Latest News

Joint CEO Letter: Driving Sustainability Through A Focus On Safer Gambling

Published

4 years ago

November 22, 2022

Reading Time: 4 minutes

In a joint letter, the CEOs* of bet365, Betsson, Entain Group, Flutter Entertainment, Kindred Group, and William Hill International have united to outline their collective ambition to foster a more sustainable online gambling sector in Europe. The letter features in EGBA’s recently published annual Sustainability Report 2021/22.

Over the past year, we have seen the gaming and betting sector’s commitment to protecting its customers come under close scrutiny from politicians and regulators across Europe. Now, more than ever, the entire sector must come together and redouble its efforts to promote safe and sustainable gambling.

Be it having a bet on the World Cup, or playing a game of poker, gambling is still one of Europe’s most popular forms of entertainment and it is enjoyed safely by many millions of adults across Europe. But we know that for some, it can lead to harm to them and their immediate social circle.

As Europe’s leading online gaming and betting companies, it is entirely in our interest to have long-term customers who enjoy a bet, do so within their means, and consider gambling for what it is – a great form of entertainment. We therefore take our responsibilities to protect our customers very seriously.

Our teams are constantly working to provide our customers with a safe and sustainable experience through the promotion of safety tools, messaging, and information to help consumers be protected and well informed about the risks of gambling.

This not only helps us to build trust with our customers as responsible and trustworthy businesses, but also with other important stakeholders in society. It is the right thing to do by our customers and the commercially sound thing to do. Safe and sustainable gambling is good for all.

Investing in a strong culture of safer gambling

We are investing heavily in the latest tools and technologies to provide our customers with the safest and most personalised experience possible. It is therefore positive and encouraging that half of our European customers – nearly 15 million of them – are now using the safer gambling tools we provide.

A fundamental part of our efforts is the use of behavioural science to help identify and intervene with customers where there are markers of harm. We are doing more to educate our customers about these behaviours and signpost the appropriate self-help tools available to them, such as helplines.

In fact, we are now communicating more than ever to our customers about safer gambling – and in an increasingly personalised way. Last year, we collectively sent 38 million communications to our customers to promote safer play, with 60% of these communications being tailored to the customer based on their own individual playing behaviour.

Through these preventative actions we aim to promote a strong culture of safer gambling across the entirety of our businesses. To embed this culture even further, we have stepped up internal trainings for employees – 80% of our 57,000 employees in Europe have now received dedicated safer gambling training – and many of our companies now link corporate remuneration to this objective.

Working towards a better understanding of problem gambling

It is a learning curve, and we strive to learn from past mistakes, implement changes when needed, and improve our efforts to protect our customers, including by contributing to improvements in research and greater understandings of problem gambling.

For example, earlier this year the EGBA published a study on how European countries monitor and report problem gambling. The study highlights the clear diversity in national approaches. It showed that many European countries still lack national surveys and there is a need to move towards a more common approach, based on evidence, best practices and markers of harm.

Going a step further to promote responsible advertising

Working towards sustainability also means taking public concern about the volume and placement of advertising seriously. Ahead of the upcoming World Cup, we took stock of our obligations as responsible advertisers, publishing the results of the first independent monitoring exercise of EGBA’s responsible advertising code, which we apply across our European operations.

The exercise found the code to be a strong baseline for responsible advertising practices and EGBA members[1] already correctly apply most of its measures, particularly on content moderation. It also identified ways to improve the code and we are now considering these.

We want to raise the bar and set a positive example for the rest of the sector – because we cannot drive change alone. We invite Europe’s other licensed operators to join us in our sustainability agenda.

At the same time, we also need regulatory frameworks that are predictable, stable, evidence based, and mindful of customer behaviour. These frameworks should benefit customers and ensure they remain within the regulated market – because this is where they are best protected against unaccountable black-market operators who offer none of the protections of the regulated industry. So that customers always receive the best protection, regulation should be designed in a way that ensures the regulated market is always more attractive to them than the black market.

Our collective ambition is to set a course towards a more sustainable online gambling sector through a focus on safer gambling and a commitment to taking meaningful action. Through this report we aim to lead by example and be transparent about our efforts and, by doing so, demonstrate that we are committed to providing sustainable entertainment for many more years to come.

Source: EGBA

Blueprint Gaming

Blueprint Gaming releases Wolf Fury Fire Blitz slot

Published

56 minutes ago

July 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

blueprint-gaming-releases-wolf-fury-fire-blitz-slot

New title adds Fire Spins and Blitz Spins bonuses plus Standard, Super and Ultra Power Play modes at 5x, 10x and 20x stake.

Blueprint Gaming has released a new slot, Wolf Fury Fire Blitz, built around an “evolving Fire Blitz mechanic” and two bonus paths: Fire Spins and Blitz Spins.

The game uses a Fire Blitz logo above the reels as a meter. In the base game and Power Play, the supplier said every Cash and Wolf symbol contributes to the meter, with boosts able to add extra symbols and “guarantees either Fire Spins or Blitz Spins.”

Fire Spins triggers when six or more Cash symbols land in view. Each reel position spins independently to add more Cash or Wolf symbols, with new symbols resetting a three-spin counter and locking in place. Blueprint said the Wolf can land on the centre reel to collect all Cash symbols in view, then collect additional prizes that land for the remainder of the feature.

Blitz Spins activates when a Wolf symbol lands on reel three alongside Cash symbols on two adjacent reels. During the bonus, the Wolf collects every Cash symbol that lands before the reels respin, and additional Wolf symbols can lock in place, with up to three collectors active at once.

The title also includes Blueprint Gaming’s multi-level Power Play, offering Standard, Super or Ultra modes at 5x, 10x or 20x the base stake. In these modes, the company said only Cash and Wolf symbols appear on the reels.

Jo Purvis, Director of Marketing, PR and Events at Blueprint Gaming, said: “Wolf Fury Fire Blitz combines several of our most engaging mechanics into a fast-paced experience that offers players frequent feature opportunities and exciting collection gameplay. The Fire Blitz mechanic creates anticipation throughout every session, while the dual bonus structure ensures plenty of variety.

“The addition of our multi-level Power Play further enhances the experience by giving players greater control over how they engage with the game, reinforcing our commitment to delivering innovative, feature-rich content that performs across regulated markets worldwide.”

The post Blueprint Gaming releases Wolf Fury Fire Blitz slot appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

4 Chili Pots: Hold and Win

Playson releases 4 Chili Pots: Hold and Win with dual bonus modes

Published

56 minutes ago

July 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

playson-releases-4-chili-pots:-hold-and-win-with-dual-bonus-modes

Playson has launched 4 Chili Pots: Hold and Win, a new slot built around Hold and Win and Pots mechanics with two bonus modes and jackpots reaching 10,000x.

The game runs on a 5×3 grid and triggers a Hold and Win Bonus Game with Chili Features when red, orange or green Chili Bonus symbols land, combining with enlarged matching chilis above the reels. The chilli colour determines the feature in play: red triggers a Multi Feature that adds multipliers up to 5x; orange triggers a Mystery Feature that can award Mini, Minor or Major jackpot values or a coin value up to 75x; and green triggers a Collect Feature that gathers the value of all symbols in play, including any attached multipliers.

A golden Super Chili Bonus symbol can trigger a Super Bonus Game on an expanded 5×5 grid, with random Multi, Mystery or Collect features, including combinations. During the round, the active Super Chili Feature lands random Chili Bonus symbols until six are present, which then activates a new feature or enhances the current one.

Playson said jackpots can be triggered in both bonus modes. Filling all 15 cells in the classic bonus awards the Grand Jackpot at 3,000x, while filling all 25 cells in the Super Bonus Game awards the Super Jackpot at 10,000x. Skull-themed symbols can also appear in bonus play and transform into red, orange or green Chili Bonus symbols. The title includes two Buy Bonus levels, allowing players to trigger the Bonus Game or Super Bonus Game with one, two or three Chili Features.

Anton Ivannikov, CPO at Playson, said: “Our fiery new title showcases our continued focus on evolving proven mechanics in fresh and exciting ways. By combining two player-favourite features with layered bonus progression, dynamic Chili Features and a Super Bonus Game offering even greater rewards, we have created a title that delivers excitement throughout every stage of play.

“Complemented by its vibrant Mexican fiesta theme and engaging gameplay, we are confident 4 Chili Pots: Hold and Win will prove to be another valuable addition to our partners’ casino offerings.”

The post Playson releases 4 Chili Pots: Hold and Win with dual bonus modes appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Compliance Updates

Merkur Group Strengthens Global Compliance Strategy

Published

2 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

merkur-group-strengthens-global-compliance-strategy

Under the theme “Perspectives,” a total of 43 compliance staff members from the Merkur Group across various countries gathered from 30 June to 1 July to further develop compliance processes in a sustainable manner. Colleagues from Germany, Spain, England, Malta, Australia and the US traveled to the two-day meeting at Benkhausen Castle, the in-house training centre of the Merkur Group. The workshop set the stage with expert presentations on global and digital topics such as cybersecurity, risk management and artificial intelligence. A panel discussion featuring representatives from various international companies within the Merkur Group, as well as a digital quiz, rounded out the programme.

In keeping with its guiding principle, the workshop focused on sharing experiences, fostering global networking and providing impetus for the further development of compliance processes. Because informal exchanges are also key to close cooperation, the evening programme created a relaxed atmosphere and gave participants the opportunity to continue their conversations, make new connections, and further strengthen team spirit across company and national boundaries.

“The ideas and diverse perspectives gained during the workshop will now be incorporated into our day-to-day work and help us to continuously improve collaboration and existing processes,” said Ludwig Beckmann, Chief Compliance Officer of the Merkur Group.

The concluding feedback session also highlighted just how valuable the international exchange is. The term “collaboration” came up particularly often, a clear indication of how highly the participants value working closely together within the international compliance network.

The post Merkur Group Strengthens Global Compliance Strategy appeared first on EE Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.