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”.

Asia

S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026

Published

1 hour ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

s8ul’s-league-of-legends-roster-qualifies-to-represent-india-at-asian-games-2026

S8UL Esports’ League of Legends roster has qualified to represent India at the Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, running from September 19 to October 4. The organisation said the team secured qualification through the regional qualifiers after winning the National Esports Championships (NESC) 2026, described as the official national qualification tournament for the Asian Games.

S8UL said the roster competing under India’s banner is Akshaj Shenoy (Kat Bot), Aakash Shandilya (Infi), Sanindhya Malik (Deadcorporal), Mihir Ranjan (Lotus), Ahmed Shahid (Nero), and Rahul Bisht (Bob). The regional qualifiers featured 14 teams across a group stage and a split stage, with top performers advancing to the Asian Games main event.

In Group B, the team went unbeaten against Jordan, Sri Lanka, and Kazakhstan to progress, according to S8UL. In the split stage, it lost to Vietnam, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia but did enough to secure a berth. India will now face opponents including Japan, Chinese Taipei, and Vietnam at the main event.

Four players—Kat Bot, Infi, Deadcorporal, and Lotus—were also part of India’s League of Legends contingent at the Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, where S8UL said the team finished fifth.

Akshaj Shenoy aka Kat Bot, captain of India’s League of Legends team, said, “Qualifying for the Asian Games is a proud moment for all of us. We knew the regional qualifiers would be extremely competitive, and every match demanded complete focus. For many of us, this will be our second Asian Games, which makes this qualification even more special because we understand the level of competition that awaits us. We are grateful to S8UL for believing in this roster and providing us with the support, stability, and opportunities needed to keep improving as a team. Representing India is always an honour, and we’ll do everything we can to make the country proud in Aichi-Nagoya.”

S8UL co-founder and CEO Animesh Agarwal aka 8Bit Thug added, “Representing India at the Asian Games is among the highest honours an athlete can achieve, and seeing our League of Legends roster earn that opportunity is incredibly special. This team has demonstrated resilience, discipline, and a willingness to continually improve, qualities that are essential for success at the international level. At S8UL, our goal has always been to create pathways for Indian athletes to compete on the biggest stages in the world. We have no doubt they will give their all when they step onto the stage in Aichi-Nagoya and compete for the nation with pride,” S8UL also noted that Gurashish Singh (Soul) and Prateek Bhaunt (B Haunt) previously qualified for the Asian Games in Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 after winning at NESC 2026.

The post S8UL’s League of Legends roster qualifies to represent India at Asian Games 2026 appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Ignition Casino

Ignition Casino survey: LA fans most likely to back themselves to score for USMNT

Published

1 hour ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

ignition-casino-survey:-la-fans-most-likely-to-back-themselves-to-score-for-usmnt

Los Angeles ranks as the most confident sporting city in the US, according to new research commissioned by operator Ignition Casino, with 30% of respondents saying they believe they could score a goal for the USMNT at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The nationwide survey, conducted by Censuswide among 1,000 respondents between April 14 and April 17 2026, asked Americans about their confidence across multiple sports scenarios, including scoring for the USMNT at the World Cup, scoring a point against LeBron James one-on-one, or kicking a game-winning Super Bowl field goal.

After Los Angeles, Miami placed second on the World Cup scoring question at 29%, followed by Dallas at 27.1%, according to the research. Ignition Casino said that excluding Columbus, every city in the top 10 recorded at least 17% of respondents believing they could score for the USMNT at the tournament.

At state level, California topped the rankings. The survey found 29.7% of Californians believe they could score for the national team at the World Cup, and California also ranked first overall for combined sporting confidence with an average score of 32.8%. The release also cited Georgia, Illinois and Virginia as posting “more than a quarter” of respondents in each state believing they could score for the USMNT.

The survey also included non-football confidence measures. Ignition Casino said 32.3% of Miami respondents and 37.5% of Californians believe they could score at least one point against LeBron James in a one-on-one basketball game, while 32.5% of Los Angeles respondents and 36.7% of Virginians believe they could kick a Super Bowl-winning field goal.

The post Ignition Casino survey: LA fans most likely to back themselves to score for USMNT appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Latest News

N1 Brand Series: N1 Bet — Player Profile & GEOs

Published

1 hour ago

June 17, 2026

Wladimir P.

Every brand requires its own approach, which is why in the N1 Brand Series, the N1 Partners team breaks down products through a practical, hands-on lens.

In this episode let’s look inside N1 Bet: its core strengths, audience specifics, and approaches to improving traffic efficiency. In addition, the team has prepared a traffic setup for N1 Sport Promo, a new promotion aligned with the upcoming high-intensity sports season and FIFA 2026.

Within the campaign running from June 10 to July 20, partners will be able to earn additional bonuses for high-quality sports and prediction traffic, increasing their potential rewards alongside the number of acquired FTDs.

N1 Bet: Product breakdown

N1 Bet combines classic sports betting, casino, and Prediction Markets into a single product, offering users a wide variety of markets, an intuitive interface, fast onboarding, and attractive promotional mechanics designed to boost engagement.

Brand name: N1 Bet
GEOs: AU, NZ, AT, DE, CA, CH, IE, NO, IT
Main verticals: Casino, betting, prediction markets
Target audience: Users aged 25-55 interested in online casinos, slots, and live games, oriented toward a fast and seamless gaming experience.
User value: Ease of use, fast access to games, bonuses, and promotional mechanics
Features/advantages: Simple and fast registration flow, smooth UX, wide selection of slots and live games, fast deposits/withdrawals, and regular promotions.
Reg2Dep:
PPC: 40–60%
FB: 22–30%
SEO: 40–45%

Retention Rate: 25–35%
LTV: up to €1500

Player’s portrait

N1 Bet audience is primarily composed of Tier-1 GEO users, which directly influences their behaviour and expectations toward the product. From a payment behaviour perspective, Tier-1 audiences demonstrate a higher average deposit compared to Tier-2 and Tier-3 markets, especially in Australia, New Zealand, and the DACH region.

Another key product characteristic is strong mobile dominance. On average, 87% of active users play from mobile devices. In English-speaking GEOs, this share is even higher:

AU — 95%
NZ — 96%
CA — 95%

In practice, this is mostly a mobile-only audience. In the DACH region, mobile traffic is also dominant, although desktop still retains a presence:

DE — 89% mobile
AT — 91% mobile

Peak player activity occurs in the evening — from 19:00 to 23:00 local time.

Player characteristics by GEO

Austria

A premium audience segment.
91% of users play on mobile devices.
High interest in slots, especially classic titles such as Legacy of Dead and Book of Ra.
Higher rates with fewer deposits.
Behavior is close to a VIP segment.

Germany

Also a premium segment.
89% mobile traffic, while maintaining a noticeable desktop share.
The most balanced mix of slots, live casino, and sportsbook.
Slots share is lower than in other GEOs, but classic slots remain in demand.

Australia

95% mobile users.
High average revenue per user.
Main interest focused on slots and crash games.
Branded games, including Chicken Road 2 x N1 Bet, are among the most popular products.

Canada

95% mobile audience.
Average ARPPU is comparable to Australia.
Gaming behaviour is mostly slot-oriented.
High interest in branded content.
Lower sensitivity to bonus offers compared to other markets.

New Zealand

The most mobile-driven audience — 96%.
Lower ARPPU and average bet size.
The only GEO with a consistently high share of live casino activity — 17% to 56% vs 10-22% in other markets.
The most diverse gameplay behavior overall.

New players’ behavior

New user behaviour largely depends on traffic source:

Facebook Crash campaigns — users start with crash games (Chicken Road, Aviator, etc.) and then gradually move into slots.
Facebook Slots campaigns — users immediately engage with slots without switching categories.
PPC — most common mix: slots + live casino.
Influence — mixed interest across slots, crash games, and live casino.
SEO — primarily focused on slots and live games.

General trends

Slots remain the main driver of new player activity, accounting for 60–80% of playtime (higher in AT and AU, lower in DE and CA).
Crash games work extremely well as a primary conversion tool, especially for Facebook traffic.
Live casino becomes more popular after the 2nd–3rd deposit, especially among users from DACH and NZ.

High-LTV Player Behavior

High lifetime value players are not characterised by single large deposits but by consistent product engagement:

more than 4 active gaming sessions per week;
use of multiple verticals simultaneously (slots + live, slots + sportsbook, sportsbook + prediction markets);
active participation in VIP and loyalty programs;
use of cashback and loyalty systems instead of bonus hunting;
strong interest in new providers, tournaments, and product updates;
stable deposit patterns without sharp promo-driven spikes;
engagement in onsite activities (tournaments, bonus shop) and CRM communications.

This category of users forms the most stable and long-term LTV for partners.

Top 3 Working Funnels for N1 Bet

Funnel 1

This funnel is designed for a broad audience and performs well due to a simple and clear message. The main focus is the ability to start with a small amount and potentially win big. This approach helps maintain a low FTD cost and quickly scale traffic volume.

Traffic source: Facebook
GEO: AU
Page type: PWA
Audience: Men and women 25+
Approach: The creative is based on a dynamic video. It starts with a stack of cash in front of a smartphone or computer screen, then shifts to gameplay featuring slots, bonuses, and winning combinations. A voiceover explains the low entry threshold, easy start, and the ability to play directly from a smartphone. The main goal is to create a sense of accessibility and highlight potential winnings.
Why it works: Users immediately see core triggers — money, wins, and a low entry barrier. The funnel appeals to the desire for fast results with minimal investment.
Key funnel element: Slots and PWA
Performance indicators: CPC, FTD cost, and average player value
Scaling method: Duplication of successful ad campaigns
Risks/limitations: May attract lower-quality traffic
Common mistakes: Launching too many campaigns at once with high budgets
Expert note: This funnel should be scaled gradually. The best approach is to start with a single campaign and allow algorithms to gather sufficient data. If stable FTD and average value metrics are achieved over several days, scaling should be done through duplication rather than abrupt budget increases.

Funnel 2

This approach can attract higher-quality audiences thanks to a combination of a recognizable influencer, a real casino environment, and a native-style product presentation. When executed properly, it can maintain an acceptable FTD cost while bringing in users with strong long-term engagement potential.

Traffic source: Facebook
GEO: AU
Page type: PWA
Audience: Men and women 25+
Approach: The creative features a well-known influencer inside a physical casino. They play a slot, share their experience, show bet sizes and winnings. The atmosphere is important: other casino visitors react emotionally, creating a sense of real entertainment and leisure. The entire video is positive and demonstrates that this experience is accessible to anyone.
Why it works: Users see a familiar face and recognizable environment, which increases trust in the ad.
Key funnel element: Creative and PWA
Performance indicators: CPC and FTD cost
Scaling method: Duplication of working campaigns
Risks/limitations: Improper scaling may significantly increase FTD cost
Common mistakes: Rapid budget increases instead of gradual scaling
Expert note: This funnel often delivers higher-quality audiences compared to standard gaming creatives. However, scaling should be done carefully. If performance is stable, it is better to increase volume gradually through duplication while keeping winning campaign settings.

Funnel 3 (for N1 Sport Promo traffic)

During the N1 Sport Promo campaign, sports traffic funnels become especially important.

Below is an approach that can perform well during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Traffic source: Facebook Ads
GEO: Canada
Page type: PWA with content tailored to a specific World Cup match
Audience: Men 25–45 interested in football, sports betting, sports news, and international tournaments. Focus is on users actively following the World Cup, discussing matches, and looking for predictions.
Approach: The creative is built in a news or analytical format centered around a specific World Cup match. It includes predictions, team statistics, starting lineups, injury updates, team form, and expected outcomes. The content must be tightly linked to an upcoming match or trending topic actively discussed by the audience.
Why it works: Users engage with content they are genuinely interested in. Instead of a standard betting ad, they receive relevant match insights and become part of the analysis process. The high interest in the World Cup enables broader reach and high-quality sports traffic.
Key funnel element: Creative relevance and match context
Performance indicators: High CTR, strong registration conversion, and high percentage of users placing bets after registration
Scaling method: Continuous creation of new creatives for each match day, teams, popular fixtures, and trending tournament news
Risks/limitations: Creatives quickly lose relevance and require constant updates
Common mistakes: Using generic sports creatives without match context, scaling too early, and failing to update after the news cycle ends
Expert note: During the World Cup, funnels built around specific matches or teams perform best. Users respond more strongly to events happening today or tomorrow than to generic sportsbook ads. Fast content updates and relevance are key success factors.

Final Takeaways

N1 Bet consistently performs well across Tier-1 markets when using the right approach. Simple gaming creatives drive volume, influencer-based funnels improve traffic quality, and sports-driven funnels effectively capitalize on major event interest.

With the right strategy, N1 Bet remains a strong product both for scaling volume and for working with high-quality audiences.

Run traffic to N1 Bet with N1 Partners and maximize results during the hot sports season: