Latest News
Future Anthem and Gamesys present new research into the impact of casino games on player markers of harm

Modelling of 36 million gaming sessions finds no statistically significant correlation between player markers of harm and three structural game characteristics: Volatility; Return to Player (RTP); Hit Rate
Building on the foundations of a complementary responsible gambling assessment earlier in the year, Future Anthem and Gamesys (a Bally’s Corporation Company) have partnered to analyse the extent to which player markers of harm may be driven by the games that players choose to play.
Released to coincide with Safer Gambling Week (1-7 November 2021) – a cross-industry initiative to promote safer gambling in the United Kingdom and Ireland – this research has used Anthem’s Safer Play machine learning models which were executed against 36 million Gamesys gaming sessions to identify potential markers of harm that indicate risky play.
A full investigation of the extent to which slot games may be correlated with markers of harm was conducted on these game sessions to identify the link between player risk and the three structural game characteristics of volatility, return-to-player and hit rate.
The results
The results demonstrate no statistically significant correlation between player markers of harm and the experience that different games provide.
Analysis by Future Anthem – the pioneering AI and game data science specialist – indicates that these structural characteristics are not associated with behavioural markers of harm. Furthermore, there was no evidence that specific risk indicators, such as staking up, were linked to specific games within the category.
This is just the beginning of what will become a larger piece of research on game features, game design and markers of harm to understand the aspects of games that provide for a sustainable and enjoyable player experience.
Additional insights
Key factors of prominence in this research suggest that there are other learnings that can aid detecting risky play, including time of day, deviance from normal play patterns and recent classification of risky sessions.
Statistics found to support this include:
· Overnight play (12.00am-6.00am): 36% riskier than other times of the day
· Players were over 7x more likely to have another high-risk session than those that just had a safe session.
“We are delighted to have undertaken research in such an important area of our industry with Gamesys. Aspects of games, players, behaviours, and protection are often mythologised. We have deployed comprehensive machine learning models with significant amounts of data on gameplay to shine a light on part of the puzzle. We look forward to undertaking further research on games and game design to identify how gambling operators and studios can provide an enjoyable and sustainable player experience,” said Chris Conroy, Chief Data Officer, Future Anthem.
“As part of our ongoing commitment to player experience, we are proud to be part of a piece of research that better helps the gambling sector understand the link between markers of harm and the gaming experience. We always strive to build and operate games that are best suited to our players, with rigorous selection policies – this research is another milestone on our journey,” said Kevin Clegg, Director of Sustainability at Gamesys (a Bally’s Corporation company).
About this research
Future Anthem’s Safer Play product uses state of the art AI to proactively detect in-session wagering behaviours that indicate players may be exhibiting markers of harm, creating a score for every game session for every player (a game session being from game launch to game close).
Its machine learning models assess more than 80 separate metrics that correspond to markers of harm which have been honed across billions of spins to cluster game sessions together according to their level of risk.
For this specific research undertaken with Gamesys, 36 million gaming sessions were created, which involved 2+ billion spins, across 5 million hours of gameplay on 368 games, from more than 800,000 players.
Future Anthem believes this research is the first of its kind as most other research in this area understandably focuses on the player themselves. The Future Anthem team intends to continue its research in this area with additional focus on the relationships between games, features, design and their links to player-risk and experience.
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Latest News
Thunderkick expands popular franchise with Midas Golden Touch 3

Studio unveils Power Recharge and Retrigger Boost mechanics to enhance bonus round
Independent slots studio Thunderkick has launched Midas Golden Touch 3, the latest addition to its successful series that elevates gameplay to new heights with fresh features and greater player control.
The famous King Midas graces the opulent reels once more, where between one and five wilds on a payline boost wins with multipliers from 2x up to 32x. The Gift of Midas feature also returns in the base game, randomly distributing one to five wilds or scatters across the reels.
Similarly to its predecessors, landing three or more scatters in the new release activates the bonus round, this time with five free spins. However, in the third instalment, the number of triggering scatters determines the starting Epic Wild Multiplier: three, four, or five award a 2x, 5x or 10x base multiplier respectively.
Thunderkick has revamped the bonus round with an all-new Power Recharge mechanic, which is activated at the end of every respin sequence, increasing the Epic Wild Multiplier by 1x and adding two extra spins to the meter.
The studio has also introduced a Retrigger Boost, which resets the number of free spins to five and increases the Epic Wild Multiplier by between 3x and 8x when three to five additional scatters land, unlocking 15,000x win potential.
Thunderkick has continued to align with a trend toward heightened player control within gameplay, with the integration of six bonus buy and ante bet options catering to a variety of playstyles and further refining the user experience.
Johannes Polbring, Game Product Owner at Thunderkick, said: “It has been over half a decade since we launched the original Midas Golden Touch, and the brand has continued to resonate with players across the globe since.
“Our goal was to push the boundaries with Midas Golden Touch 3 to make it the most entertaining release to date. By introducing two distinct ways to build the Epic Wild Multiplier, we have delivered a game that harnesses the popular aspects of the franchise while introducing refreshed gameplay to appeal to both new and existing players.”
The post Thunderkick expands popular franchise with Midas Golden Touch 3 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Australia
WATERHOUSE VC SECURES OPTION IN MAINCARD, THE “SHOPIFY OF ONLINE BETTING”

Waterhouse VC, an investment fund specialising in the technology layer of the global gambling industry, has secured an option in Maincard, a “Shopify of Online Betting” platform targeting the launch of fully customisable licensed online betting sites in under 30 minutes.
Maincard targets the $1 trillion iGaming market by replacing months of development work, cumbersome licensing and complex integrations with a subscription-style workflow. Crypto-native founders, influencers and digital communities can spin up branded betting sites, monetise their audiences and retain full upside ownership from day one.
“iGaming still suffers from high startup costs and significant technical and regulatory friction,” said Tom Waterhouse, Chief Investment Officer of Waterhouse VC. “We’re seeing strong potential in platforms that can streamline development, similar to how Shopify revolutionised e-commerce. The sector is ripe for innovation that allows new entrants to focus on player acquisition and retention rather than backend development.”
“Waterhouse VC’s deep domain knowledge and network will accelerate our go-to-market,” said Valerii Makovetskii, Founder and CEO of Maincard. “We’ve developed strong technical foundations with our crypto-friendly payments gateway already powering third-party casinos. The next step is to make launching a betting site as easy as launching an online storefront.”
The investment aligns with Waterhouse VC’s approach of identifying promising B2B technology companies serving the wagering industry and negotiating options to acquire stakes in these businesses.
Maincard platform vision:
- Launch in <30 minutes — drag-and-drop, no code required
- End-to-end compliance — licensing, KYC/AML, fraud, payments, customer support and marketing handled by Maincard
- 15,000+ casino games & 1,000+ sportsbook markets out of the box
Maincard is currently raising USD $3M to scale its sales team and launch multiple brands from the waiting list by the end of Q3 2025.
The post WATERHOUSE VC SECURES OPTION IN MAINCARD, THE “SHOPIFY OF ONLINE BETTING” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
CT Interactive Enters into Strategic Partnership with VIXIO

CT Interactive, a leading provider of innovative online gaming content, has entered into a strategic partnership with VIXIO, a globally trusted provider of regulatory intelligence and compliance solutions for the gaming industry.
“We are excited to join forces with VIXIO, a partner known for their unmatched expertise in regulatory compliance. This partnership will empower our teams with the intelligence needed to stay ahead of regulatory changes, support our entry into new jurisdictions, and ensure we continue to deliver reliable, compliant solutions to our partners and players worldwide,” said Dimitar Gelev, Compliance Manager at CT Interactive.
“VIXIO is delighted to partner with CT Interactive. Our mission is to provide our clients with the regulatory clarity they need to grow confidently, and we look forward to supporting CT Interactive as they expand their global footprint,” said Mike Woolfrey, CEO of Vixio.
This partnership represents a powerful synergy between technological innovation and regulatory intelligence, strengthening CT Interactive’s position as a trusted and forward-thinking leader in the iGaming industry.
The post CT Interactive Enters into Strategic Partnership with VIXIO appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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