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New support for NHS to treat gambling addiction
The NHS is set to benefit as new levy will raise an estimated £100 million of new funding for research, prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.
Following publication of the gambling white paper in April, the Government is now taking the next step in mandating payments from the sector by launching a consultation on the design of the proposed gambling operator levy.
Currently, not all gambling companies contribute equally towards the existing voluntary levy, with some operators paying as little as £1 towards research, prevention and treatment. The Government is therefore acting to ensure all operators contribute their fair share.
In order to improve research, prevention and treatment of gambling harm, the Government is minded to set the levy as a new 1% fee on gross gambling yield for online gambling operators, while traditional betting shops and casinos will pay a proposed fee of around 0.4%.
The white paper has proposed a fair and proportionate approach to levy rates between various operators, taking into account the difference, for example, in operating costs and the levels of harmful gambling associated with different gambling activities.
Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said:
We are taking the next step in our plan to protect those most at risk of gambling harm with a new levy on gambling operators to pay for treatment and research.
All gambling operators will be required to pay their fair share and this consultation is an opportunity for the industry, clinicians, those who have experienced gambling harm and the wider public to have their say on how the proposed gambling operator levy should work.
The introduction of this levy will strengthen the safety net and help deliver our long-term plan to help build stronger communities while allowing millions of people to continue to gamble safely.
Technology has reshaped where, when and how people gamble and there has been a significant rise in online gambling behaviour due to the ease of access on smartphones, with people able to gamble anytime and anywhere.
Figures from the NHS Digital Health Survey also indicate that some of these online products are associated with elevated levels of gambling-related addiction and harm with ‘problem gambling’ rates eight times higher for online slots and casino game players than in the population as a whole.
Under the proposed levy, the gambling industry will no longer have a say over how money for research, prevention and treatment is spent. Instead, the Gambling Commission will distribute funding directly to the NHS and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), which coordinates research and innovation funding, under the strategic direction of government. The levy will be underpinned by legislation meaning firms will be required to pay.
The funding delivered through the levy, which will deliver substantial new investment for the NHS in England, Scotland and Wales, will increase access to treatment and support for those experiencing gambling-related harm. It will also help to develop a truly national approach to prevention and fund independent, high-quality research to inform policy and practice.
In July this year, the NHS announced that seven new specialist gambling addiction clinics will open in Milton Keynes, Thurrock, Derby, Bristol, Liverpool, Blackpool and Sheffield this year. This is in addition to the seven clinics already in operation in London, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, and Telford, as well as an additional national clinic, which treats both gambling and gaming addiction in children and young people, in London.
Gambling Minister Stuart Andrew said:
We know that gambling addiction can devastate lives, which is why we are working quickly to implement our bold plans for reform.
This consultation brings us a step closer to being able to provide £100 million of new funding for research, prevention and treatment, including ring fenced investment for the NHS to help gambling addicts.
Gambling firms should always pay their fair share and this new statutory levy will ensure that they are legally required to do just that.
Health Minister Neil O’Brien said:
Harmful gambling can affect people’s savings, ruin relationships, and devastate people’s lives and health.
Gambling companies should pay their fair share towards the costs of treatment services, but we want to hear from as many people as possible about how the new statutory levy should work.
We continue working to support those affected by gambling harms. Twelve of the planned fifteen NHS gambling addictions clinics have now opened across the country providing vital support services for thousands of people experiencing gambling-related harms as well as their loved ones. The remaining three are expected to open by the end of the year.”
Henrietta Bowden-Jones, National Clinical Advisor for Gambling Harms, said:
I welcome this Levy which reflects the government’s decision to fund gambling treatment, prevention, research and education in an independent and evidence- based way allowing us to continue our work of eradicating all gambling harms from society.”
NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch said:
Gambling addiction destroys people’s lives and with record numbers turning to the NHS for support, the health service has met this demand head on by opening four new specialist clinics in recent months, with a further three opening later this year.
The NHS has long called for a statutory levy because it is only right that this billion-pound industry steps up to support people suffering from gambling addiction and I am pleased that action is being taken to prevent people from coming to harm in the first place. It is now vital we continue working in partnership to ensure we provide effective prevention, education and treatment for this condition.
The Government’s gambling white paper, published in April 2023, set out a range of measures to improve player protections and reduce the risk of gambling addiction and harm in the smartphone era. Measures such as financial risk checks to better alert operators to risky behaviours, stake limits for online slots, tighter controls on marketing of bonuses and a new mandatory gambling operator levy are designed to reduce risk and improve player protections.
The Government and Gambling Commission continue to implement the measures set out in the white paper with a view to having key elements in place in summer 2024.
David Mann Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt
Swintt bring players four times the fun in Lucky Fortune Door Wild
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Sought-after software provider’s enhanced Premium release sees players step into the glow of the Far East as wild symbols and Quadspins combine for huge rewards
With Swintt having already opened the way to a world of wonder in the original Lucky Fortune Door, this month the award-winning software provider is back in action again with Lucky Fortune Door Wild – an exciting reboot that gives players even more ways to win!
Like its SwinttPremium predecessor, Lucky Fortune Door Wild is a five-reel slot that can be played with either five or ten paylines. Boasting an engaging Far East theme, the slot combines dragons, yin and yang pendants and coins with new golden ingot wilds that substitute for all other symbols.
The good news for fans of the original game is that the slot’s signature Quadspin mechanic again makes a welcome return. Activated whenever a win of at least 4x the bet is triggered, players will have the choice to either claim their current prize or gamble a portion of it to activate Quadspins.
Should they decide for the latter option, the gameboard will be divided into four separate reel sets to potentially quadruple the prizes on offer – and of course, with substitute wilds now also in play, the chances of players landing the slot’s maximum 6,000x win multiplier will be greatly increased.
As a further incentive, during Quadspins, an extra mystery symbol is also added to the reels. Should any instances of this icon appear on any of the four reel sets, they will be replaced by a random matching symbol to create additional payline wins and generate potentially huge prizes.
On top of this, should players continue to land wins of 4x their bet or greater during Quadspins, they can elect to remain in the feature for longer. With a maximum of 50 Quadspin available per set, the odds of them embarking on a prolonged winning streak are, therefore, much more likely.
To cap it off, all wins in Lucky Fortune Door Wild are paid from both left-to-right and right-to-left, meaning that no matter how aggressively players choose to play, fortune is only ever a spin away.
David Mann, Chief Commercial Officer at Swintt, said: “With Swintt’s signature Quadspin mechanic proving a hugely popular addition to our Premium line-up, we’re delighted to be giving the feature another outing in Lucky Fortune Door Wild. Offering the same great gameplay as the original release but now with added wilds, it’s sure to be a big hit with players and operators alike.”
The post Swintt bring players four times the fun in Lucky Fortune Door Wild appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Squid Gold X2 by 18Peaches invites players to dive deep into a world of mystery, magic and forgotten riches. Set within a sacred castle filled with ancient relics and hidden chambers, every spin feels like a step deeper into the unknown. The legendary golden squid is said to guard untold fortunes, and only the bravest adventurers will uncover its secrets.
The journey plays out across a 5×5 grid with 50 paylines, where expanding reels can unlock up to 100 paylines for even greater rewards.
With enchanting artifacts, secret rooms, and the electrifying Squid 500 feature, no spin ever feels ordinary. Add in Free Spins, Wild expansions and instant bonus access via Buy Bonus, and Squid Gold X2 becomes a pulse-raising treasure hunt built for thrill-seekers.
“With Squid Gold X2, our goal was to create a journey where every spin feels like a step closer to unlocking a forgotten legend,” says 18Peaches Chief Strategy Officer Arsen Tadevosyan. “We designed mechanics like Squid 500 and the X2 expanding reels to build momentum, each trigger feels like a gate opening, both visually and emotionally. It’s that feeling of chasing something mythical, where every feature builds anticipation and drives you deeper into the experience.”
“When reels expand, paylines double, and the chamber glows with energy, players feel the story unfolding through mechanics. That flow, the rise in tension, the surge of possibility, is what makes Squid Gold X2 such a captivating adventure.”
As with all 18Peaches’ releases, Squid Gold X2
is bursting with features that keep every moment alive. The highlight is the legendary Squid 500 mechanic.
Whenever a Wild lands and expands, it triggers the sacred Golden Gate, unlocking hidden energy within the castle walls. As the gate opens, the power of the golden squid surges through the reels, doubling your paylines and dramatically boosting winning potential.
There’s also our X2 Mechanic. During bonus rounds, when the Golden Gate rises it reveals additional rows, expanding the grid and transforming 50 paylines into a breathtaking 100-line battlefield of rewards.
Squid Gold X2 is the latest addition to 18Peaches’ fast-growing catalogue of hit titles that continue to resonate with modern players. Recent successes such as Leprechaun Jackpot Collector, Monster Load-Up Hold & Win, and the high-adrenaline Hacker Crash Jackpot have firmly established the studio as a creator of distinctive, high-engagement experiences.
As with all 18Peaches titles, Squid Gold X2 is built for effortless market deployment. The platform supports Sweepstakes and Free Rounds via API, enabling operators to easily tailor promotional strategies across diverse regulatory environments.
The post 18Peaches’ Squid Gold X2 plunges players into a mystical treasure hunt appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Take to the skies and soar like an eagle, then swoop in and grab big wins by spinning the reels of Thunder Eagle Hold and Win Extreme from Booming Games. This action-packed, feature-filled slot is a wild adventure with a chance to win up to 10,000x.
Thunder Eagle Hold and Win Extreme is a 5×3, 25-fixed payline slot. The winning fun takes off when multiplier prize symbols land in the base game for a chance to trigger the Eagle Bonus feature that awards a spin on the Bonus Wheel, which can award Multiplier prize collect, Mini, Minor or Major Prize Pots or even an instant Hold and Win Extreme Bonus.
Hold and Win Extreme features four 3×5 grids and 3 Respins. Land multiplier prize symbols to unlock the other grids. Completing a grid will award a x2 Win Multiplier to all symbols or landing all 60 positions to complete all found grids award the majestic Grand Prize Pot worth 10,000x!
Play Thunder Eagle Hold and Win Extreme and fly to new heights!
Craig Asling, Director at Booming Games, said: “With Thunder Eagle Hold and Win Extreme, we wanted to take our popular Hold and Win format to new heights, both literally and figuratively. This game delivers an exhilarating experience with powerful visuals, immersive gameplay and incredible win potential up to 10,000x. It’s a perfect example of how Booming Games continues to innovate while keeping players fully engaged.”
The post Booming Games Takes Players Sky-High with Thunder Eagle Hold and Win Extreme 10,000 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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