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New Research Reveals Shocking Size of Black Market Gambling Across Europe
Research for the Betting and Gaming Council has uncovered the shocking scale of black market gambling in European countries following the introduction of strict new measures on regulated operators.
The findings come from industry research and a PWC report for the BGC as the Government finalises its work on the upcoming Gambling Review and against a backdrop of increased use of black market sites in the UK.
British punters using unlicensed sites have more than doubled in just two years, from 220,000 users to 460,000 and the amount staked is now in the billions of pounds.
The report by PWC said: “This analysis suggests that the UK has a more ‘open’ online gambling market and currently has a smaller unlicensed market share than our European benchmarks.
“Whilst it is not possible to isolate the impact of individual regulatory characteristics, the above assessment suggests that jurisdictions with a higher unlicensed market share tend to exhibit one or more restrictive regulatory or licensing characteristics.”
As the growth of these sites has rocketed, black market sites’ revenues in Norway have more than tripled since 2010 and French black market revenues have almost doubled since 2015.
BGC Chief Executive Michael Dugher said: “We support the Gambling Review but there is a real danger that it leads to the regulated industry being smaller and the illegal black market growing substantially.
“This research is stark about the dangers of the black market, we have to learn lessons from abroad, and make the right choice at this dangerous crossroads.
“BGC members alone employ nearly 120,000 people and pay £4.5 billion in tax in the UK. The black market, of course, pays no tax and employs no one in our country.
“Any shift to the unsafe black market would also jeopardise the £350m a year which our members currently give to horseracing in sponsorship, media rights and the betting levy – financial support which has proved crucial during the pandemic.”
Rhadamès Killy, Former General Counsel at the French gambling regulator, said: “When we introduced our regulations in France in 2010, we analysed that the black market was the most extensive in the European states where the statutory regime was the most restrictive.
“A balance is required to effectively regulate without promoting the black market – I believe that balance is best struck when targeted restrictions focus on support for those at risk, but not excessively hinder or punish the wider public.”
According to a recent report from the Gambling Commission, rates of problem gambling have dropped from 0.6% to 0.3% of the adult population suggesting that safer gambling measures introduced recently in the regulated sector have helped the decline in the rate of problem gambling.
By comparison, Norway has a problem gambling rate of 1.4%, while a survey by Public Health France last year estimated that the rate in that country was 1.6% – up from 0.8% in 2014.
This latest research by the BGC backs similar studies across Europe that consistently show a link between stricter regulations – and a surge in black market activity.
The BGC is calling on Government to consider targeted measures which protect vulnerable gamblers – not a blanket approach which could force the vast majority who bet safely onto the black market.
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ReferOn Unveils Model Context Protocol: The Next Step Toward True AI-Powered Affiliate Management
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ReferOn, a next-gen affiliate management system, announces the development of Model Context Protocol (MCP), a groundbreaking foundation designed to kickstart the era of AI in affiliate marketing.
What is Model Context Protocol (MCP)
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open standard that enables AI assistants to connect directly with ReferOn’s APIs, databases, and platform actions. Instead of adding cosmetic AI “innovations” on top of legacy systems, ReferOn is engineering the infrastructure that allows AI to operate where it delivers the most value and impact for users daily.
How MCP Enhances AI Integration in Affiliate Marketing
The development of MCP opens the door to freeing up affiliate managers to focus on strategy, relationship-building, and growth, instead of dealing with mundane and repetitive tasks. Imagine AI agents that will be able to create tracking links in seconds, set up reward plans on the fly, and detect anomalies in traffic data instantly. This is what “AI-ready” means — real groundwork being set up, not just hype.
The first step in this direction is ReferOn’s Global Search (Beta), a feature that creates a single entry point for data, actions, and insights. While it may look like a simple search bar, it bridges ReferOn’s core layer, raw data, and intelligent AI agents.
Real Impact of AI-Powered Affiliate Management
Alex Bukin, ReferOn’s General Manager, commented, “Strategy and real impact come before hype. MCP isn’t about chasing a wave, it’s about creating a foundation that keeps affiliate managers and operators ahead of the curve. By focusing on building the groundwork to support structured data and open standards, we’re making sure AI has real use cases, not just cosmetic add-ons. Our goal is to set the benchmark for innovation and lead the affiliate management ecosystem by shaping its future.”
About ReferOn
ReferOn is the state-of-the-art affiliate management system, tailored specifically to the needs of the gaming affiliate industry. Launched in February 2023, ReferOn offers a comprehensive suite
of tools and services designed to streamline and enhance the affiliate marketing experience, featuring transparent data reports and a range of management and reporting functionalities.
The post ReferOn Unveils Model Context Protocol: The Next Step Toward True AI-Powered Affiliate Management appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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SimplePlay Announces Strategic Partnership with Timeless Tech
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SimplePlay is delighted to announce its recent partnership with Timeless Tech, a leading game aggregator. This alliance will integrate SimplePlay’s suite of games and services into Timeless Tech’s powerful platform, significantly expanding the provider’s reach in key international markets.
As SimplePlay continues to establish itself as a comprehensive game provider, this collaboration will enhance its rich portfolio of premium games through Timeless Tech’s Game Aggregator API. This partnership aims to strengthen SimplePlay’s position and expand its reach in markets like Europe and Latin America.
“We’re delighted to welcome SimplePlay to our aggregator – a provider that represents creativity, reliability, and depth. Their combination of slots, crash, table, and fishing games perfectly complements our goal to deliver diverse, high-performing content to operators worldwide. This partnership highlights what Timeless Tech stands for: building meaningful alliances that empower growth, quality, and innovation.” –– Nicola Cainero, Chief Operating Officer, Timeless Tech
“The new partnership with Timeless Tech is definitely a win-win agreement that fosters mutual growth for both sides,” said Osman Walker, CSO of SimplePlay. “We look forward to bringing our premium gaming content to even more operators and players through Timeless Tech’s extensive network.”
With SimplePlay’s games and Timeless Tech’s distribution network, these two industry powerhouses are set to deliver top-tier game content to players around the world, driving mutual growth and success.
The post SimplePlay Announces Strategic Partnership with Timeless Tech appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Lottomart to Welcome NetGaming’s Standout Slot Portfolio
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Lottomart has announced that they are partnering with NetGaming, bringing their fresh mix of creative, modern, and feature-rich slot content to their growing games catalogue.
Known for bold themes and polished presentation, NetGaming offers an exciting blend of classic concepts and inventive bonus mechanics.
As part of the upcoming rollout at Lottomart, players can look forward to a selection of NetGaming’s standout titles – including the mythological power of Zeus’s Thunderbolt 10000, the lively Irish-themed Shamrock Trio – Hold & Respin, the vibrant 3 Wild Jokers Carnival, the adventurous Pirate’s Fortune Gold – Hold & Respin, and the fiery island energy of Fireball Inferno Tiki. Together, these games highlight the studio’s range, from playful bonus rounds to high-impact visual designs.
Chris Ruddock, Commercial Director at Lottomart, commented: “NetGaming brings a distinctive visual style and a playful approach to game design that really stands out. Their content offers variety, strong themes, and accessible mechanics that fit well with what our players enjoy. We’re looking forward to seeing how their titles perform!”
Alfred Ballester, Business Development Director at NetGaming, said: “We at NetGaming are absolutely thrilled to be going live with Lottomart! Working with the Lottomart team throughout the integration has been an absolute pleasure. We’re super excited to launch our games with such an important and respected UK brand, and we honestly can’t wait to see Lottomart players diving into and enjoying the full NetGaming Games Catalogue!”
The post Lottomart to Welcome NetGaming’s Standout Slot Portfolio appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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