cybersecurity, many gamblers simply don’t trust online casinos not to rig the games against them. As long as brick-and-mortar casinos have the edge in trust, they’ll likely enjoy a large slice of the gaming market.
Finding #3
Online casinos may be more dangerous for problem gamblers. The ability to gamble at any time, day or night, without any of the traditional societal safeguards that keep problem gamblers in check can be a recipe for disaster.
“Fundamentally, increased accessibility of gambling activities enables the individual to rationalize involvement in the risk-behavior by removing previously restrictive barriers such as time constraints emanating from occupational and social commitments,” Griffiths said.
Finding #4
Gambling utilizes the power of uncertainty to literally reprogram the brain. Gambling changes how the brain releases dopamine, the so-called “feel-good neurotransmitter.” Over time, the brain adjusts to higher and higher doses, reducing its effectiveness, so that gamblers have to play longer and bet more to get the same effect.
According to one study, the release of dopamine reinforces maladaptive gambling, creating a self-perpetuating destructive behavior.
Finding #5
Casinos — both online and brick-and-mortar — are using new technology to exploit players’ brains. Advances in gaming technology — most notably “losses disguised as wins” — are changing how long players gamble and how much they wager, often with catastrophic results.
Finding #6
The root of gambling addiction may lie in the supplementary eye field (SEF), a little-understood region of the brain designed to control the movement of the eyes. People with dopamine deficiencies also experience abnormalities in the SEF, making them more susceptible to addiction.
Researchers investigating monkeys found that increased neuron activity in this region corresponded to increased risk-taking behavior, and a lack of dopamine increased neuron activity, creating a vicious loop.
Finding #7
Problem gamblers fit a troubling profile. Addiction is more likely to affect men, minorities, and those with preexisting health conditions, and the rise of mobile gaming is making it easier for these people to fall into self-destructive patterns.
Prior to internet gambling, many of these vulnerable individuals weren’t affected so long as they didn’t live near a casino; however, the rise of mobile gaming has led to a corresponding rise in problem gambling among these demographics.
Finding #8
The solution to problem gambling may lie in setting limits. If casinos would enforce — and gamblers would adhere to — limits on how much can be wagered or how long sessions can last, problem gambling could be severely curbed.
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Alberta market
Soft2Bet Evaluates Alberta Market Entry to Strengthen its Canadian Footprint
Soft2Bet, a leading iGaming turnkey solutions provider, announced its intention to pursue entry into the Alberta market, pending regulatory approval. This strategic focus leverages Soft2Bet’s operational experience with localized offerings, including its Ontario-facing brand, ToonieBet.
Strategic Market Potential & Compliance
Alberta (Canada) represents one of the most significant growth opportunities in the North American iGaming landscape. With Canada’s youngest adult population and the highest GDPs per capita in the country, the province is well poised for a successful transition to an open, competitive market. Industry projections by Citizens JMP Securities suggest that Alberta’s regulated iGaming market could exceed $700 million in annual revenue at maturity.
Soft2Bet is closely monitoring the development of Alberta’s regulatory framework under the iGaming Alberta Act, which establishes the Alberta iGaming Corporation (AiGC) as the oversight body alongside the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) as the regulator. Reflecting its commitment to the highest standards of integrity, Soft2Bet is preparing for the province’s specific technical requirements.
The planned entry into Alberta aligns with the company’s strategic plans for 2026 to drive sustainable growth, and enter several new regulated territories.
“Innovation is paramount at Soft2Bet, and our goal is to develop exciting products that meet our customers where they are most comfortable. As we evaluate our entry into Alberta, pending regulatory approval, we are committed to delivering localized, engaging experiences that reflect the unique preferences and culture of each market,” said David Yatom Hay, General Counsel, Soft2Bet.
Excellence in Canadian Localization
Soft2Bet aims to leverage its experience in Ontario to enhance the gaming experience for users in Alberta, Canada, with innovative, compliant products. A core component of the company’s regional strategy involves taking localization further by adapting its brands to local culture, regulatory standards, and player preferences.
To support its hyper-local focus, Soft2Bet targets comprehensive native-language support across its priority regions, ensuring its services are deeply integrated into the local culture of each active regulated market.
The post Soft2Bet Evaluates Alberta Market Entry to Strengthen its Canadian Footprint appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
23 Broadway
23 Broadway secures $3m seed funding to launch AI-powered user acquisition financing platform
23 Broadway has secured $3 million in Seed funding to accelerate the next phase of its growth and launch a fully integrated AI-powered user acquisition financing platform.
The funding round was co-led by Betty and Will Ventures, with participation from 359 Capital, CEAS Investments, and Dave Bartman.
23 Broadway was integral in catapulting Betty to an 18% market share in Ontario through its world-class performance marketing team and proprietary AI system called Atlas.
Atlas determines the optimal cost of acquiring a customer and their predicted long-term value.
With this new funding, 23 Broadway will add non-dilutive capital to fund user acquisition to run alongside its existing performance marketing and technology capabilities into a single integrated solution.
Jordan Tuch, CEO of 23 Broadway, said: “23 Broadway is reimagining user acquisition financing by not only providing capital but deploying it through proprietary technology and performance marketing expertise. We’ve created a model that empowers businesses to scale faster without needing to build complex technology or marketing infrastructure themselves. The ability to use AI and execute bids based on a customer’s predicted lifetime value means we can deploy capital far more efficiently. That combination of predictive intelligence and funding creates a powerful growth engine for our partners.”
The underlying thesis is that platforms combining in-house technology and performance marketing expertise can offer a truly differentiated and durable user acquisition financing solution.
Growth-stage businesses benefit from access to dedicated capital for customer acquisition without equity dilution, while also being able to implement advanced marketing execution across platforms such as Google Ads and other major advertising ecosystems.
Funding will be allocated to develop Atlas further and enhance 23 Broadway’s predictive modelling capabilities. Another focus will be building new AI-driven models to help gaming companies strengthen retention marketing strategies. A final part will be to onboard additional partners seeking scalable user acquisition financing solutions.
The post 23 Broadway secures $3m seed funding to launch AI-powered user acquisition financing platform appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
23 Broadway
23 Broadway secures $3m seed funding to launch AI-powered user acquisition financing platform
23 Broadway has raised $3 million in Seed funding to drive the next phase of its growth and launch a fully integrated, AI-powered user acquisition financing platform.
The funding round was co-led by Betty and Will Ventures, with participation from 359 Capital, CEAS Investments, and Dave Bartman.
The company played a key role in helping Betty achieve an 18% market share in Ontario, leveraging its world-class performance marketing team and proprietary AI system, Atlas. Atlas predicts the optimal cost to acquire a customer and estimates their long-term value, allowing marketing spend to be deployed with precision.
With this new capital, 23 Broadway will integrate non-dilutive financing with its existing performance marketing and technology capabilities, offering a single, streamlined solution for user acquisition.
Jordan Tuch, CEO of 23 Broadway, said: “23 Broadway is reimagining user acquisition financing by not only providing capital but deploying it through proprietary technology and performance marketing expertise. We’ve created a model that empowers businesses to scale faster without needing to build complex technology or marketing infrastructure themselves. The ability to use AI and execute bids based on a customer’s predicted lifetime value means we can deploy capital far more efficiently. That combination of predictive intelligence and funding creates a powerful growth engine for our partners.”
The company’s strategy centers on combining in-house technology with performance marketing expertise to deliver a differentiated, durable user acquisition financing solution. Growth-stage businesses gain access to dedicated capital for customer acquisition without giving up equity, while also benefiting from advanced marketing execution across major advertising platforms like Google Ads.
The funding will support further development of Atlas and enhance 23 Broadway’s predictive modeling capabilities. Additional priorities include creating new AI-driven tools to strengthen retention marketing for gaming companies and onboarding more partners seeking scalable user acquisition financing solutions.
The post 23 Broadway secures $3m seed funding to launch AI-powered user acquisition financing platform appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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