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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”.

2026 FIFA World Cup

Betano Sends a Video Game Character into the Real World to Capture the Emotion of the World Cup

Published

30 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

betano-sends-a-video-game-character-into-the-real-world-to-capture-the-emotion-of-the-world-cup

Betano, Kaizen Gaming’s premium online betting and gaming brand, is turning to gaming culture to dramatize the emotional pull of football fandom in its latest international campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Created by Wieden+Kennedy São Paulo, the campaign follows a lonely video game NPC (Non-Playable Character) who escapes the artificial world of a football game to experience the intensity, unpredictability and collective emotion of a real World Cup. Set to a reimagined version of the song “Mr. Lonely,” the film positions football fandom as something too powerful to be simulated.

The work launches under the global platform “Believing Makes it Real” and will roll out across 14 countries in South America and Europe, supported by live activations and fan engagement initiatives tied to the tournament. The campaign will be 360° with dedicated adaptations per country and three main character adjustments tailored to the cultural idiosyncrasies of different regions.

“The FIFA World Cup is the ultimate anchor in global sports, and for a campaign spanning so many different markets, we wanted to match that ambition. Our brief was to articulate the raw, collective emotion of being a fan, a feeling so intense it transcends even the most advanced digital simulation. This film captures that powerful truth, reinforcing our global platform, ‘Believing Makes it Real,’ and positioning Betano at the heart of the sport’s most genuine and unpredictable moments,” said Pablo Puertas, Kaizen Gaming – Betano, Marketing Director.

“Our challenge was finding a fresh, globally resonant way to talk about the World Cup. The campaign starts in a cold, automated universe and follows the journey of an NPC discovering what happens when an entire world truly believes. It’s a contrast that turns football emotion into something impossible to program,” said Felipe Paiva and José Ferraz, Group Creative Directors at Wieden+Kennedy SP.

The campaign also reinforces Betano’s growing relationship with FIFA. The brand was recently named an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 for Europe and South America, following previous partnerships around the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.

The 2026 edition — hosted across the US, Mexico and Canada — will be the largest in FIFA history, featuring 48 national teams for the first time.

The post Betano Sends a Video Game Character into the Real World to Capture the Emotion of the World Cup appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

EGR B2B Awards 2026

EvenBet Gaming named Poker Supplier of the Year at the EGR B2B Awards 2026

Published

30 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

evenbet-gaming-named-poker-supplier-of-the-year-at-the-egr-b2b-awards-2026

Global poker vertical leader secures prestigious accolade in London, highlighting continuous technical innovation and strategic expansion.

4th June 2026 – EvenBet Gaming, a leading software provider of online poker and card game solutions, has been awarded Poker Supplier of the Year at the prestigious EGR B2B Awards 2026.

The ceremony, held last night at City Central at the HAC in London, brought together prominent stakeholders from across the global iGaming sector. Celebrating its 17th year, the EGR B2B Awards recognize the pioneering companies that power the wider gambling market, representing the ultimate benchmark of operational excellence, innovation, and customer service.

The Poker Supplier category specifically honors companies that deliver innovative, high-quality poker solutions, demonstrate strong product integration, maintain jurisdictional compliance, and consistently respond to the evolving needs of operators and players. EvenBet Gaming secured the prestigious accolade after outperforming a highly competitive shortlist of prominent industry peers. This landmark victory further solidifies EvenBet’s market leadership and follows a period of exceptional growth, technical evolution, and strategic global expansion.

Over the past 12 months, EvenBet has introduced strategic upgrades to its core infrastructure, designed specifically to lower operational overheads for casino-first and multi-vertical operators. The launch of high-performance formats — including One Click Poker and Spins Poker — dramatically simplified the player experience, allowing operators to seamlessly tap into network liquidity.

Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming, said: “Securing the Poker Supplier title at the EGR B2B Awards 2026 is a proud moment for EvenBet Gaming, validating over the decade of continuous technical innovation. We have always focused on eliminating operational complexity, making poker an accessible and highly profitable vertical for multi-brand operators. This recognition from industry leaders in London confirms that our product strategy aligns perfectly with modern iGaming demands.”

Media contact

For press enquiries, to schedule an interview, or to request product imagery, please contact EvenBet Gaming’s PR Manager directly at [email protected]

About EvenBet Gaming

EvenBet Gaming is a global iGaming software provider licensed and headquartered in Malta under an MGA B2B licence and holding a supplier licence from the Danish Gambling Authority (DGA). The company delivers a unified ecosystem for the gambling industry, combining its award-winning poker and card game software with a turnkey online casino platform and a high-performance game aggregator.

With over 20 years of experience in poker and iGaming infrastructure, EvenBet builds scalable, high-performance solutions and enables seamless integrations with third-party platforms, gaming content, and service providers.

With over 250 specialists across offices in Malta and Serbia, the company supports a wide range of operators – from Tier-1 international brands to emerging businesses seeking a structured and accessible entry into iGaming.

The reliability of EvenBet’s software is backed by ISO 27001 certification and rigorous testing from iTech Labs, BMM Labs, and GLI. Its industry leadership is confirmed by a long list of prestigious accolades, including European iGaming Awards (Poker Provider winner 2026), EGR B2B Awards (Poker Supplier winner 2024 and 2026), SBC Awards, SiGMA Europe Awards, Malta iGaming Excellence Awards, and EGR Europe Awards.

The post EvenBet Gaming named Poker Supplier of the Year at the EGR B2B Awards 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

BETER

BETER secures Kentucky license, bringing Setka Cup and ESportsBattle to ninth US state

Published

30 minutes ago

June 5, 2026

Wladimir P.

beter-secures-kentucky-license,-bringing-setka-cup-and-esportsbattle-to-ninth-us-state

BETER has secured a license in Kentucky, expanding the availability of its Setka Cup table tennis and ESportsBattle betting content to a ninth US state. The approval was granted by the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming (KHRG), the state regulator.

The Kentucky approval adds to BETER’s existing US footprint in Florida, New Jersey, Colorado, Arizona, Indiana, Iowa, North Carolina, and Illinois. The license allows BETER to supply operators in Kentucky with live data and live streams from Setka Cup and ESportsBattle tournaments.

BETER said the content is already live for Kentucky bettors through bet365, which it described as a long-standing operator partner.

Chuck Robinson, CRO at BETER, said: “Kentucky is a state with a deep sporting heritage, and we’re excited to bring our exclusive Setka Cup and ESportsBattle content to operators and bettors there. Reaching nine US states is an important milestone that reflects the growing appetite for fast-betting content across the country.

“The US market is evolving rapidly, and players are increasingly seeking round-the-clock, high-quality betting experiences. BETER is built to meet that demand, and each new state we enter strengthens our position as the go-to provider of fast-betting content worldwide.”

Valeriia Tarchynska, Chief Legal Officer at BETER, added: “Receiving both approval and license is the result of sustained and meticulous regulatory and compliance work by our team. The US licensing landscape is uniquely complex, with each state operating under its own distinct framework, and we take great pride in meeting those requirements wherever we operate.

“With nine states now approved, the US continues to be a cornerstone of BETER’s global strategy. We are actively pursuing approvals in additional key states and remain fully committed to expanding our footprint across the country and beyond.”

The post BETER secures Kentucky license, bringing Setka Cup and ESportsBattle to ninth US state appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.