GambleAware, an independent, grant-making charity that is aimed at commissioning prevention and services in England, Scotland, and Wales, has set up a new Lived Experience Council. The group will gather people who have been directly and indirectly impacted by gambling harms. The council will be used as a means of supporting the organization’s short-term and long-term strategic plans.

The Council Will Advise GambleAware’s Activities & Programs

The charity that has worked on a framework agreement with the Gambling Commission to supply the National Strategy has announced that the council will focus on guaranteeing a collaborative approach that would assist communities most in need. Chief executive Zoë Osmond described the council that currently counts 10 members as “further evidence of our proud commitment to engage with the gambling harms community.” Osmond also called the launch a critical time for the organization’s strategic development in the context of the fast-approaching publication of the White Paper along with the subsequent regulatory reform. Osmond spoke about the necessity for the voices of people “with experience and expertise in this public health crisis” to become guides for the charity’s “future path.”

Two-Year Term of Office

The new council that has already reunited for the first time on December 2 will have a term of office of two years and its renewal will be possible a single time. During the meeting, the group decided to appoint Ben Howard as chair. Howard is now a volunteer peer supporter aiding people in recovery. He has a passion for raising awareness in relation to gambling harms and he is studying to become a qualified counselor.

Founding member of the Gambling Lived Experience Network David Quinti has also joined the new council, along with fellow founding father of the same network, Mark Conway. Conway does consultancy work for third-sector organizations as well as the public health sector in relation to gambling harms and has a long career in Information Technology.

Leanne Downie quit her job in the hospitality industry in 2018 and switched to the charity sector, where she started working for organizations aligned with her own ideas of helping others. Among them, we can name Crohn’s & Colitis UK charity, an organization that she is deeply connected to due to her own condition. Downie is currently Betknowmore UK’s head of support services. Another council member is Nicola Jacques, a project worker for the Six to Ten project and an employee of Beacon Counseling Trust whose husband’s gambling problem deeply influenced her emotional, financial, and physical state as well as the life of her family.

The Young Gamers & Gamblers Education Trust’s head of delivery Sam Starsmore is another council member. Starsmore is also a member of the Problem Gambling Support Group and he completed the Accredited Lived Experience Speaker training. This gave him a deeper understanding of how to share his own experience while generating the maximum impact.

Steph Shilton is another important member of the same council. She is the spouse of former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton who is now a recovering problem gambler. Steph was joined by Suhayl Patel, a worker for Beacon Counseling Trust and a recovered gambling addict, along with Jas Bindarh and an anonymous member who has been exposed to gambling during their childhood when different family members used to engage in gambling.

GambleAware started accepting applicants for the council’s membership in June. The organization is also busy creating a community of people willing to share their knowledge and lived experience of gambling harms and help inform its daily activities.

Just ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, GambleAware launched a new campaign aimed at protecting British bettors from gambling harm and “bet regret.”

Provider of casino and sports betting platform and white label solutions Quantum Gaming announced today a distribution deal with developer studio Gamzix to continue expanding its iGaming library.

Refreshing Quantum’s Offering with Gamzix’s Games

The distribution deal between Quantum Gaming and Gamzix, one of the top-rated and most promising slot providers globally, enhances the white label provider’s offering with a portfolio of over 30 unique slots of the highest quality and boasting innovative features, realistic animation, colorful graphics, and impressive payout options.

“It’s fantastic to cooperate with such a fast-growing company,” said the chief executive officer of Quantum Gaming, Oliver de Bono, outlining the exponential growth the online gaming sector has witnessed over the past years and the need “to stand out from the crowd.”

“I believe onboarding partners like Gamzix will definitely help us to achieve that,” de Bono added.

The constant evolution of the iGaming market is setting up high standards for operators to evaluate their current and future partners as among the great number of software companies that are trying to establish a presence in the gaming space, there are only a few that are really up to the task and Gamzix is considered to be one of them.

Adopting an ultra-fresh approach to iGaming development, the developer came up with game titles such as Sunny Coin: Hold the Spin, Rich Granny, Gold Mania, 3X3: Hell Spin, and 3х3: 27 Ways that gained in popularity fast and are now available for Quantum Gaming casino operator partners.

In September, Gamzix came up with a new iGaming title, Pilot, offering players a simplistic game that is capable of taking them up to the stars, expanding the developer’s portfolio to 30 releases with its first crash game.

‘Ready to Bring and Take the Best’

On behalf of Gamzix, chief operating officer Lida Kodosova expressed how proud the studio feels about its team and network of partners that are supporting it.

“Growing and becoming stronger together is such an amazing opportunity we fully trust,” Kodosova continued, adamant that “Gamzix is ready to bring and take the best,” and proud that the studio’s games are now “part of the Quantum Gaming portfolio.”

“There’s no doubt, our cooperation will be successful and prosperous,” she concluded.

The distribution deal with Gamzix is the latest for Quantum Gaming which recently signed a similar agreement with Relax Gaming to offer some of Relax’s most popular titles such as Snake Arena, Money Train 2, Temple Tumble, and others to its white label partners.

Provider of payment and customer engagement technology Passport Technology registered the first expansion of its loyalty solution in the Pacific Northwest via an agreement with The Point Casino.

Lush Loyalty and Mira Kiosks

The agreement between Passport Technology and The Point Casino & Hotel saw the casino in Washington choose Passport’s Lush loyalty and rewards platform and Mira player enrollment kiosks, and marked the first expansion of the tech supplier’s loyalty solution in the region.

Commenting on the development, vice president of operations and general manager of The Point Casino, Sam Cocharo, said that the solution provided by Passport Technology “looks great” and that the casino management is excited at the opportunity to offer Lush loyalty to the casino players. “The offers we can provide are exciting and fun, and our players are going to love this new addition to our lineup,” Cocharo concluded.

The Lush loyalty platform provides casino operators with tools such as customizable games, promotions and dynamic offers and opens up new opportunities for them to increase player enrollment and engagement.

Chief operating officer of Passport Technology, John Steely, outlined that the company has traditionally provided cash, cage automation and floor efficiency solutions to the gaming market in Washington, “with a heavy emphasis on product and service.”

“Passport’s ability to further serve the Washington market with Lush is an opportunity to spoil our customers, present and future, with loyalty solutions that bring our service offering full circle within the resort,” he added.

Engagement through Customization

The industry’s first HTML5-based loyalty platform allows operators to customize branding, gamification, virtual drawings, multipliers, and even patron-specific promotions, while the kiosks offer casino guests benefits from features such as player club enrollment, card reprints, dynamic games, and others, utilizing the industry’s first Earn and Shop redemption portal for instant point redemption.

Diallo Gordon, principal of Digital Wallet, Loyalty & Innovation at Passport Technology, outlined The Point Casino as “the right partner” for the tech provider’s loyalty platform to enter the market in Washington in pursuit of its growth strategy.

On the Lush solution, Gordon said that it “will serve as a growth conduit” for the casino, helping it to “acquire, retain and grow its impressive customer base with a broad suite of loyalty tools aimed at customer lifetime value, self-service efficiency, and guest satisfaction.”

Outside of Washington, the Lush platform was selected by San Diego-based Jamul Casino earlier this year as part of a new partnership between the casino and Passport Technology.

Passport Technology entered Washington via a deal with the Angel of the Winds Casino Resort in September 2021,  and in February this year, the tech provider expanded its presence in the state by entering into a partnership with Lucky Eagle Casino.

Soccer fans in Africa know their trade according to a pre-tournament survey which showed that the first four of the five teams they ranked as capable of winning the trophy are in the quarterfinals and boasting a chance of becoming the next World Champion.

Nearly Two-Thirds to Wager on World Cup Matches

The survey conducted by GeoPoll just days before the beginning of the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar among 1,853 users of the researchers’ mobile app across Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda ranked their favorites to win the tournament as follows: Brazil, Argentina, France, England, and Germany.

Of those five, only the fifth-ranked Germany could not pass beyond the group stage after losing their opening match against Japan proved costly, while the first four favorites progressed to the quarterfinals.

And Africans are keen bettors, too, with 61% planning to wager on the World Cup matches, and almost two-thirds (64%) of the respondents have placed a bet in the past twelve months, predominantly those from Kenya and Ghana with 68% and 60%, respectively.

African soccer audiences rank the upcoming World Cup as the most popular tournament in the sport, with 93% planning to watch the matches in Qatar. The finding showed an increase from the 85% who watched the previous edition of the tournament, FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia, which boasted a combined 3.572 billion viewers globally.

TV and Mobile Phones Preferred to Watch the Action

The survey revealed that soccer matches are being watched more than once a week by 59% of the respondents and 55% keep watching the half-time commentary, while 46% switch to their mobile phones, and only 29% move to other activities. Almost a third (28%) said that they would be either placing or checking their bets at half-time.

Among the platforms used to follow the World Cup action, TV remained the most preferred choice with 82%, despite the notable shift towards the mobile space with 54% planning to follow the matches on their phones. A factor that may have influenced their responses is the time zone difference as at the time of the kick-offs most of them would be still at work, school or commuting.

The survey respondents who were predominantly young males due to the methodology used in the research also revealed that soccer enjoys quite an interest in Africa with 35% rating it in the highest possible segment of between 1 and 10, 13% putting it in the second category and 16% placing the sport in the third segment.

Sportradar Group, a leading sports technology company, has launched a new video to promote safer gambling and good mental health among athletes. Appropriately called Athlete Wellbeing, the video outlines key points about things that affect professional sports players.

Sportradar Released an Educational Video for Its Partners

Athlete Wellbeing is a highly-educational documentary-styled video that explains all the important things that people should know about athletes’ mental health, how sports betting can impact it and how this impact can affect pro players’ quality of life.

The new video is available for free for all of Sportradar’s Integrity Services league and governing body partners. It is a part of Sportradar’s continued efforts to promote player health and support its stakeholders amid the rapid growth of the sports wagering sector.

Sportradar explained that the Athlete Wellbeing video features many experts who have long studied responsible gambling and mental health. In addition, the exclusive video would also feature interviews with pro athletes who will provide their own input on the matter. For example, Lindsay Tarpley Snow, a former soccer pro, Garrett Whitlock, a professional baseball athlete and Connor McCaffery, a collegiate basketball player, will all share their stories and opinions on the correlations between gambling and mental health in pro sports.

The Program Seeks to Educate Athletes about the Dangers of Betting

Sportradar’s Athlete Wellbeing program was originally launched this summer and seeks to support its partnering leagues by helping them educate their players about the dangers of excessive gambling and sports betting. To that end, the sports tech company wants to provide its allies with all the resources, educational materials and support they might need to teach their athletes to play responsibly.

Athlete Wellbeing subscribers will be able to benefit from the various perks offered by the program. These, according to Sportradar, include:

• Enhanced appreciation of the potential impact of sports betting on athletes’ mental health
• Greater awareness of the signs and how to process what they may feel
• A better understanding of the resources that are available to help players

The sports tech giant is recognized by many for its superior integrity and player health efforts. The new program expands Sportradar’s Integrity Services which are used to prevent fraud such as match-fixing in professional sports.

In other news, Sportradar just received a sports gaming supplier license in Ohio, allowing the tech company to offer its services to local sportsbooks. Thanks to this, the provider now holds a whopping 41 licenses to operate in the United States and Canada. One of the latest companies to recognize Sportradar and adopt its solutions was Tally Technology.

Supporters of gambling addiction recovery admitted to WBZ that they had been “shocked” when they discovered that the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health advertised free slot play.

MACGH’s Advocacy and Policy

The Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MACGH) is a private non-profit organization, which was founded in 1983, and is dedicated to helping addicted gamblers struggle with their problems and overcome their addiction. It is contracted by the state of Massachusetts to support people with gambling addiction during their process of recovery. Per its website, MACGH is a “public health agency that advocates for responsible gaming and gambling practices and services for those affected by gambling.” MACGH’s website also states that the organization aims to reduce the negative impacts of gambling disorders and struggles to “make gambling healthy and safe for the people of Massachusetts.”

Toys for Free Slot Play

However, advocates for addiction recovery were stunned to find out that MACGH might have partnered with a casino for an event aiming to raise funds and even offered free slot play.

The event was a toy drive by “Toys for Tots” and was held on December 1 at the Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville. According to the flyer, it was organized “in coordination with” the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health. People who purchased a toy would obtain in exchange free slot play worth $10 at the same casino.

Harry Levant of Stop Predatory Gambling called this “a lure.” He commented that this offer was not designed for people to go to the casino, receive $10 of free play, and leave immediately.
Kathy Scanlan, a former director of MACGH, stated that she was shocked to see that an organization that is tasked to help people who struggle with gambling addiction would give a gambling product to someone.

Experts and advocates expressed their worries that the controversial event could be a “trigger” for gambling addicts as it was posted on the MACGH’s Facebook page, which in turn is followed by many recovering addicts.

Levant, who is currently obtaining his Ph.D. in gambling addiction research, further added that MACGH is in fact encouraging people on social media with gambling disorders to go to the casino and play instead of preventing them from doing so. Buying a toy for Christmas at this event could make addicted gamblers lose so much more, as he stated.

WBZ contacted the communications director of MACGH to ask for an explanation but has not received an answer yet.

Three people in Michigan have been found guilty of orchestrating an illegal gambling scheme. After admitting to their wrongdoings, the individuals were sentenced to a few days in prison and forced to pay fines.

Three People Operated Illegal Gambling in Michigan

The three people in question were guilty of running a small illegal gambling venue in Michigan, which was eventually investigated by the Department of Attorney General and the Michigan Gaming Control Board. The venue in question was the Fortune Internet Café, which was promptly closed after the illegal operation came to light. Charges were filed on June 8.

Shelly Ann Leinenger, Stacey Lynn Houstina and Shannon Leigh Molina used the internet café to offer unlicensed gambling. Eventually, however, the authorities cracked down on the improvised casino where they found $3,022 in cash and gift cards, 32 slot-style gaming computers and 2 unlicensed slot machines. All of the findings were handed to the state.

Two of the culprits, namely Shelly Ann Leinenger and Stacey Lynn Houstina are residents of Oakland County, with the third one, Shannon Leigh Molina, being a resident of Jackson County. All three people who ran the scheme pled guilty to having operated unlicensed gambling.

The Wrongdoers Received their Sentences

Following their confessions, the three Michigan residents received their sentences in Oakland Country’s 6th Circuit Court. Leinenger pled guilty to one account of gambling operations and received one day in jail with credit for one day alongside a fine of $1,000. Houstina, who pled to one account of gambling house maintaining for gain, was sentenced to one day in jail with credit for one day. She will also have to pay a fine of $250. Lastly, Shannon Leigh Molina admitted to one account of maintaining a gambling house for gain and was sentenced to two days in jail with credit for two days. Molina will have to pay a fine of $500 for being involved in the operation.

In addition, the three wrongdoers will be asked to cover the court costs and will have to pay an additional $258 each.

The MGCB Reminded People about the Dangers of Illegal Gambling

Henry Williams, executive director of the Michigan Gaming Control Board emphasized that unregulated gambling is dangerous to the public as it offers no safeguards, oftentimes targets vulnerable senior citizens from low-income areas and can spark waves of crime. Williams vowed to work hard to crack down on any such illegal venues.

The Michigan Gaming Control Board and Michigan Department of Attorney General work closely to investigate and eliminate gambling enterprises operating outside of Michigan law.

Henry Williams, exec director, MGCB

In other Michigan-related news, Design Works Gaming just partnered with Caesars Entertainment in the state.