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Casinomeister’s 23 Year Anniversary

Published

5 years ago

June 11, 2021

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Casinomeister, the advocate of fair play, has reached a significant milestone: twenty-three years since the launch of the website – 10 June 1998.

What began initially as a hobby site was transformed into a one-man business in the early years of the Internet. Since 1998, Casinomeister has stuck to its original mission statement:

“Trust is what it’s all about. Our mission at Casinomeister is to provide verified information; information that enables players to make smart choices. Since trust is generated by information, the more players know about online casinos, the more at ease and safer they will be.”

And so it began. Casinomeister was run primarily by Bryan Bailey, the director and owner of the website, and it was his unique vision that drove the mission of the site. In the first two months a forum was created – which is now the one of the largest and most active gamblers’ forums on the Internet. Casinomeister began publishing newsletters and a news section, and Bailey began his podcasting before “podcast” was a word in the year 2000.

Within the first few months, “Standards for Online Casinos” were established. This was a first – no other website had established any standards for advertising partners, in fact – no licensing jurisdictions were doing this either. Casinomeister thus established itself as a beacon of light for the player of online casinos. These standards have evolved into the “Standards for Casinomeister Accredited Casinos”, and now Casinomeister is one of the only sites that requires these casinos to be vetted by its membership.

Most importantly, by Casinomeister’s reach and influence within the online casino industry, he began solving players’ complaints, and is now recognized as a leading and certified Alternative Dispute Resolution service for the player community. The pioneers of the online gaming industry wanted to work with Casinomeister since it was the heartbeat of the players.

It was not until 2007 that Casinomeister evolved into a two-man band taking on Max Drayman as the Complaints Manager. This freed Bailey up to manage the other areas of areas of the website, the Rogue Casino section (“Rogue Casino” was coined by Bailey in 2000), casino reviews, webcasts, newsletters, news, the forum, and attending and speaking at iGaming Conferences around the world.

Casinomeister has since evolved into a small business with a handful of full-time employees, part-timers, and a couple of other webmasters who assist in the forum. After 23 years, Casinomeister remains a viable and leading influence on the iGaming community.

Director of Casinomeister Bryan Bailey stated, “It’s hard to fathom that an idea that was initiated during a lunch at Oscars in San Diego became what it is today. To me it’s not only a business, but a service and a gathering of like-minded people – many of whom I have grown close to. I am humbled by the fact that Casinomeister has brought so many folks together, spawned friendships, romances, and in one instance (that I know of) – a marriage. I take pride in the site, and will always stay true to my vision, my community, and to my friends. It’s been an amazing ride these past 23 years, and I’m planning to ride this out until the end of the Internets.”

Digitain

Digitain Earns Double Nomination at SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026

Published

23 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

digitain-earns-double-nomination-at-sigma-eurasia-awards-2026

Digitain has secured two prestigious nominations for the SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026, contending for both Best Sports Provider and Best Platform Provider.

These nominations reflect Digitain’s continued focus on building technology that delivers measurable value for operators. From advanced sportsbook functionality to a robust, scalable platform ecosystem, every solution is designed with one clear goal: turning features into figures.

The SiGMA Eurasia Awards are widely regarded as one of the industry’s most respected benchmarks, celebrating companies that push boundaries while delivering real-world results. Digitain’s nominations reinforce its position as a trusted B2B partner for ambitious operators looking to lead in competitive markets.

Being recognised in the Sports Provider and Platform Provider categories highlights Digitain’s holistic approach, showcasing how they combine technology, data and human expertise to support sustainable operator growth.

The post Digitain Earns Double Nomination at SiGMA Eurasia Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Alvarez & Marsal

BGC: Licensed Gambling Advertising Continues to Decline in the UK

Published

23 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

bgc:-licensed-gambling-advertising-continues-to-decline-in-the-uk

Gambling advertising spend by licensed operators in the UK is continuing to decline, according to new independent analysis commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC). The findings come as the industry warns that unregulated online advertising by illegal operators is becoming the real risk to consumers.

The research, conducted by Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), set out in the Gambling Advertising and Sponsorship Report 2025, shows that gambling advertising accounted for 2.7% of total UK advertising spend in 2024, down from 3% the previous year.

The report also found that overall gambling advertising spend by licensed operators has been declining steadily since 2021, falling by 1.7% year-on-year, driven largely by a £30 million reduction in television advertising.

At the same time, a substantial share of advertising is dedicated to player protection. Around 20% of all gambling advertising is now focused on safer gambling messaging, reinforcing awareness of tools and support.

This focus is delivering tangible results. During the most recent Safer Gambling Week, engagement increased significantly, with 14% more people setting deposit limits and 22% more safer gambling tools in place.

Advertising compliance remains extremely high, with Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rulings relating to fewer than 0.02% of gambling adverts, highlighting the strength of the UK’s regulatory framework.

Regulated gambling advertising supports 9900 jobs across the advertising, media and creative supply chain, contributes c.£500 million in Gross Value Added (GVA), and underpins 1400 full-time marketing roles. It also plays an important role in supporting free-to-air sport, lower-league and grassroots sport, as well as wider media revenues outside subscription-based models.

Grainne Hurst, CEO of the Betting and Gaming Council, said: “This independent analysis shows that gambling advertising by licensed operators is continuing to fall, with spend increasingly concentrated on safer gambling messaging and consumer protections. Our members operate within some of the strictest advertising rules of any industry and continue to raise standards across the sector.

“By contrast, illegal operators are advertising aggressively online with no safeguards, no age checks and no consumer protections, posing a huge risk to consumers. Any serious approach to advertising must be led by evidence and focused on tackling the harmful black market.”

Adam Rivers, Managing Director at Alvarez & Marsal, added: “We are pleased to have worked with the BGC on this report, which offers an insight into the state of the gambling advertising and sponsorship sector in the UK, based on actual advertising expenditure data from licensed operators.”

The report also highlights the growing scale of illegal gambling advertising. Illegal operators are increasingly using unregulated digital channels, including influencers, search engines and AI-generated content, to target consumers. Many explicitly advertise that they are “not on GAMSTOP”, while others impersonate trusted charities and institutions to deceive the public.

While licensed advertising continues to decline, separate industry analysis estimates that black market sites are spending between £500 million and £700 million on advertising their illegal sites.

The post BGC: Licensed Gambling Advertising Continues to Decline in the UK appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Australia

Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026

Published

23 minutes ago

February 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

konami’s-synk-vision-named-finalist-in-regulating-the-game-global-awards-2026

Konami Gaming subsidiary Konami Australia is a finalist in the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026, adjudicated by representatives from the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA), International Masters of Gaming Law (IMGL), The Responsible Gambling Council (RGC) and Leagues Clubs Australia. Konami’s SYNK Vision biometric player tracking solution has been named a finalist for “RegTech Solution of the Year”, recognising innovative technology improving compliance, anti-money laundering (AML), safer gambling or integrity outcomes.

Tom Soukup, senior vice president & chief systems product officer at Konami Gaming, said: “The potential for SYNK Vision to deliver transformative advancement is unmistakable, especially as it relates to anti-money laundering, compliance, and player protection. This important acknowledgement of Konami’s SYNK Vision in the Regulating the Game Global Awards is credit to our valued casino customers and team members for working collaboratively, pushing casino systems technology to new heights of innovation, efficiency, and responsibility.”

Organised by the annual gambling law and regulation conference Regulating the Game, the Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 event takes place on March 10 in Sydney, Australia. SYNK Vision has been independently selected as a finalist in this year’s programme, bringing Konami’s patented facial-recognition technology to the forefront of responsible gaming. Installed at casino table games and electronic gaming machines (EGMs), SYNK Vision can securely identify, track and protect players automatically based on biometric facial characteristics, regardless of whether they are members of the venue’s established player loyalty programme.

Gerard Crosby, senior vice president & chief games product officer at Konami Gaming and director of Konami Australia, said: “SYNK Vision equips gaming facilities to rapidly detect barred players, immediately notifying personnel and locking the machine from play if associated with an EGM—all while preserving player privacy across its gaming ecosystem. In addition, its advanced identity‑verification capabilities enhance AML tracking and compliance efforts across regulated venues. Konami is happy to support regulated gaming markets with this previously unattainable ability, to the benefit of countless communities and individuals.”

The post Konami’s SYNK Vision Named Finalist in Regulating the Game Global Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.