Latest News

GAMSTOP is putting vulnerable online consumers back in control

Published

5 years ago

July 14, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

More than eight out of ten (82%) consumers have stopped or reduced their gambling since registering with GAMSTOP, according to the first independent evaluation of the UK’s online self-exclusion scheme.

The report by research consultancy Sonnet, based on surveys of more than 3,300 users and in-depth interviews, found that 84% felt safer from gambling-related harm and more in control of their gambling after registering with GAMSTOP. Eight out of ten (80%) said that the self-exclusion scheme had delivered on their intended outcomes, whether they wanted to stop gambling completely, reduce their gambling or simply to take a short break.

Although financial losses were often an important trigger for registering with GAMSTOP, consumers also reported significant improvements in their well-being:

77% felt more in control of their personal or household finances
72% reported improvements in their levels of anxiety and stress
63% enjoyed an improvement in the quality of their family relationships
60% found they were better able to focus at work
40% reported they were consuming less alcohol

The report’s recommendations include:

Longer self-exclusion periods – currently, the maximum self-exclusion is five years, which had been selected by 71% of consumers surveyed, but four out of ten wanted the option of excluding themselves from all online gambling for longer
Helping consumers to access specialist support – 53% of GAMSTOP’s users have not previously used gambling-related support services so the scheme can be a bridge to other organisations offering help with gambling addiction by working more closely with them
Actively engaging with family and friends of consumers – only 28% of consumers were supported by friends or family, with many too embarrassed or ashamed to seek help, so raising awareness of the service among those affected by a loved one’s gambling will provide a broader support network for consumers and their families
Responding to the threat posed by unlicensed gambling websites – The scheme’s users are deliberately targeted by unlicensed sites – an issue highlighted in GAMSTOP’s response to the DCMS Gambling Act review – and 10% reported accessing them while self-excluded so greater controls on these sites are required to prevent them being exposed to temptation
More research into the harmful effects of advertising – consumers consistently expressed their frustration at being exposed to gambling advertising and wanted greater protection

More than 200,000 consumers have registered with GAMSTOP since the scheme’s inception in 2018. The report found that GAMSTOP had reached a broad cross-section of the population across all demographic groups.

Women aged over 44 were identified as an important demographic, making up 53% of all women surveyed, and the report recommends reaching out to older age groups more generally, together with specific initiatives aimed at people with below national average income. It advocates a marketing strategy to target high-risk groups, making the service more visible through online searches and on operators’ websites.

The report concludes:

“This study shows very strongly that GAMSTOP is successfully achieving a reduction in gambling-related harm with far-reaching positive impacts for consumers being clearly shown in our interviews and survey… Our findings show that GAMSTOP is effective across all age groups, gender groups and, importantly, for all types of online gambling.

The vast majority (of consumers) report a very positive experience of using the service, and our research highlights that it is effective both in terms of delivering consumers’ objectives but also in alleviating a wide range of gambling-related harms”.

An office worker in his 30s, who was spending up to £300 per spin on online slot machines and ran up debts of more than £10,000, registered with GAMSTOP after his partner left him and he feared losing his job. He told researchers that, having self-excluded for five years, he felt safe from temptation during lockdown and has stopped gambling completely. He is now paying back his debts to family and friends and said: “I think this service saved my life. Best thing I ever did is cancel my demons by using this amazing service”.

A delivery driver in her mid-twenties, who was spending almost her entire weekly wage on gambling, and had tried self-excluding from individual websites, found that registering with GAMSTOP helped her take control of her gambling. She is getting married this year and has built up her savings. With the support of her family and partner, she has restricted herself to the occasional £5 bet on football at high street bookmakers and intends to renew her self-exclusion every five years to resist the temptation of betting online.

She said: “The last year I haven’t gambled at all, it was hard at first but now I don’t miss it and the money I have saved is unbelievable”.

Fiona Palmer, chief executive of GAMSTOP, said:

“We are grateful to Sonnet for carrying out this very detailed evaluation of the service and are studying their recommendations carefully. We are delighted to know that vulnerable consumers who have registered with GAMSTOP have found it has helped them control their gambling and made a positive impact on their lives.

The insights in this report are extremely helpful and we welcome the opportunity to look at all suggestions for further improvements to the service, including extending the length of the maximum exclusion period to give them peace of mind that they will benefit from the long-term protection that GAMSTOP provides”.

Latest News

Infingame set to “Unleash Your Beast Mode” at SiGMA São Paulo

Published

8 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Master Editor

Infingame, one of the industry’s fastest-growing iGaming aggregators, will return to Brazil this April for SiGMA São Paulo, bringing its bold new “UNLEASH YOUR BEAST MODE” campaign to the heart of the Latin American market.

Inspired by the jaguar, a symbol of speed, strength and dominance in Brazil and across LatAm, the campaign reflects Infingame’s platform focus on scalable and stable technology, fast integrations and a carefully curated ecosystem of top-tier providers.

Attending the event will be Jana Filagina, Head of Commercial, and Yerassyl Yelemessov, Senior Partner Success Manager, both available to meet with operators seeking a stable, performance-led aggregation partner in the region.

At SiGMA São Paulo, Infingame will focus on reinforcing its position as a leading aggregation partner for Latin America. With over 16,000 games from more than 150 providers, the aggregator will be showcasing the strength of its platform and the depth of its provider network.

Highlighted at the event will be Infingame’s tournaments and challenges, engagement tools designed to help operators boost structured, repeatable player activity. Built directly into the aggregation layer, these tools allow operators to activate campaigns quickly while maintaining full control over performance and localisation.

With Brazil continuing to evolve as a regulated and increasingly competitive market, Infingame’s aggregation platform has been developed to support operators looking to build sustainable growth across Latin America.

Jana Filagina, Head of Commercial at Infingame, said: “Brazil is one of the most exciting markets in iGaming today, but it is also one of the most demanding. Operators need infrastructure that performs consistently, not just at launch, but over time.

“At Infingame, we focus on offering more than just content, giving operators tools such as tournaments and challenges that can be implemented quickly and managed efficiently. SiGMA São Paulo is an important opportunity for us to connect with partners who are serious about long-term performance in LatAm.”

Infingame will also use the event to strengthen relationships across the wider Latin American region, as it continues to expand its presence and support operators navigating regulatory change and increasing competition.

About Infingame

With more than 16,000 games from over 150 providers, Infingame has firmly established itself as one of the world’s fastest-growing iGaming aggregators and a market-leading Sweepstakes provider.

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 our LinkedIn page, website or at [email protected].

Australia

Regulating the Game Global Awards: First-Ever Winners Announced

Published

48 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

regulating-the-game-global-awards:-first-ever-winners-announced

Regulating the Game has declared the winners of the first RTG Global Awards, honoring exceptional leadership, stewardship, and excellence in gambling policy and regulation, safer gambling practices, compliance, technology, and community results.

The Awards were created to recognize the people, groups, and innovations that significantly contribute to integrity, public trust, and sustainable progress in the sector. After substantial worldwide involvement in the first year, victors have now been chosen in all six categories by an impartial judging panel made up of senior leaders with knowledge across industry, law, integrity, governance, and safer gambling.

The 2026 RTG Global Award winners are:

• Leadership Voice — Danny Munk, Wests Illawarra
• Safer Gambling Champion — Gamble Alert
• Compliance Excellence — Dominic Monti, Wests Illawarra
• RegTech Solution of the Year — Cherry Hub
• Community Impact Initiative — Nathan Reeves, Unibet
• Emerging Leader — Michael Simone, Bankstown Sports

The award winners showcase the diversity of leadership throughout the sector, from individuals steering the industry with vision and intent to those promoting excellence in compliance, innovation, responsible gambling, and community engagement.

RTG Founder and Principal at Vanguard Overwatch, Paul Newson, said the inaugural winners had set a strong benchmark for future years: “The inaugural RTG Global Awards were established to recognise substance, integrity and measurable contribution across the sector. This year’s winners represent the calibre of leadership, innovation and commitment required to strengthen regulatory practice, improve industry capability and deliver better outcomes for communities.”

“What distinguishes these recipients is not simply professional achievement, but their contribution to lifting standards, advancing safer gambling, strengthening compliance and demonstrating leadership in areas that matter to public confidence and sector credibility.”

The quality of this year’s nominations resulted in a very competitive field, with finalists chosen from an exceptional group of candidates in every category. Being shortlisted was already a noteworthy accomplishment, showcasing the quality of work, leadership, and contributions made by the finalists, while the eventual winners came from an incredibly competitive group.

The winners were selected following an independent assessment process led by a judging panel comprising:
• Don Hammond, Chief Executive Officer, Leagues Clubs Australia
• Jamie Nettleton, Former President, International Masters of Gaming Law and Partner, Addisons
• Khalid Ali, Chief Executive Officer, International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA)
• Tracy Parker, Senior Vice-President – Accreditation, Advisory and Insights, Responsible Gambling Council (Canada)

The RTG Global Awards form part of the broader Regulating the Game program, which brings together regulators, industry leaders, compliance professionals and innovators to examine critical issues, advance policy dialogue and strengthen sector capability.

The post Regulating the Game Global Awards: First-Ever Winners Announced appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Evoplay

Seasonal Campaigns and Tournaments: Q&A w/ Olga Pronak Head of Key Account Management at Evoplay

Published

48 minutes ago

March 11, 2026

Wladimir P.

seasonal-campaigns-and-tournaments:-q&a-w/-olga-pronak-head-of-key-account-management-at-evoplay

How are seasonal campaigns and tournament-based mechanics changing the way players engage with slots compared to traditional gameplay?

Right now, we see that tournament mechanics and seasonal campaigns increase player engagement by introducing additional layers of success and rewards. However, we cannot say this with complete certainty yet, as we need more time to observe long-term patterns. Sometimes players simply do not have time to join short promotions, as they are busy with their daily lives. At the same time, running shorter campaigns of around three months gives players multiple chances to compete while maintaining high engagement throughout the promotion.

What makes limited-time events and promotional layers so effective in driving retention and repeat play?

By now, the gaming industry is very familiar with tournaments and, more recently, prize drops. However, in today’s environment, where people are used to receiving new information in short 30-second videos every day, it can become boring for a player to see and play the same things everywhere, even though they enjoy tournaments. A greater number of promotional layers gives players a sense of novelty and fresh engagement.

We saw this in practice with our Big Adventures campaign, which ran in phases featuring Tournaments, Prize Drops, and Wheel of Fortune rather than a single promo. Prize draws were held every three months, offering high-value rewards such as iPhones, alongside in-game rewards and additional chances to win through Tournaments, Prize Drops, and Wheel of Fortune. This mix maintained player activity, built anticipation, and generated extra engagement as players approached the final grand prize, a trip for two to the Maldives. The key value of this approach is that it expands the pool of potential winners, giving more players real opportunities to succeed and stay motivated.

How do competitive elements like leaderboards and rewards reshape player motivation and interaction?

I believe this principle is well known, as it is used everywhere now – in marketing, education, and sports. However, in Tournaments, Prize Drops, or Wheel of Fortune, it may differ slightly, as we see different motivations shaping player interaction and engagement. In Tournaments, we show players their current position and how many additional points they need to earn to reach a prize or move to a higher tier. In Prize Drops or Wheel of Fortune, we show that other players have already won prizes, demonstrating that the rewards are real and that everyone has the same opportunity to win. People like to be part of exclusive groups.

Do you see seasonal ecosystems becoming a standard expectation for slot audiences in the years ahead?

It’s hard to say whether this will remain the standard over the coming years, as the entertainment industry is evolving rapidly, including in iGaming, where innovations driven by AI and other emerging technologies are advancing. We also enjoy experimenting with new tools and implementing bold ideas, including exploring ways to engage players in fresh and unexpected ways. But at least for the next year, I believe this will be one of the most popular approaches.

The post Seasonal Campaigns and Tournaments: Q&A w/ Olga Pronak Head of Key Account Management at Evoplay appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.