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New report today reveals a staggering 85% increase in online fraud with over a fifth of all online traffic now an attack

Published

4 years ago

February 8, 2022

George Miller

Reading Time: 3 minutes

In the UK: gaming, online streaming and social media sites, travel and retail/ecommerce companies are the worst hit by fraudsters
Experts also find that the metaverse is already fast becoming a fertile breeding ground for cybercrime and newly defined, ‘Master Fraudsters’

A new report released today, The 2022 State of Fraud and Account Security, is warning UK commerce that it faces its most challenging year ever. Experts from the Arkose Labs Network, an online fraud deterrence platform, analyzed over 150 billion transaction requests across 254 countries and territories in 2021 over 12 months to discover that there has been an 85% increase in login attacks and fake consumer account creation at businesses. Alongside this, it identified that a quarter (one in four) of new online accounts created were fake. A further 21% of all traffic was confirmed as a fraudulent cyber attack.

“From the earliest days of online information to the rapid evolution of today’s metaverses, the internet has come a long way. However, this latest data shows that it is more under attack than ever before,” said Arkose Labs Founder and CEO Kevin Gosschalk.

He continued: “Your digital identity is a currency for fraudsters and wherever there is online commerce, cybercriminals are quick to identify vulnerabilities.”

The new report focused on a number of key themes:

The Worst Attacked Sectors in the UK

The latest research took a deep dive into UK business specifically to understand which sectors were the most attacked by online criminals. The ongoing popularity of online gaming puts it top of the list for fraudsters with almost half (46%) of all the attacks in the UK, as seen by Arkose Labs. Digital media companies (social networks and online streaming platforms) are also high value targets and represent a third of all attacks, seeing an 88% increase since 2020. Across all sectors including ecommerce/retail, travel, gaming, financial services, one in every four new online accounts created were fake throughout 2021.

Metaverse companies are more likely to be targeted by “Master Fraudsters”

The rise of virtual worlds has created new attack opportunities for bad actors. Early insights from the Arkose Labs Network show scams, microtransaction abuse, and unfair play are the top threats in a metaverse world. These companies experienced 80 percent more bot attacks and 40 percent more human attacks than other businesses. “Master Fraudsters” attack their targets by scripting together multiple tools with intense persistence. They combine bots and human fraud farms, and invest large amounts of capital, creating virulent attacks. Top attack patterns Master Frauders use to disrupt fair commerce include microtransaction fraud, spam and scams.

Crypto-fraud sees Asia overtake Russia as the world leading attacking region

In prior years, Russian attacks were more common, but in 2021, attackers from Asia took the top spot, with 40 percent of all attacks coming from this region. One in every two Asian attacks originated from China. Leveraging an ecosystem of tools and low-cost resources, two-thirds of Chinese attacks targeted registration, primarily driven by abusing free trials at cloud computing platforms for crypto mining.

Credential Stuffing attacks see a significant spike

Attacks are more volatile than ever. A single attack can consume nearly 80 percent of traffic at peak periods, and in 2021, credential stuffing spikes hit up to 76 million per week. Attack rates doubled during peak season in November, making it the most dangerous month in 2021. Bots were used almost exclusively in Black November.

The Intelligent Bot

Attackers have continued to invest in increasingly sophisticated bots. Bots mimic human behavior with a high degree of accuracy and in 2021 accounted for 86 percent of all attacks. Today’s bot signatures are three times more complex than signatures of previous years. This level of sophistication makes it more difficult to assess risk and make accurate decisions. Businesses require even more sophisticated analysis to detect anomalies and prevent loss.

Arkose Labs provides support for some of the world’s most recognized brands and platforms, including Honey, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PayPal, Pitney Bowes, Roblox, Venmo, and Zilch, covering industries, including financial services, fintech, gaming, retail, technology and social media, representing more than 1 billion social media users, 60 percent of online video gamers, and 40 percent of all retail volume.

ELA Games

ELA Games launches King and Flame slot with Hold and Win coins and Bonus Wheel

Published

49 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

ela-games-launches-king-and-flame-slot-with-hold-and-win-coins-and-bonus-wheel

The 5×3, 20-payline fantasy title includes expanding wild events, Mystery Chests, Free Spins, and a 5,000x max win.

ELA Games has released a new fantasy-themed slot, King and Flame, built on a 5×3 layout with 20 paylines.

The game includes a Hold and Win-style coin mechanic where coins “paying exactly their visible face value,” according to the company. ELA Games also highlighted “Queen’s Mercy” and “Mystery Chests,” which it said can deliver instant prizes or trigger the Grand Jackpot.

On the feature side, ELA Games said the “Tamed by the Crown” event can turn the Dragon Queen into a full reel wild. A “Bonus Wheel Coin” can also appear to unlock a bonus wheel with extra prizes, jackpots, and Free Spins.

The Free Spins round is triggered by three Scatter symbols. During Free Spins, ELA Games said any coin that lands expands to cover the entire column. The title’s maximum win is capped at 5,000x, with a stated maximum exposure of €250,000.

King and Flame is rated mid volatility (2/5), according to the company.

The post ELA Games launches King and Flame slot with Hold and Win coins and Bonus Wheel appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Inside GEO

Inside GEO: Slovenia As the Next Emerging Goldmine

Published

49 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

inside-geo:-slovenia-as-the-next-emerging-goldmine

Slovenia is definitely one of the most promising GEOs for the iGaming niche.

That is why the N1 Partners team has collected insights that will help to work more accurately with the audience, increase ROI and build effective advertising campaigns for the GEO.

Let’s look at the big picture to understand the potential of the region better. Slovenia is a small country in Central Europe with a population of about 2.1 million people and its capital in Ljubljana. The official language is Slovenian, the currency is euro, and the time zone is CET (UTC+1).

With the background of a high living standard and a stable economy, the market creates favorable conditions for online gambling: the iGaming sector is already showing steady growth, and its volume was estimated at about $497 million by 2025.

Reasons to test Slovenia

Slovenia is a promising region, but it often turns out to be underestimated in the iGaming niche.

Top 3 reasons to drive traffic to Slovenia right now:

Low competition.
Slovenia is the country with a low share of online gambling in the market. For partners, this is a signal: with proper localisation and strategy, you can enter a less competitive environment and make a long-term profit.
Solvent players.
The GDP per capita in Slovenia is about $35.3 thousand, which confirms the high level of audience solvency and the potential for stable LTV.
High potential.
Slovenia is not an overheated online market: in European comparison, the share of online gambling in the overall revenue structure remains relatively low. This means that the market has not yet fully realised its digital potential and there’s a room for growth.

Players’ behaviour

Slovenian users are more likely to choose online platforms due to their convenience, wide choice of games and accessibility from mobile devices.

In this region, smartphones account for the majority of iGaming traffic — 86.45%, which requires the adaptation of all funnels to mobile devices.

Gender and age

Men — 63%, average age 31-35 years
Women — 37%, average age 26-30 years

According to N1 Partners, the iGaming market remains predominantly male, which is confirmed by external research: the main audience is men aged 25-44. At the same time, the proportion of women is gradually increasing, expanding the segment’s potential.

Top 10 slots Among N1 Partners Players in Slovenia

N1 Partners team notes that players prefer slots with recognizable series, bonus features and adventure themes — this directly affects retention and LTV.

Legacy of Dead
Book of Dead
Heist Stakes
Book of the Fallen
Gates of Olympus Super Scatter
Lucky Lady’s Charm Deluxe
Magic Apple 2
Rich Wilde and the Tome of Madness
Gonzo’s Quest II: Return to El Dorado
More Magic Apple

Conclusion

Slovenia is a GEO with strong and sustainable potential and a high share of mobile traffic, as well as a growing iGaming market, ideal for those working with gambling traffic.

N1 Partners analytics confirms that with the right localisation strategy and taking into account the characteristics of the audience, this market is able to bring stable profits and long-term growth within the framework of iGaming partner programs.

Wanna scale and increase your income? Work with N1 Partners!

N1 Partners is a multi-brand affiliate program and direct advertiser, bringing together 14+ casino and betting brands with high conversion (CR) and Reg2Dep across Tier-1 GEOs.

N1 Partners offers competitive terms for top partners, including CPA up to €700 and RevShare up to 55%, ensuring stable and scalable performance.

Trusted by 14,000+ partners, N1 Partners stands out for its transparency, flexibility, and focus on long-term partnerships, supported by a strong product portfolio and advanced retention systems.

The post Inside GEO: Slovenia As the Next Emerging Goldmine appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

3 Oaks Gaming

3 Oaks Gaming adds Must Drop JACKPOT mechanic to 4 Pots of Egypt slot

Published

49 minutes ago

April 23, 2026

Wladimir P.

3-oaks-gaming-adds-must-drop-jackpot-mechanic-to-4-pots-of-egypt-slot

New variant pairs Hold & Win gameplay with two daily progressive jackpots designed to drop before a capped maximum value.

3 Oaks Gaming has released Must Drop JACKPOT 4 Pots of Egypt, extending its Must Drop JACKPOT series by adding the time-limited jackpot mechanic to its 4 Pots of Egypt slot.

The 5×3, 20-line title uses a Hold & Win format and a four-pots bonus structure, with a progressive jackpot that the supplier says is guaranteed to drop before reaching a defined maximum value. 3 Oaks Gaming said two progressive jackpots are available daily.

According to the company, the Must Drop JACKPOT prize is set at network level within the game, meaning operators can deploy the promotional feature without additional administrative setup.

The game is built on the original 4 Pots of Egypt, with three smaller pots—Boost, Collect and Multi—and a fourth pot that can add Mini to Major jackpot values on up to three random symbols during the Bonus Game.

Victoria Vashukevich, Acting CCO 3 Oaks Gaming, said: “Must Drop JACKPOT 4 Pots of Egypt builds on the strength of proven Hold & Win gameplay with the added excitement of our Must Drop JACKPOT feature.

“The game’s layered bonus features, engaging Egyptian theme and progressive jackpot functionality make it a valuable addition to our portfolio and an attractive proposition for operators seeking high-performing content.”

The post 3 Oaks Gaming adds Must Drop JACKPOT mechanic to 4 Pots of Egypt slot appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.