Latest News
From Lara Croft to Thor, personal trainer re-creates the fitness regimes of iconic gaming characters

- Ebuyer have teamed up with expert PT Mike Harle to create week-long diet and workout plans tailored to popular gaming characters.
- If you’re wondering what it would take to get lean Lara Croft style or attain the body of a literal god (Thor), here is what it could take to maintain their physiques.
New year is here, and therefore it’s time to sign up for that annual gym membership you are probably, rarely, going to use. But have you ever sat at your console and wondered “how would they keep in shape” when it comes to gaming characters?
Well, Ebuyer have taken matters into their own hands to discover just that – not without a little help of course. Teaming up with expert PT and owner of the Frontrow gym in Yarm, Mike Harle, Ebuyer have created a week-long diet and workout plan specifically tailored to your favourite gaming characters.
So, if you’re wondering what it would take for Lara Croft to stay lean, or to maintain the body of a literal god (Thor), look no further.
Mario (Super Mario)
Although the live-action Super Mario movie is set to arrive in December 2022, the potbellied plumber’s short stature doesn’t exactly scream the Hollywood image of fitness. He’s not ripped, he’s not chiselled, but he’s stocky and my God can that plumber jump. And as it turns out, you don’t have to look far to find capable athletes of a similar build.
The workout and diet of a rugby prop fit Mario’s mould nicely. Bulky but physically fit, and fully capable of sudden spurts of speed, the use of weights and cardio workouts will help Mario build the muscle his body needs to jump into every pipe.
Of course, Mario will need to cut back on the heavy breakfast foods in favour of something healthier. However, given his proclivity for mushrooms, this means he can eat a huge variety of meal options by substituting meat for a tasty mushroom-based meat alternative.
Lara Croft (Tomb Radar)
Dodging the lethal traps of tombs and scaling ancient ziggurats is no simple feat. Lara Croft needs to be strong yet flexible, with plenty of athletic and gymnastic prowess to overcome her foes. That means developing a healthy level of muscle without bulking up.
Lara’s workout is all about Calisthenics, bodyweight training that works large groups of muscles simultaneously without the use of additional weights and exercise machines. This allows her to strengthen all the muscles in her body but leave herself slim enough to easily swing between ledges and squeeze through crevices.
As for diet, Lara is spoilt for choice. With her vast pockets of wealth, she can afford the best food from around the world, meaning she’ll have no trouble eating well while tailoring her diet to perfectly compliment her workout.
Thor (Thor: God Of Thunder)
With the Thor: Love and Thunder movie dropping on the 8th of July, Thor’s going to have to do quite a bit of work to shift his beer belly and regain his thunder post-Endgame. And in order to attain the body of a literal god, you need to do some pretty intense workouts and diet adjustments. So, what better place to turn to for inspiration than the fittest man on Earth, CrossFit champion Matt Fraser.
CrossFit is all about constantly varied, high-intensity weight and cardio movements that work the entirety of the body. Combine this with a diet designed to shed as much fat as possible and Thor will be well on his way to rebuilding his eight-pack in no time.
Of course, there are a few things even the God of Thunder can’t live without. There’s no keeping Thor off the beer, which is why his diet accommodates for a litre of the frothy beverage each day.
“New Year is here, and so are our annual resolutions to get fitter. So, it got us thinking over at Ebuyer – just what would it take for our favourite gaming characters to keep their shape and save the world” says Andy Roberts, E-Commerce Director of Ebuyer.
Powered by WPeMatico
David Mann Chief Executive Officer at Swintt
Swintt unleash the power of Ancient Egyptian tomes in MonyMax Book Hunt

Reading Time: 2 minutes
Sought-after software provider’s latest Book Series slot sees player write a new chapter of rewards with free spins, expanding symbols and wins of up to 5,000x
Having consistently wowed players with its page-turning Book slots, popular software provider Swintt is back in action this month with another exciting chapter in MonyMax Book Hunt – an all-new Egyptian adventure filled with all the series’ favourite features.
A five-reel slot that can be played with either five or ten active paylines, MonyMax Book Hunt sees players embark on another thrilling trip to the Land of the Pharaoh’s where collecting ankhs, sarcophagi and dashing adventurers holds the key to unlocking legendary prizes of up to 5,000x.
Featuring an immersive Egyptian-inspired soundtrack and taking place in front of a backdrop of a golden tomb glistening in the evening sun, MonyMax Book Hunt’s greatest treasures are found in its free spins feature, which is activated by landing three iconic book symbols in any reel position.
To aid players on this literary quest, the slot features two optional enhancements that make triggering the bonus a little easier – the first is an added bet that makes book symbols more likely to the appear, while the second is a “Buy Feature Games” button that grants them instant access.
However they reach the bonus round, players will be awarded with an initial 10 free spins and presented with a new screen where one regular icon will be chosen at random to become an expanding symbol. Should any instances of the selected symbol appear during their free games, they’ll stretch to fill their reel irrespective of position so long as a winning payline can be created.
In this way, players can further increase their chances of landing multiple wins on every spin – and if they’re feeling really adventurous, they’ll even have the option to gamble their total prize in an additional Risk feature, where correctly guessing red or black will see their winnings doubled.
David Mann, Chief Executive Officer at Swintt, said: “Swintt’s Book Series of slots has already proved to be a real page-turner for players – and this month, we’re writing an exciting new chapter in MonyMax Book Hunt. Boasting the same fan-favourite features that have made the franchise such a success and two easy-access bet modes, we’re sure the game will go on to become a big hit with Book veterans and newcomers alike, making it another must-have release for operators.”
The post Swintt unleash the power of Ancient Egyptian tomes in MonyMax Book Hunt appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Compliance Updates
EGBA Welcomes Approval of European Standard on Markers of Harm

Reading Time: < 1 minute
The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) has welcomed the positive outcome of the vote on the draft European standard on markers of harm in the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). An overwhelming majority of national standardisation bodies voted in favour of the standard, representing a significant milestone for player protection in Europe.
“The positive outcome of this vote is a real testament to the power of collaboration across our sector,” said Maarten Haijer, Secretary General of EGBA. “When EGBA first proposed this initiative to CEN, we envisioned creating a commonly agreed standard that would benefit players across Europe. We’re delighted with the support the standard has received, and I want to personally thank all the stakeholders who participated in this process. The result shows what happens when we work together to strengthen player protection.”
“After years of driving this project, through its conception and development, seeing the overwhelming support it has received is incredibly rewarding. This will be the first commonly agreed European standard for identifying risky gambling behaviours and it will offer an essential building block for effective harm prevention in Europe. The cooperation to develop the standard was extremely valuable, bringing together diverse expertise from across the continent,” said Vasiliki Panousi, Senior Manager of EU Affairs at EGBA.
The voting process closed on 25 September. While the outcome of the vote is a significant milestone, the standard must now go through the formal CEN finalisation process before it will be published. This process can take several months, and includes language translations and other procedural requirements. The finalisation process is expected to be complete by early 2026.
The post EGBA Welcomes Approval of European Standard on Markers of Harm appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Andrew Rhodes
UKGC Publishes Second Annual Report from Gambling Survey for Great Britain

Reading Time: 3 minutes
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has published the second annual report from the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), the world’s largest dedicated study of gambling participation, behaviours and consequences.
Produced by National Centre for Social Research and University of Glasgow the survey has undergone independent review and complements the Commission’s wider exploration of gambling in Britain through a range of research and data.
Key findings in this year’s report include:
• overall, 48% of adults aged 18+ in Great Britain have gambled in the last 4 weeks, decreasing to 28% when those who had only bought tickets for a lottery draw were excluded
• 42% of adults who gambled in the past 12 months rated the last time they gambled positively, compared to 21% who rated it negatively. For the chance of winning big money was the main reason why people gamble (85%) followed by because gambling is fun (72%)
• in 2024, 2.7% of adults aged 18+ in Great Britain scored 8+ on the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), which is statistically stable compared to 2023.
Recent research published by Professor Patrick Sturgis to further understand the impact of methodology on survey estimates has strengthened confidence in the robustness of GSGB estimates.
The large survey sample size – 19,714 respondents – has enabled the Commission to publish two supplementary reports into risk profiles among people who gamble on a weekly basis and the potential negative consequences of gambling.
The first report highlights the risk profiles among people who gamble on a weekly basis. These findings show that levels of risk vary not only between gambling products, but also within product categories themselves – underlining the need for operators to take account of risks within their customer bases.
The second report broadens understanding of the potential negative consequences of gambling. The findings reinforce evidence from earlier qualitative research indicating gambling can simultaneously impact multiple aspects of a person’s life such as their relationships with others and their health.
The new release complement other research published by the Commission over the last year including:
• four quarterly publications tracking participation in gambling
• a deep dive report written by the University of Glasgow to investigate the relationship between reasons for gambling and different gambling activities
• a deep dive report written by the University of Glasgow to explore the relationship between gambling activities and PGSI scores
• findings of new research exploring people’s experiences of gambling consequences
• its response to Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) review of the GSGB
• experimental research findings on why different gambling surveys produce different estimates.
Andrew Rhodes, Chief Executive of the Gambling Commission, said: “The Gambling Survey for Great Britain is a key building block of the evidence base which helps government, industry and other partners understand both gambling behaviour and potential consequences from gambling.
“This year’s findings deepen our understanding of consequences from gambling and provide crucial insight into risk profiles among those who gamble most frequently. We strongly encourage operators to use this evidence to consider the risks within their own customer bases.
“Data and research, such as GSGB, is essential to helping us identify where our regulatory focus should be and informs our ongoing work to implement player protection recommendations from the Gambling Act Review White Paper.
“We have already introduced light-touch financial vulnerability checks on those spending £150 a month, reduced the intensity of all online games by banning autoplay and slowing game speed, and tightened age verification in premises.
“We’ve also banned potentially harmful marketing offers involving consumers having to carry out two or more types of gambling, such as betting and playing slots, and limited the number of times bonus funds must be re-staked before a consumer can withdraw winnings.”
He continued: “From the end of this month [31 October] our new rules will give consumer controls over deposit limits and all gambling businesses must prompt their customers to set a financial limit before they make their first deposit.”
“In the land-based sector, we are also considering time and monetary limit setting functionality and safer gambling messaging on machines.
“In addition, we have been piloting enhanced frictionless financial risk assessments for those spending £1,000 within 24 hours or £2,000 within 90 days. We are currently analysing the data gathered during the pilot examining data-sharing between credit reference agencies and gambling businesses.”
The post UKGC Publishes Second Annual Report from Gambling Survey for Great Britain appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Canada4 days ago
Ezugi partners with PokerStars to further extend live casino game choice for players
-
Amusnet4 days ago
Investing in the Future: Amusnet Modernises Facilities at the Technical University of Sofia
-
Aquisitions/Mergers4 days ago
NextBet Launches as Acquisition Vehicle (AV) to Consolidate Mid-Market Operators; Announces Flagship Acquisition and Growth Strategy
-
Asia4 days ago
Fight vs. illegal gambling gets boost with Php50M PAGCOR grant to NBI
-
Big Fishing Net Fortune4 days ago
INSPIRED EXPANDS ITS iGAMING PORTFOLIO WITH THREE NEW SLOT LAUNCHES: PHARAOH’S BIGGER BIG MONEY, BIG FISHING NET FORTUNE & COPS ‘N’ ROBBERS GRAND CHANCE
-
Latest News4 days ago
Red Rake Gaming Launches Million 777 Coins with Exciting Minigames and Big Wins
-
Latest News4 days ago
PG Soft dazzles again with Arabian-inspired Majestic Empire slot
-
BERANI ZLÍN hockey club7 days ago
SYNOT Once Again the Main Partner of the Berani Zlín Hockey Team