Connect with us

Compliance Updates

Football Season Kicks Off: Arizona Department of Gaming Warns of Gambling Scams and Highlights Consumer Protection Tools

Published

on

football-season-kicks-off:-arizona-department-of-gaming-warns-of-gambling-scams-and-highlights-consumer-protection-tools

 

 

September is Responsible Gaming Education Month, and the Department is reminding fans to play it safe with tools like Check Your Bet, self-exclusion, and the 1-800-NEXT-STEP helpline.

With the football season underway, the Arizona Department of Gaming (“the Department”) is warning Arizonans about the growing risks of unlicensed online casinos and sportsbooks. September also marks Responsible Gaming Education Month, making this an important time to remind fans that if you choose to play, play it safe by choosing a regulated operator.

Regulated gaming offers important consumer protections, helping ensure fair play, data security, accountability, and a safer overall experience. The Department has seen an increase in consumer complaints about unlicensed gambling operations in recent months, a trend expected to intensify as football season kicks off and the busiest event wagering period of the year begins. Common issues include unfair or misleading terms, difficulty withdrawing winnings, and accounts being frozen without explanation, often after a withdrawal request.

“Responsible Gaming Education Month is the perfect time to remind Arizonans that while legal, regulated gaming options are available to all Arizonans ages 21+, there are also deceptive operators eager to take advantage of fans during football season,” said Jackie Johnson, Director of the Arizona Department of Gaming. “Unregulated platforms lack responsible gaming safeguards, age verification, and offer no consumer protections, which puts Arizonans at risk. That’s why the Department is promoting resources to give every Arizonan the tools they need to make informed choices and play responsibly.”

To help protect Arizonans, the Department has launched a new Responsible Gaming website and is spotlighting three key resources this month:

  • Check Your Bet– If you choose to participate in gaming, opting for legal, regulated operators is the best way to protect yourself. Playing responsibly means knowing your operator is licensed and that you meet Arizona’s legal gaming age of 21+. This online resource helps Arizonans confirm they’re using a legal site, which helps protect against fraud, identity theft, and other risks.
  • Self-Exclusion Program– A free, confidential program that allows people to voluntarily limit their access to Arizona’s regulated gaming. The statewide self-exclusion program was established in 2004 for casinos and expanded in 2021 to include retail sportsbooks, event wagering platforms, and fantasy sports platforms. More than 550 Arizonans enrolled in the last fiscal year, and over 11,000 have chosen this option since the program began.
  • 1-800-NEXT-STEP – A confidential, 24/7 helpline for anyone seeking support right now, whether for themselves or someone they care about. The helpline connects Arizonans with caring professionals who can provide immediate assistance, low and no-cost treatment referrals, and financial counseling.

These resources, along with more tips and tools, are available at the Department’s new webpage: gaming.az.gov/ResponsibleGaming.

Top 5 Signs of an Unlicensed Gambling Site

The Department urges Arizonans to be cautious and watch for these warning signs that a site or app may be fraudulent or unlicensed:

  1. No Responsible Gaming Protections – Licensed operators are required to provide responsible gaming tools, including age verification to ensure no one under the age of 21 can play, deposit limits, time limits, self-exclusion options, and access to the 1-800-NEXT-STEP helpline. If you don’t see these tools, it’s a red flag.
  2. Too-Good-to-Be-True Offers – Promises of “guaranteed wins,” oversized bonuses, or “risk-free” bets are common scam tactics.
  3. Trouble Getting Paid and No Dispute Resolution – Unregulated sites often delay or deny withdrawals, with little to no process for resolving disputes.
  4. Unusual Payment Methods – Sites that only accept cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gift cards instead of secure, standard payment options are a major warning sign.
  5. Copycat Branding or Poor Site Quality – Some fraudulent sites impersonate legitimate Arizona casinos or sportsbooks, using misspellings, broken links, or look-alike names to trick players into downloading their app or visiting their site.

“Licensed operators in Arizona are required to provide responsible gaming safeguards. When people play on unregulated sites, those protections are missing and people are more vulnerable,” said Elise Mikkelson, Director of the Division of Problem Gambling. “That’s why Arizona’s helpline exists: to ensure every Arizonan has access to the support they need. With more than 11,000 Arizonans choosing to enroll in the state’s self-exclusion program since it began, it’s clear that no one is alone in taking steps to protect themselves. And if you or someone you know is struggling, help is always available.”

How to Report Suspicious Gambling Activity, Fraud, or Identity Theft:

Arizonans who believe they may have encountered an unlicensed or suspicious gambling site are encouraged to report it directly to the Arizona Department of Gaming. Reports help the Department investigate and take action to protect consumers statewide. If you find a website, app, or business that claims to offer legal gaming in Arizona but does not appear to be licensed or authorized by the Department, follow these steps:

  1. Document the website URL, app, business name, and any promotional materialsassociated with the platform or operator.
  2. Report itto ADG at [email protected] and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office Consumer Information and Complaints Unit at (602) 542-5763 or by visiting azag.gov/consumer.
  3. Cease activity on the platform and monitor financial accounts for unauthorized transactions.
  4. If you suspect identity theft, report it to the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”): for help in English, go to IdentityTheft.gov, and for help in Spanish, go to RobodeIdentidad.gov.

The Department takes complaints about all illegal gambling seriously. Reports can be made anonymously.

 

The post Football Season Kicks Off: Arizona Department of Gaming Warns of Gambling Scams and Highlights Consumer Protection Tools appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

Compliance Updates

BETBY JOINS ESIC AS OFFICIAL TIER 1 ANTI-CORRUPTION PARTNER

Published

on

betby-joins-esic-as-official-tier-1-anti-corruption-partner

Reading Time: 2 minutes

The Esports Integrity Commission (ESIC) is pleased to welcome BETBY as its newest Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner. As a sportsbook solutions provider operating across global markets, BETBY’s collaboration with ESIC demonstrates a commitment to mitigating integrity risks within the esports ecosystem.

ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program brings together betting operators and key industry stakeholders who contribute directly to the detection, analysis, and investigation of suspicious betting activity. Supporters play a vital role in safeguarding esports from threats such as match manipulation, betting fraud, and related integrity breaches by providing data and operational cooperation in ESIC’s monitoring and enforcement framework.

As part of its Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner role, BETBY will share critical insights with ESIC, enhancing the Commission’s capacity to identify and address potential risks in real time. BETBY’s cooperation strengthens ESIC’s ability to protect the integrity of competitions and reinforces BETBY’s alignment with global standards of transparency and accountability in esports betting operations.

By joining ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program, BETBY becomes part of a global network of operators and stakeholders working with ESIC to uphold fairness, credibility, and trust within the esports ecosystem. This collaboration highlights the shared industry responsibility to establish sustainable standards of integrity and ensure long-term confidence in the growth of esports and esports betting.

Stephen Hanna, CEO of ESIC, commented: “BETBY’s recognition as a Tier 1 Anti-Corruption Partner reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the integrity framework of the global esports ecosystem. ESIC’s Anti-Corruption Supporter program relies on the proactive cooperation of stakeholders like BETBY, whose data and operational insights contribute directly to our ability to identify and mitigate integrity threats. This cooperation is another important step towards ensuring that esports competitions remain fair, credible, and sustainable for all participants and stakeholders.”

Leonid Pertsovskiy, CEO at BETBY added: “Integrity has always been at the heart of BETBY’s values and vision. Esports is one of the fastest-growing sectors in our industry, and with that growth comes a responsibility to ensure it develops on a foundation of fairness, trust, and transparency. By joining forces with ESIC, we are not only supporting higher standards of governance in esports, but also reaffirming our dedication to creating a sustainable and ethical competitive environment. At BETBY, we believe that innovation and excellence can only thrive when they are built on integrity, and this partnership reflects our long-term commitment to the future of esports.”

The post BETBY JOINS ESIC AS OFFICIAL TIER 1 ANTI-CORRUPTION PARTNER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Compliance Updates

TaDa Launches Slot Games in Sweden, Breaking into Established Market

Published

on

tada-launches-slot-games-in-sweden,-breaking-into-established-market

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Launching a new company and new products in emerging markets takes skill and discipline to achieve success: but entering an established and sophisticated iGaming market requires an entirely different approach. Announcing receipt of the Swedish Spelinspektionen licence in June 2024 was TaDa’s first step to approaching this exciting but very crowded market.

Subsequently, the innovative content provider has been working behind the scenes to gather deep data and market understanding to ensure that launch day would be a guaranteed success. Read on to find out more about TaDa’s long-term plans for building its brand in one of iGaming’s more iconic and demanding jurisdictions.

Is iGaming in Sweden a Saturated Market?

A long-term regulated market since 1 January 2019, Sweden is an innovative hub for the iGaming industry across all verticals, making it a key destination for ambitious content providers.

But having played a very significant role in developing and popularising the industry, especially via software providers, regulations and mobile-optimised slot game design, is there any potential for new entrants?

Currently, CAGR is estimated about 3–6% meaning that by-2030, iGaming is expected to be worth around €2.0–2.3BN (SEK 22–25BN). This matches other European market estimates for steady but not explosive growth in the regulated sector and requires a specific type of content provider to be able to deliver differentiation and innovation in a very established and crowded market.

The Importance of Licencing and Certification

With clear licencing regimes and growing regulatory oversight designed to reduce legal ambiguity and deliver more stable potential revenue, regulated markets are tightening their controls against unlicenced operators. This also increases the value of being licenced and certifiedsomething TaDa has focused on across the last two years.

Consequently, anticipating that regulation across Europe and indeed globally would only increase in both scope and demands, TaDa set its go to market strategy to secure licences for regulated markets across Europe first and subsequently begin its B2B development building.

In this way, TaDa integrations are always a compliant, fully tested and secure process for its clients and deliver the right products and services for players.

Ensuring technical readiness, expert localisation and certification for all games aimed at regulated markets enables TaDa quickly to deliver highly successful engagement and retention figures for casino operators, plus scale via aggregator integrations.

Announcing TaDa’s First Integration with Videoslots

TaDa successfully received its Spelinspektionen licence in a shorter than anticipated timeframe and, following deep data mining and review of its localisation strategy, was ready to go live in May 2025. The first integration is with Videoslots with distribution through Light & Wonder Inc.

Currently home to over 7,000 games, Videoslot’s clients will now have access to TaDa’s innovative portfolio including Fortune CoinsJackpot JokerPirate Queen 2; and Devil Fire 2.

Part of the Hit the Cash™ concept, Fortune Coins is the first release in the series.

Hit the Cash™ is designed around three interconnecting mechanics of Multipliers, Lock & Respin and Jackpots. Played out on a 3×3 grid with 5 fixed paylines and 3,000x max winFortune Coins is a classic fruit slot with a twist.

Enhanced with Fortune Coins and Fortune Coin Bonus symbols, the polished visuals and crisp graphics highlight the clean interface for players without making the slot appear basic.

The gameplay is built around proven mechanics and nostalgic fruit symbols but delivers a twist in the tale as collector coins can appear in both the base and bonus games, triggering jackpots and accumulating wins, plus a random bonus game can trigger any time.

Fortune Coin symbols only appear on the 1st and 3rd reel in all rounds.

The top of the screen will display the bonus, which is the player’s bet amount x multiplier of x1, x2, x3, x5, x8, x10, and x12 the player bet.

The Fortune Coin Bonus symbol, appearing only on reel 2 is both a collector and a trigger for the bonus game. During the bonus round, multiple collector coins can be active at once, increasing the chance of accumulating higher payouts.

Players can also win one of four dynamically fixed jackpots, with the top prize reaching up to 1,000x the stake.

Keeping players on high alert, in the main game, when any Fortune Coins appear they will fly to the pile of coins on the top of the screen and can randomly trigger the Throw Fortune Coins” feature.

When triggered, the pile of coins will throw at least 1 and up to 9 Fortune Coins on to the grid, maximising a bonus win potential and definitely helping players hit the cash.

Jackpot Joker 

When the saucy Joker tells you it’s showtime, you’d better believe her. This game may seem like a classic fruit inspired slot with a 3×3 grid and five fixed paylines. But when you see the numbers, it’s a whole new story.

Multipliers, a unique free respin bonus and four fixed multiplier jackpots drive the excitement for up to 15,000x.

Each spin, there’s a chance to add a multiplier win of x1, x2, x3, x5, x10 and a very welcome x15 so the total win for that round = (total line wins or jackpot wins) x the multiplier x bet!

Even better, the multiplier obtained can also be applied to the jackpot prize. Three jackpot symbols will trigger one of four jackpots: the prize is the player’s bet x the fixed multiplier for Minor (5x-10x); Major (15x-30x); Grand (50x-200x) and a whopping 1,000x for the Joker Jackpot.

Adding a twist to the excitement, if two Jackpot symbols land in a non-winning combination, the “Extra Buy” feature is triggered. After purchasing, the two reels will remain in place while the remaining reels spin once more. This feature can be repurchased until triggering the Jackpot Free Spin game.

This innovative interplay of mechanics and features for big win potential with nostalgia inducing symbols and graphics has seen Jackpot Joker take the top spot in multiple markets. 

Pirate Queen 2

Set sail for adventure and wealth with the dancing Pirate Queen who offers free spins, cascading reels and Bomb bonus multiplying multipliers that can be accumulated to give up to 5,000x max win.

A player favourite feature, cascading reels, appears in Pirate Queen 2 and can create multiple winning combinations with one spin when eight or more identical symbols land. After every spin, winning combinations are paid and all winning symbols disappear. Empty positions are replaced with new symbols until no more winning combinations appear.

Packed with winning chances in both the base game and free game, the black Bomb bonus symbols bring multipliers of 2x to 100x and wins resulting from eliminations are multiplied by the bonus multiplier! When multiple bonus symbols appear in the same game, the multiplier effect is added.

And, if that were not treasure enough, the fiery Super Bomb bonus will deliver multipliers from 200x or 500x to an incredible 1,000x that will be added to the win!

During each calculation of win points in the free game, the current prize multiplier will be retained and added to the win points multiplier effect for the next time players win with a Bomb bonus combination. No wonder the Pirate Queen is dancing!

Devil Fire 2

Smoking hot gameplay and fiery wins have made this a player favourite through 3-row, 5-reels and 40 paylines, generous free spins, multiple bonus win potential and four fixed jackpots alongside stunning animations and a heavy metal inspired soundtrack for 15,000x max win.

The Devil Wild will only appear on the central position of the three rows, five reels grid. Once free spins begin, the Devil Wild locks into position, increasing payout potential and boosting your chance of triggering one of the Mini, Minor, Mega or Grand jackpots.

Bonus symbols are padlocked and will only unlock with the appearance of the little Devil Wild who will collect all the values, add them together and apply them to your win.

He’s a very generous little Devil Wild as he can also trigger the Free Game. Throwing gold coins to the flying Piggy Banks either side of the grids, six free spins could be randomly triggered when the piggy bank swells and bursts.

Mixing quirky humour and dynamic gameplay, Devil Fire 2 is beloved by operators as well as players as its simple rules and quickfire rounds keep players engaged and ready to come back for more.

What Players in Sweden Can Expect from TaDa Gaming

With a portfolio of 200+ RNG titles to choose from and constantly growing, players in Sweden can anticipate an avalanche of diverse gaming experiences still to come.

Initially, TaDa and its partners will focus on delivering slots but according to industry surveys, gaming in Sweden is currently seeing a rise in social multiplayer formats, with 65% of Swedish gamers playing cooperatively.

Additionally, Sweden’s gaming market saw 58% of Swedish Gen Z accessing hybrid arcade and VR formats. These older digital natives are the strongest demographic making the crossover from digital to iGaming and TaDa’s fish-shooting releases have become a natural destination.

The post TaDa Launches Slot Games in Sweden, Breaking into Established Market appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

Continue Reading

Compliance Updates

EGBA Welcomes Approval of European Standard on Markers of Harm

Published

on

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.

Continue Reading

Trending

Get it on Google Play

Fresh slot games releases by the top brands of the industry. We provide you with the latest news straight from the entertainment industries.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - Recent Slot Releases is part of HIPTHER Agency. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania