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New research shows students are borrowing money to gamble
More than one in three university students who gamble are borrowing money to do so, new research has revealed.
A survey of 2,000 students across the UK found that 80% of them have gambled and 41% of this group admit that gambling has had a negative impact on their university experience, including missing lectures, assignment deadlines and social activities.
More than one third (35%) are using money either from their student loan, overdraft, have borrowed from friends or are taking out payday loans to help fund their gambling. Nearly one in five (19%) admit to using their student loan to gamble.
The independent research, conducted by Censuswide, was jointly commissioned by GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme, and The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), a charity that educates and safeguards vulnerable people against gaming and gambling-related harms.
The mean gambling spend for students is £31.52 per week and almost one in five (18%) admit to spending more than £50 per week, although 45% say they spend no more than £10 a week. Nearly four in ten (38%) say they gamble at least once a week, with 63% gambling at least once a month.
More than one in four (28%) say they are gambling as often, or more often, than before the pandemic and 29% say they are spending as much or more than they did before the pandemic. The most popular gambling products during the pandemic have been the National Lottery (32%), online sports betting (25%) and online bingo (18%).
Almost half the students who gamble (46%) say that making money is a motivation – the most common reason given – and one in four (25%) say they enjoy the risk. More than half (52%) say that gambling makes them feel excited and one in three (33%) say it makes them happy, compared to one in five (21%) who describe feeling anxious.
Amongst students who gamble, more than one in three (36%) have invested in cryptocurrency in the last 12 months – compared to just 17% of students who do not gamble.
Students also revealed that their friends are the biggest influence on their gambling (34%) with nearly one in four (23%) most influenced by social media and 14% of students identifying gambling advertising as a key influence on their gambling.
The new research on student gambling is the first published since the pandemic and follows previous research commissioned by YGAM in 2019. The previous report produced by Red Brick Research found that 264,000 students in the UK were at some risk from gambling harm with around 88,000 already defined as problem gamblers.
Following the publication of the report, YGAM are joining forces with GAMSTOP and RecoverMe, an app that provides self-help tools to those suffering from a gambling problem, to launch a campaign raising awareness of gambling harms amongst students and promoting support available to students who may be struggling. During the ‘Gambling Support University Tour’ the three organisations will visit university campuses throughout the UK to speak to students and university staff. YGAM will also be offering City & Guilds assured training to the university teams to better equip them to support their students. A ‘Gambling Support University Tour’ visit can be arranged by contacting [email protected]
Bray Ash, 29, is studying mental health nursing at King’s College London, having previously studied at Leeds University and has experienced gambling harms first-hand while in higher education. He told how easy it was to get caught up in gambling.
“When you go to university for the first time and you have student finance, money from your parents and other financial support you can be tempted to gamble recklessly. It took over my life – I wasn’t studying, I was just sitting in my halls gambling. At my second year of university, I ended up gambling away my student loan in the first 24 hours.
“It is important that students have access to organisations, such as YGAM, to educate them about gambling and provide support and that they are aware of essential tools such as self-exclusion if they are experiencing problems with their gambling. I know that it would have benefited me when I was at my lowest point”.
Daniel Bliss, Director of External Affairs at YGAM, said: “This research provides us with some valuable insights into the behaviours of students during the pandemic. We’re keen to build on this piece of work to better understand how our programmes can safeguard and support students. The findings reiterate the importance of educating our young people on the risks and harms associated with gambling. Education is a powerful tool to ensure students are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to help prevent harm.”
Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, said: “Gambling-related harm on our campuses is a subject that is rarely addressed, but for any students experiencing problems with their gambling, self-exclusion can give them valuable breathing space whilst they seek additional help. With online gambling increasingly prevalent during the pandemic, the research shows the importance of raising awareness of a free online self-exclusion service, which is accessible to all”.
Adil Nayeem, Co-founder of RecoverMe, said: “This research highlights how the student population can be a high-risk group for gambling-related harm. We created RecoverMe when one of our close friends at university struggled with a gambling addiction and did not know where to turn. RecoverMe gives students multiple strategies to manage acute urges and support those suffering from a gambling problem with a discreet, flexible and evidence-based programme”.
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Kraken’s Catch combines suspense, spectacle, and seafaring riches in one stormy release
Stakelogic is setting sail into uncharted waters with its latest slot release, Kraken’s Catch, a feature-packed, high-volatility slot where monstrous multipliers and a mysterious sea creature lie beneath the surface.
This 5×3 slot with 15 win lines invites players on a nautical adventure where every spin can uncover treasures from the deep. Central to the chaos are the Fish symbols, which can land with multiplier values that are ripe for collection, but only if the right characters appear.
The eager Fisherman symbol hooks all visible Fish symbol values and applies a personal multiplier of up to 5x, while the mysterious Eye of the Kraken symbol, appearing exclusively on reel 5, triggers the Call of the Kraken feature, summoning the beast to scoop up all Fish and Fisherman values in a dramatic underwater sweep.
The excitement escalates in the Free Spins Bonus, where players collect Fishermen to climb the Progress Bar and trigger more spins and stronger global multipliers, up to a massive x5. If that wasn’t enough, the slot’s standout moment comes via the Eye of the Deep Bonus, an all-or-nothing spin filled exclusively with Fish, Fishermen, and the Kraken’s eye. Here, winnings are tallied through a three-stage collection mechanic that can result in monumental payouts.
Players can also activate Super Stake™, increasing their bet by 50% for double the chance to trigger Free Spins. For those eager to dive straight into the action, the Buy Bonus feature offers instant access to the Hold ‘N’ Win-style mechanic for 100x the bet.
With a max win of 5,000x, multiple RTP variants (up to 95.97%), and thrilling collection mechanics, Kraken’s Catch combines high seas drama with high-stakes gameplay in true Stakelogic style.
James Jelliffe, Head of Slots at Stakelogic, said: “Kraken’s Catch brings together everything players love about a great slot including exciting features, fast-paced progression, and thrilling collection mechanics, all wrapped in an atmospheric underwater theme. The Eye of the Deep bonus is a real highlight, delivering tension and excitement in a single spin. We’re confident this game will make waves across the industry.”
The post The Kraken awakens in Stakelogic’s latest slot adventure appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
What does it really take to pick the right iGaming offer for promotion? With so many variables to consider, it’s easy to make mistakes, especially for affiliates just starting out.
To help clarify things, N1 Partners and the RichAds ad network joined forces to share practical advice on choosing profitable offers and avoiding common pitfalls.
The conversation took place during the N1 Puzzle Promo — a competition where affiliates, both seasoned and new, experiment with different traffic sources, tools, brands, and GEOs to achieve one main goal: maximize profits from their traffic. And selecting the right offer is the first step toward success.
Meet the Experts
Before diving into the tips, here are the people sharing their insights:
Daria Maichuk Affiliate Manager at N1 Partners |
 Veronika Ponomareva Head of Customer Service at RichAds |
What is RichAds?
RichAds is an ad network offering a wide range of traffic sources, including:
- Telegram ads
- Push notifications
- Popunders
- Domain redirects
- Native ads
- Display traffic
Prices start at just $0.005 CPC for push ads and $0.5 CPM for popunders, with access to traffic across 200+ GEOs from Tier 3 to Tier 1.
How to Choose an iGaming Offer: Expert Advice
We asked Daria and Veronika the most important questions affiliates have when evaluating iGaming offers.
1. What parameters of an iGaming offer should be analyzed first before launching?
Daria Maichuk
“Start with the GEO: is gambling legal, how competitive is the market, and how solvent is the audience? Then check the payment model (CPA, RevShare, Hybrid) and the funnel: registration flow, minimum deposit, and site usability. The product matters too — top providers, live casino, sports, esports, localization, and bonuses. Finally, look at retention: how long players stay active and what campaigns keep them engaged.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“First of all, it’s the payout conditions, brand and its reputation on the market, as well as the funnel flow and the content of pre-landing/landing pages to pay attention to. Many things can affect a campaign’s result such as verification before the first deposit, the lack of locally popular payment methods support and the first deposit amount.”
2. How can a beginner determine the potential of an offer? Which metrics should they focus on to avoid wasting budget?
Daria Maichuk
“Key metrics are Conversion Rate (CR), Earnings Per Click (EPC), and Click-Through Rate (CTR). A low CTR usually means the offer doesn’t match the audience or creatives. Test multiple landers — welcome pages and reg forms typically perform best. Also consider First Time Deposits (FTD) and retention, as they reflect the long-term potential of an offer.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Cost per registration, cost per conversion and ROI — are basic yet the most crucial things to look at. Potential means the long-lasting profit, so pay attention to the LTV (Lifetime Value). An offer could have a moderate EPC, but if the player retention is high and brings many secondary deposits, then the LTV would be extremely high accordingly. Ask your manager about the LTV of the offer in the required geo.”
3. How does a brand’s license affect the choice of GEO and traffic?
Daria Maichuk
“White licenses allow affiliates to work in regulated markets and run campaigns on official ad channels like Google Ads, FB, and TikTok. Grey licenses are also usable, but platforms often restrict or ban them, so affiliates need strong moderation skills.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“The licensing topic is highly important due to the fact that it determines the legality of traffic and what sources are acessible. Strict licenses (MGA, UKGC) approve only the cleanest traffic (mostly PPC and SEO). The traffic is very expensive, but provides quality leads. Curacao license gives more freedom as you can work with push-traffic, teasers and popunders. High risks come with no license at all as well as the accessible traffic sources are very limited.”
4. Which three GEOs currently deliver the highest ROI in iGaming, and why?
Daria Maichuk
“Germany: high purchasing power, stable LTV and retention, large deposits, strong conversion.
Canada: fast-growing, high trust in licensed brands, boosting CR and retention.
Australia: players spend more, stay active longer, and convert well into deposits.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Depends on the traffic source we’re looking at, for example, if it’s either push or pop, then Bangladesh, Brazil and South Africa are currently on top.”
5. How can you understand whether an offer fits your main traffic source (FB, PPC, push, etc.) before testing?
Daria Maichuk
“Beginners often test blindly, but it’s possible to know in advance. FB and Google are the most widespread sources. Google traffic is highly engaged because players search for the product themselves. Facebook is harder for retention, but we work actively to improve it, especially for this audience, where push campaigns are essential. Push/Pop works for most offers, though CR is lower. If an offer has working apps (ASO), it can also be promoted through stores.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Facebook and Google Ads are following strict guidelines on accessible content regarding iGaming offers, so it’s a common headache for marketers to test offers there and co-exist with moderation rules. Push and pop traffic doesn’t apply so many demands to the advertising content, so they’re way more preferrable for promotion means. So are Telegram Mini Apps, by the way, since they feature more tolerant moderation by advertising networks and fresh relevant audience.”
6. Top 3 traffic sources for iGaming in 2025?
Daria Maichuk
“Google: high-intent users, precise targeting.
Facebook: huge reach, flexible creative testing.
SEO: long-term stability, independent of traffic costs, especially effective for RevShare.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Telegram Mini Apps: fresh audience, broad opportunities for advertising formats and extremely relevant users who come from casual games and tap-to-earn clickers.
Push-notifications: proven traffic source with high CTR and pre-made user bases that provide easier outreach to converting players.
Popunders: high CR and cost-effective means for promotion, since quality landing pages are usually enough to convert impulsive gamblers.”
7. Do your affiliates drive traffic through Telegram and what are the specifics? What do you think about mini-app traffic?
Daria Maichuk
“Yes, we’ve seen such cases, but most affiliates still prefer other sources. Data is still limited, but we’re closely monitoring Telegram and mini-app traffic and see strong potential here.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“For us it’s a channel that we actively explore, since introducing Telegram Mini App ads showed us how much of a potential they hold straight away. First of all, TMAs themselves offer a global coverage and outreach to a variety of potential leads for the iGaming products, coming from all over games and applications. In fact, since the moderation policies there are independent from the official Telegram Ads platform, that gives additional interest to this traffic.”
8. How many FTDs are needed to objectively evaluate an iGaming offer?
Daria Maichuk
“PPC: 20–30 FTD.
Facebook (slots): 20–30 FTD.
Facebook (crash games): at least 100 FTD.
In-app: around 100 FTD.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“At least 30 FtD, but to evaluate the offer properly it’s best to look into the player activity in the long run, the average amount of the deposits and other in-depth metrics.”
9. Which KPIs do you recommend for testing: ROI, FTD, deposit, or retention?
Daria Maichuk
“We often use soft KPIs. On average, we expect the avg dep count to be >=2. Sometimes we also track the ratio of total deposits to partner payout.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“It’s a complex matter as hitting the KPIs is usually the result of a combination of factors getting along.”
10. What should affiliates do if an offer “drops” after two weeks — switch or optimize?
Daria Maichuk
“If results were good initially, optimize creatives and targeting. If not, check whether the creatives included slots actually available in the product. Our managers always provide updated slot and targeting recommendations.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Optimize the campaign, examine the metrics, check the creatives, change landing pages – try to find the correlation to this in the traffic performance.”
11. Which statistical indicators show that an offer can be scaled?
Daria Maichuk
“The main sign is stable positive ROI over several days or weeks. Also look at the funnel (click → registration → deposit) and player retention.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Simply, a more or less stable ROI is the main indicator here.”
12. How to scale an offer within one source without lowering CR?
Daria Maichuk
“Increase budgets gradually — 10–20% every 1–2 days. Scale your best-performing bundles first. Always refresh creatives: without new content, audiences burn out and CR declines.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“The same level scaling is the key. If by creatives, then create new combinations of creatives and landing pages. If by the audience — gradually add more newcomer oriented targetings, instead of increasing the bids on the current ones. Just test everything by degrees.”
Conclusion
The N1 Puzzle Promo highlighted not only the competitive spirit among affiliates but also the importance of knowing how to pick the right iGaming offers. From choosing GEOs and traffic sources to tracking KPIs and scaling campaigns, the advice from N1 Partners and RichAds gives affiliates a clear roadmap to better results.
RichAds continues to support the iGaming community with its self-serve platform, offering access to 220+ GEOs and multiple traffic types from push and popunders to Telegram Mini Apps and native ads.
Launch smarter campaigns, work with the right offers, and grow your iGaming profits!
The post How to Choose an iGaming Offer: N1 Partners x RichAds Share Their Expertise appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
What does it really take to pick the right iGaming offer for promotion? With so many variables to consider, it’s easy to make mistakes, especially for affiliates just starting out.
To help clarify things, N1 Partners and the RichAds ad network joined forces to share practical advice on choosing profitable offers and avoiding common pitfalls.
The conversation took place during the N1 Puzzle Promo — a competition where affiliates, both seasoned and new, experiment with different traffic sources, tools, brands, and GEOs to achieve one main goal: maximize profits from their traffic. And selecting the right offer is the first step toward success.
Meet the Experts
Before diving into the tips, here are the people sharing their insights:
Daria Maichuk Affiliate Manager at N1 Partners |
 Veronika Ponomareva Head of Customer Service at RichAds |
What is RichAds?
RichAds is an ad network offering a wide range of traffic sources, including:
- Telegram ads
- Push notifications
- Popunders
- Domain redirects
- Native ads
- Display traffic
Prices start at just $0.005 CPC for push ads and $0.5 CPM for popunders, with access to traffic across 200+ GEOs from Tier 3 to Tier 1.
How to Choose an iGaming Offer: Expert Advice
We asked Daria and Veronika the most important questions affiliates have when evaluating iGaming offers.
1. What parameters of an iGaming offer should be analyzed first before launching?
Daria Maichuk
“Start with the GEO: is gambling legal, how competitive is the market, and how solvent is the audience? Then check the payment model (CPA, RevShare, Hybrid) and the funnel: registration flow, minimum deposit, and site usability. The product matters too — top providers, live casino, sports, esports, localization, and bonuses. Finally, look at retention: how long players stay active and what campaigns keep them engaged.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“First of all, it’s the payout conditions, brand and its reputation on the market, as well as the funnel flow and the content of pre-landing/landing pages to pay attention to. Many things can affect a campaign’s result such as verification before the first deposit, the lack of locally popular payment methods support and the first deposit amount.”
2. How can a beginner determine the potential of an offer? Which metrics should they focus on to avoid wasting budget?
Daria Maichuk
“Key metrics are Conversion Rate (CR), Earnings Per Click (EPC), and Click-Through Rate (CTR). A low CTR usually means the offer doesn’t match the audience or creatives. Test multiple landers — welcome pages and reg forms typically perform best. Also consider First Time Deposits (FTD) and retention, as they reflect the long-term potential of an offer.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Cost per registration, cost per conversion and ROI — are basic yet the most crucial things to look at. Potential means the long-lasting profit, so pay attention to the LTV (Lifetime Value). An offer could have a moderate EPC, but if the player retention is high and brings many secondary deposits, then the LTV would be extremely high accordingly. Ask your manager about the LTV of the offer in the required geo.”
3. How does a brand’s license affect the choice of GEO and traffic?
Daria Maichuk
“White licenses allow affiliates to work in regulated markets and run campaigns on official ad channels like Google Ads, FB, and TikTok. Grey licenses are also usable, but platforms often restrict or ban them, so affiliates need strong moderation skills.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“The licensing topic is highly important due to the fact that it determines the legality of traffic and what sources are acessible. Strict licenses (MGA, UKGC) approve only the cleanest traffic (mostly PPC and SEO). The traffic is very expensive, but provides quality leads. Curacao license gives more freedom as you can work with push-traffic, teasers and popunders. High risks come with no license at all as well as the accessible traffic sources are very limited.”
4. Which three GEOs currently deliver the highest ROI in iGaming, and why?
Daria Maichuk
“Germany: high purchasing power, stable LTV and retention, large deposits, strong conversion.
Canada: fast-growing, high trust in licensed brands, boosting CR and retention.
Australia: players spend more, stay active longer, and convert well into deposits.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Depends on the traffic source we’re looking at, for example, if it’s either push or pop, then Bangladesh, Brazil and South Africa are currently on top.”
5. How can you understand whether an offer fits your main traffic source (FB, PPC, push, etc.) before testing?
Daria Maichuk
“Beginners often test blindly, but it’s possible to know in advance. FB and Google are the most widespread sources. Google traffic is highly engaged because players search for the product themselves. Facebook is harder for retention, but we work actively to improve it, especially for this audience, where push campaigns are essential. Push/Pop works for most offers, though CR is lower. If an offer has working apps (ASO), it can also be promoted through stores.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Facebook and Google Ads are following strict guidelines on accessible content regarding iGaming offers, so it’s a common headache for marketers to test offers there and co-exist with moderation rules. Push and pop traffic doesn’t apply so many demands to the advertising content, so they’re way more preferrable for promotion means. So are Telegram Mini Apps, by the way, since they feature more tolerant moderation by advertising networks and fresh relevant audience.”
6. Top 3 traffic sources for iGaming in 2025?
Daria Maichuk
“Google: high-intent users, precise targeting.
Facebook: huge reach, flexible creative testing.
SEO: long-term stability, independent of traffic costs, especially effective for RevShare.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Telegram Mini Apps: fresh audience, broad opportunities for advertising formats and extremely relevant users who come from casual games and tap-to-earn clickers.
Push-notifications: proven traffic source with high CTR and pre-made user bases that provide easier outreach to converting players.
Popunders: high CR and cost-effective means for promotion, since quality landing pages are usually enough to convert impulsive gamblers.”
7. Do your affiliates drive traffic through Telegram and what are the specifics? What do you think about mini-app traffic?
Daria Maichuk
“Yes, we’ve seen such cases, but most affiliates still prefer other sources. Data is still limited, but we’re closely monitoring Telegram and mini-app traffic and see strong potential here.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“For us it’s a channel that we actively explore, since introducing Telegram Mini App ads showed us how much of a potential they hold straight away. First of all, TMAs themselves offer a global coverage and outreach to a variety of potential leads for the iGaming products, coming from all over games and applications. In fact, since the moderation policies there are independent from the official Telegram Ads platform, that gives additional interest to this traffic.”
8. How many FTDs are needed to objectively evaluate an iGaming offer?
Daria Maichuk
“PPC: 20–30 FTD.
Facebook (slots): 20–30 FTD.
Facebook (crash games): at least 100 FTD.
In-app: around 100 FTD.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“At least 30 FtD, but to evaluate the offer properly it’s best to look into the player activity in the long run, the average amount of the deposits and other in-depth metrics.”
9. Which KPIs do you recommend for testing: ROI, FTD, deposit, or retention?
Daria Maichuk
“We often use soft KPIs. On average, we expect the avg dep count to be >=2. Sometimes we also track the ratio of total deposits to partner payout.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“It’s a complex matter as hitting the KPIs is usually the result of a combination of factors getting along.”
10. What should affiliates do if an offer “drops” after two weeks — switch or optimize?
Daria Maichuk
“If results were good initially, optimize creatives and targeting. If not, check whether the creatives included slots actually available in the product. Our managers always provide updated slot and targeting recommendations.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Optimize the campaign, examine the metrics, check the creatives, change landing pages – try to find the correlation to this in the traffic performance.”
11. Which statistical indicators show that an offer can be scaled?
Daria Maichuk
“The main sign is stable positive ROI over several days or weeks. Also look at the funnel (click → registration → deposit) and player retention.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“Simply, a more or less stable ROI is the main indicator here.”
12. How to scale an offer within one source without lowering CR?
Daria Maichuk
“Increase budgets gradually — 10–20% every 1–2 days. Scale your best-performing bundles first. Always refresh creatives: without new content, audiences burn out and CR declines.”
Veronika Ponomareva
“The same level scaling is the key. If by creatives, then create new combinations of creatives and landing pages. If by the audience — gradually add more newcomer oriented targetings, instead of increasing the bids on the current ones. Just test everything by degrees.”
Conclusion
The N1 Puzzle Promo highlighted not only the competitive spirit among affiliates but also the importance of knowing how to pick the right iGaming offers. From choosing GEOs and traffic sources to tracking KPIs and scaling campaigns, the advice from N1 Partners and RichAds gives affiliates a clear roadmap to better results.
RichAds continues to support the iGaming community with its self-serve platform, offering access to 220+ GEOs and multiple traffic types from push and popunders to Telegram Mini Apps and native ads.
Launch smarter campaigns, work with the right offers, and grow your iGaming profits!
The post How to Choose an iGaming Offer: N1 Partners x RichAds Share Their Expertise appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.
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