Latest News
Joint CEO Letter: Driving Sustainability Through A Focus On Safer Gambling
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
Powered by WPeMatico
eSports
Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025
Esports Charts, the leading esports viewership analytics provider, has partnered with StarLadder, a pioneering tournament organiser. The Budapest Major 2025 marks a highly anticipated comeback for StarLadder, as it is their first Counter-Strike Major since 2019 and a significant return to the top-tier esports arena.
As the official analytics partner of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025, Esports Charts will provide comprehensive, real-time audience data and insights throughout the event. This will empower organisers, teams, sponsors and fans with unparalleled transparency and a deeper understanding of the tournament’s global reach.
Artyom Odintsov, Co-founder and CEO of Esports Charts, said: “We are thrilled and proud to provide viewership analytics for StarLadder for the Budapest Major 2025. Since both Esports Charts and StarLadder are Ukraine-born companies, we share similar values and deal with similar challenges, which brings us even closer.
“It’s genuinely exciting to follow how viewership will develop at this Major. But knowing the expertise, drive, and passion that the organizers are bringing, I have no doubt we’ll witness some incredible things happen in Budapest.
“Esports Charts has always been driven by a mission to provide the esports community with accurate, actionable data, and we look forward to showcasing the impact and audience engagement of this world-class event.”
StarLadder has been a driving force in global esports for almost 15 years now, since hosting its first tournaments in 2011. Renowned for its innovation and reliability, the company has organised some of the industry’s most iconic events. These include the StarLadder Berlin Major 2019, which accumulated over 44 million hours watched and remains in the top 10 CS events by this metric, and the legendary StarSeries tournaments which started back in 2012.
Viacheslav Shcherbakov, Sales and Partnerships at StarLadder, said: “We’ve been working with Esports Charts since their founding and have always valued their professionalism and integrity. In a market where reliable data is essential, Esports Charts provides honest, transparent numbers, exactly the kind of insights sponsors and stakeholders rely on when assessing the potential reach of a World Championship event.
“We’re confident that this partnership will result in a high-quality analysis of our tournament’s performance and the audience data we’ll report to our partners. It’s a collaboration built on trust, shared values, and a deep understanding of what it takes to elevate esports to the next level.”
The Starladder Budapest Major 2025 will be held from November 24 to December 14 in Budapest, Hungary. The event will bring together the world’s top 32 Counter-Strike 2 teams to compete for a $1.25 million prize pool and one of the most prestigious titles in esports.
The post Esports Charts Becomes Official Viewership Analytics Partner of StarLadder Budapest Major 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Superbet has become the new main sponsor of Jagiellonia Białystok. The logo of one of Poland’s leading bookmakers will appear on the front of the Podlasie team’s match jerseys. This is the fourth Ekstraklasa club, alongside Lech Poznań, Górnik Zabrze and GKS Katowice, to join the bookmaker’s extensive sponsorship portfolio.
The new partnership is more than just a logo on a jersey – the collaboration between Jagiellonia and Superbet is intended to have a particularly fan-focused nature. The brand is announcing numerous dedicated campaigns, events and surprises aimed at fans of the yellow and reds. The first of these has already launched with the announcement of the partnership – and will undoubtedly delight anyone planning to purchase the new jersey.
Superbet will pay a 100 PLN bonus towards the purchase of an official Jagiellonia match jersey. A total of 1920 jerseys will be available as part of the promotion – a number symbolically related to the year the club was founded. The promotion is valid both in-store and online and is open to all Superbet app users.
“When making a purchase in a stationary store, all you need to do is show the installed application, and for online customers, verification will take place via the email address: [email protected], to which you can simply send a short message, and in response, fans will receive a unique code entitling them to purchase a T-shirt at a discount,” explains Bartosz Malaka, Head of Marketing & Sponsoring at Superbet.
However, this is not the end of surprises for fans of the Białystok club, because if they register using the special code “JAGA,” they will also receive a welcome bonus.
“Jagiellonia fits perfectly into our sponsorship strategy – it’s a club with ambition, a strong identity, and enormous potential that combines modernity with local character. W’’re thrilled to be embarking on this journey together. Our logo will now appear on the fronts of the jerseys of four Ekstraklasa clubs, confirming our continued leadership in sports sponsorship,” said Łukasz Seweryniak, General Manager of Superbet Polska.
“Jaga is the perfect partner for us – with a great history and a huge, loyal community of fans who live and breathe this club every day. With them in mind, we’re preparing a whole package of activations, surprises, and events designed to build even stronger bonds. We want to show that just as Jaga is a super club, Superbet is a super sponsor,” Malaka said.
“I am extremely proud and happy to have entered into a partnership with such a renowned and recognizable brand as Superbet. I would like to emphasize that this is the highest-ever sponsorship agreement in the club’s history, which further underscores the importance of this partnership. I believe the word ‘partnership’ is key in the context of our agreement. I am most pleased that we are not just gaining a sponsor, but a true partner with whom we will achieve great things together,” said Ziemowit Deptuła, President of the Management Board of Jagiellonia Białystok SSA.
The partnership with Superbet is another important step in Jagiellonia’s development – not only in terms of sporting activities, but also in terms of modern marketing and fan engagement. Both parties emphasize that this will be a collaboration based on genuine commitment and closeness to fans.
The post Superbet Becomes New Main Sponsor of Jagiellonia Białystok appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission (VGCCC) has fined the Werribee RSL $30,000 for failing to prevent 2 self-excluded customers from gambling.
VGCCC CEO Suzy Neilan said: “This is the first time the VGCCC has taken disciplinary action against a club or hotel for self-exclusion breaches.
“Self-exclusion programs empower people to manage their gambling by registering to be temporarily or permanently blocked from entering gambling areas of clubs, pubs and casinos.
“By failing to respect a person’s decision to self-exclude, a venue may put customers who have decided to take a break from gambling, or quit altogether, at risk of experiencing gambling harm.”
In January 2024, the VGCCC received an anonymous tip-off that a self-excluded person entered the Werribee RSL gaming room and used the poker machines. The venue self-reported a second breach in May 2024, after realising a different customer had gambled at the venue on at least 4 occasions between February and May 2024.
Ms Neilan said: “Taking disciplinary action is the last resort. We would prefer venues take their harm minimisation responsibilities seriously by complying with their legal obligations, including through the effective implementation of tools like self-exclusion.
“Venues and their staff are the last line of defence for self-excluded customers, who should be able to trust that their decision to self-exclude will be respected. They must have the appropriate controls in place to prevent self-excluded people from entering gaming rooms.”
The VGCCC acknowledged that Werribee RSL cooperated with the investigations and has since taken steps to strengthen its procedures. These include improved and regular staff training, daily audits of the self-exclusion register and greater use of technology to identify self-excluded customers who attempt to enter the gaming room.
This remedial action was taken into consideration in determining the amount of the fine.
The post VGCCC Fines Werribee RSL for Self-exclusion Failures appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
-
Asia6 days agoDigiPlus Backs Stricter Online Gambling Regulation
-
AGCO6 days ago
Prime Skill Games Inc. Official Response to AGCO Press Release
-
Australia6 days ago
ACMA Blocks More Illegal Online Gambling Sites
-
Africa5 days ago
Altenar appoints Brendon Jeacocks as Regional Director in South Africa
-
Aristocrat Interactive6 days ago
Logifuture goes live in Mexico with Zoom Soccer via Aristocrat Interactive integration
-
Baltics6 days ago
Push Gaming levels up in Latvia and Estonia with OlyBet
-
Aquisitions/Mergers5 days ago
Pavilion Payments Acquires CasinoSoft
-
Betpro5 days ago
Kambi Group plc signs Turnkey Sportsbook partnership with Latin American operator RedCap
