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Racing TV survey uncovers significant black market threat

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A recent Racing TV survey has drawn a strong response among its members, with more than 3,500 having their say on the Gambling Act Review and the spectre of the black market.

Racing TV is fully supportive of the objectives of the Gambling Act Review in protecting those at risk of gambling harm. In what is the first consumer survey to assess the scale of the black market and affordability checks, the key findings were:

  • 80% of the 3,469 respondents said they would not like to see mandatory limits imposed by bookmakers
  • 15% of 3,539 respondents said they bet, or know someone that bets, with an unregulated online bookmaker
  • 22% of 3,575 respondents said they have been asked to supply personal information
  • 50% (404 respondents) of those asked to supply this information, refused to do so
  • 92% of 3,237 respondents said they would consider using a different bookmaker if no personal information was required

Affordability checks and loss limits have been key focal areas of the ongoing Gambling Act Review and will draw most attention when the White Paper is published.

Reports in the media last year indicated that a leaked draft of the White Paper contained fixed loss limit thresholds. These are highly contentious for our survey respondents. Nearly 80% of the 3,469 respondents said they would not like to see mandatory limits imposed by bookmakers.

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Perhaps the most worrying of these findings was that 15% of the 3539 respondents to the below question said that they bet, or they know someone that bets, with an unregulated online bookmaker.

In the absence of clear direction from the Gambling Commission, and while the wait for the publication of the White Paper goes on, many bookmakers have introduced affordability checks, some of which, such as requests for payslips, bank statements or P60s, could be considered intrusive.

More than 22% of the 3,575 respondents to the below question suggested that they have been asked to supply such documents.

Just over half of those who had been asked to supply such documents declined to do so.

In addition, more than 92% of 3,237 respondents to the below question suggested they would consider using a bookmaker, which didn’t require documentation.

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Martin Stevenson, CEO of Racing TV’s parent company Racecourse Media Group, said: “The widespread response to the Racing TV survey shows how much the ongoing Gambling Act Review, combined with their recent experiences, is affecting our members.

“Our survey revealed that 15% of respondents bet, or know someone that bets, with an unregulated bookmaker, which is of real concern. With millions of customers betting on racing, the findings of this survey indicate that hundreds of thousands of punters are potentially using the black market.

“This survey is clear evidence that shows that the black market is real and substantial and suggests that affordability checks are having the effect of moving a significant number of affected punters out of the UK-regulated environment and so exposing them to potential harm. This must be a pyrrhic victory and the opposite to what affordability checks set out to achieve.

“We have shared this information with the Gambling Commission and hope that they can take account of this in their assessment of the black market. The evidence suggests it exists and is only building.”

Stevenson went on: “Nearly a quarter (22%) responded yes to the question on whether they had been asked for personal information, with 50% refusing to comply. This is a strikingly high percentage, demonstrating consumers’ rejection of this intrusion on their leisure activity.

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“The inference that 22% of racing punters are at risk of harm is very challenging to believe and appears excessive when compared against the overall prevalence of problem gambling.

“In addition, RMG has seen a material decline in online betting turnover on horseracing in 2022. The Racing Post has estimated the sport could lose up to £40m of funding each year. Everyone involved in the industry should be deeply concerned. The impact of affordability checks is that the sport is suffering a heavy financial toll.”

The former Minister with responsibility for Horseracing and Gambling, Paul Scully, recently indicated how the Government were approaching affordability checks, saying: “It is not the role of the government, it is not the role of the Gambling Commission, to tell people how much of their salary they are ‘allowed to’ spend on gambling.”

Stevenson continued: “I hope that the new Minister with responsibility for Horseracing and Gambling will also consider the results of this survey as part of the ongoing work on the Gambling Act Review. It has been long overdue, in this process, to consider the attitudes of the consumers themselves in regard to how they choose to spend their time and money. I was very glad to hear the former Minister acknowledge that in his recent speech.

“Applying universal limits does not recognise the wide range of natural betting behaviours, events, seasonality or differing individual financial circumstances. The undoubted highlight of the Jumps season, the upcoming Cheltenham Festival – which is the major focus for many punters – is clearly a case in point. To that end, I was pleased to see the former Minister stating that a ‘one size fits all approach’ was not the intention.

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“I’d like to thank all our members who took part in the survey.”

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Million Games Launches Million Mine – A Strategic Grid Game Inspired by a Classic

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Million Games is pleased to announce the release of Million Mine, a strategic, grid-based casino game inspired by the beloved mechanics of minesweeper. Offering a modern update to the classic format, Million Mine lets players select their difficulty, uncover hidden diamonds, and cash out before disaster strikes.

The game features:

  • Customisable grid sizes from 3×3 to 7×7

  • Mines selection from 3 to 24 for adjustable volatility

  • Instant cashout after any successful pick

  • A 96.3% RTP and a high multiplier ceiling

Each tile revealed adds tension and reward, making Million Mine a fast-paced, strategic game of choice and nerve.

“Million Mine is deceptively simple—but a great player experience,” said Thomas Nimstad, CEO of Million Games. “It’s familiar, clean, and highly customisable. We see it becoming a favourite for both casual players and high-stakes explorers.”

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Million Mine is now available across all Million Games partner platforms.

The post Million Games Launches Million Mine – A Strategic Grid Game Inspired by a Classic appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ReferOn Shortlisted for Acquisition & Retention Partner of the Year at SBC Lisbon 2025

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ReferOn, a next-gen affiliate management platform, has officially been nominated for the “Acquisition & Retention Partner (Supplier)” category at SBC Lisbon 2025, cementing its position as a key partner for operators and affiliate teams.

This shortlisting highlights the platform’s rapid growth in 2025 due to its developments that address real problems affiliate managers face, a passionate product-minded team, and ambitious plans to empower users in the affiliate marketing industry.

ReferOn challenges legacy platforms by creating a simple and accessible system built for modern needs and placing affiliate marketing at the forefront of growth strategy. Key features such as full-cycle automation, customisable dashboards and reports in pivot-style format, instant postbacks, and real-time data visibility reduce chaos and bring clarity to operations, ultimately boosting performance. Additionally, powerful tools like the Sub-Affiliate System, No Bundling Model, and dynamic variables provide managers with increased control.

Vlad Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the nomination, “Acquisition and retention aren’t just buzzwords to keep affiliates happy. They’re real benchmarks that help our users drive growth and scale. The ReferOn team has proudly built a platform that gives affiliate managers real control, clarity, and speed over their operations to help achieve their

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goals. This nomination reflects our efforts and how far we’ve come regarding pushing the industry forward and challenging the status quo.”

The nomination for the “Acquisition & Retention Partner (Supplier)” category bolsters ReferOn’s roadmap and growth trajectory. Going forward, the team will continue to invest in impactful product developments and customer-facing services to become the leading platform for affiliate managers.

Key ReferOn members will be in attendance at the SBC Lisbon Awards 2025 ceremony on September 18 for a night celebrating excellence and innovation.

The post ReferOn Shortlisted for Acquisition & Retention Partner of the Year at SBC Lisbon 2025 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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SHINE ON DRAGON’S DIAMONDS

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This text contains puns. Reader discretion is advised.

“Dragon’s Diamonds” is now live, a fang-tastic 6×5 new scatter-pays slot from the Berlin-based developer Hölle Games with wins of up to 12,000x.

Unlike the miserly reputation they’re known for (a tall tail), the Hölle Dragon is a generous beast (with a fiery personality). With every matching cluster that lands, the Dragon will breathe flames onto the reels – removing winning symbols and allowing more to fall into place. There is no limit to the number of potential cascades that can occur here, so lucky players can quickly scale-up their hoard of wins.

Plus, hitting 4 or more scatters to enter the Free Spins will unlock the Feature Multiplier, which cumulates all Multiplier wins across the entirety of the Free Spins. Re-triggers can be clawed out too, with only 3 scatters needed.

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For any players who find the base game is dragon-on, there is the Stake Boost feature, which increases the chances of hitting the Feature for a slightly higher stake, or also the option of directly entering Free Spins via the Feature Buy. That’s no fire-drill!

The game is now available for MGA with other territories winging it this way soon.

The post SHINE ON DRAGON’S DIAMONDS appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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