UK-and Canada-based HTML5 casino game design, creation, and distribution studio HungryBear Gaming has signed a historic agreement with NASDAQ-listed Light & Wonder, Inc. subsidiary Light & Wonder. According to the terms of the agreement, the latter will integrate and distribute the provider’s pioneer multiplayer game, Slot Masters. The game will become available across Light & Wonder’s expanded network which consists of hundreds of global operators.

Slot Masters, Available Via the OPENGAMING Platform 

The new slot game, which is a free-to-play title, has been incorporated into Light & Wonder’s state-of-the-art OPENGAMING platform. This means the three-way game that allows players to control the score of their opponents with a series of weapons used for attacks and defense will grow even more in popularity by reaching a much wider audience.

HungryBear Gaming’s chief executive officer and founder Justin Chamberlin called the new deal “a game-changer” while expressing delight to be shaking hands with “one of the leading names” in the iGaming industry. Up until now, the game has been directly integrated with individual operators. Now, thanks to the terms of the new deal, Slot Masters will become available via Light & Wonder’s platform, opening the door “to an enormous array of global brands.” These brands will be able to integrate the existing multiplayer slot in a seamless manner while enjoying the benefits of offering one of the most exciting games on the market.

So far, a number of premier brands including Jackpot Joy, RAINBOW RCHES CASINO, Virgin, Ladbrokes, Foxy Bingo, and Megaways Casino have all embraced the game. When the game went live with Entain’s brands Foxy Bingo and Ladbrokes, Chamberlain called it “a dream come true.”

Just three months after its official launch tournaments were introduced to players, the game managed to record a massive growth in popularity. Official statistics showed the game was played more than 500,000 times while recording over 32 million spins. SlotMasters has therefore become a “staple part of operators’ offerings,” making the new distribution deal with Light & Wonder even more desirable for both parties. 

Bespoke Advertising Campaigns 

The game will launch across several European operators as well as operators located in other parts of the world in the upcoming weeks and months. A few brands will also release a series of custom TV and online advertising campaigns. To make the slot even more visible and easy to spot, operators will also incorporate it within their homepage tabs.

HungryBear Gaming is also close to finishing its first real-money alternative to the “ground-breaking” game, as defined by Light & Wonder’s vice president of game development Robert Procter. An official release date will be announced prior to the end of the year.Last week, Light & Wonder published its third-quarter results, highlighting a strong quarter a 20% growth in revenue to $648 million.

Jamaica’s Betting Gaming & Lotteries Commission (BGLC) is becoming increasingly concerned about the explosive growth of gambling in the country and its potential impact on children. The regulator plans to hold several consultations to determine the overall effect of advertising and introduce an updated set of rules to protect users against problem gaming.

The BGLC Will Make an Informed Decision

BGLC executive director Vitus Evans spearheaded the new initiative, prompted by the dramatic increase in gambling advertising volume across all platforms. Over the past two years, two new high-profile operators entered the Jamaican market, sparking heated competition in the marketing space. 

The BGLC recognizes that there is no proven link between the prevalence of advertising and the increase in gambling rates but noted that leaving that section of the industry unchecked was not an option. According to an interview with Evans for the Financial Gleaner, radio and TV audiences often can’t go even five minutes before encountering an ad.

We are concerned about the frequency of gambling advertising and whether it is negatively impacting children.

Vitus Evans, BGLC executive director

Before submitting updates to the current regulations, the BGLC first plans to undertake public consultations with key stakeholders and concerned citizens. Once the commission gathers sufficient data, it will introduce updated guidelines.

A Leading Operator Supports the Initiative

The BGLC has already drafted a procurement document for consultancy services regarding the upcoming investigation. The paper outlines that any future solution must consider the interests of operators, gamblers, media entities, healthcare professionals, and the general public. The ultimate goal is to create a universal set of advertising guidelines that will apply equally to all gambling companies in the country.

Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL), Jamaica’s premiere gaming operator, expressed its support of the new initiative and stated it was willing to cooperate with the operator to reach the best possible solution. 

We look forward to… (helping) develop a thorough and fair advertising code that equitably represents the interest of all industry stakeholders.

Chloleen Daley-Muschett, SVL corporate communications, and PR manager

The other two notable companies operating in Jamaica – Goodwill Gaming Enterprises Limited, best known under its Lucky Play brand, and Mahoe Gaming Enterprises Limited, which runs the Izizzi lottery, have not yet commented on the BGLC’s new initiative. However, both operators are staunch responsible gambling advocates and should also cooperate. 

Jamaica Remains a Booming Market

Jamaica’s gambling sector has experienced substantial growth and is enjoying a steady recovery from the effects of the pandemic. Q2 results indicated a 50% year-on-year revenue increase, for a total of $60 billion. With such a booming market, the three operators invest substantially in advertising. SVL spent $790 million in advertising and business development during the 2021 fiscal year. 

Part of the reason for the industry’s explosive growth is due to Jamaica’s somewhat lax approach to regulation. However, the BGLC’s recent initiative indicates that the country’s regulator plans to introduce stricter measures. These efforts will ultimately benefit existing operators, as responsible gambling practices promote a sustainable and customer-focused approach that has proven effective worldwide.

Spain’s General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) has failed to provide the Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MCA) with the necessary information regarding a series of “serious” and “very serious” sanctions imposed on a number of online gaming operators. This has prevented the MCA to publish the information on time, causing an important reporting delay. 

The Spanish Regulator Published Its Latest Sanctions Last November 

Last year, the European country that recorded more than 1.47 million online players altered its gambling regulations in an attempt to offer more clarity in regard to reporting guidelines. Ever since the new changes were officially implemented, the DGOJ was supposed to publish all “serious” and “very serious sanctions” against licensed operators, which it failed to do. The latest updates on the DGOJ platform date back to November 2021. Prior to the new rules, the Spanish regulator was not responsible for making this information public. 

The MCA is only supposed to publish the respective sanctions against operators that have failed to comply with the rules when administrative proceedings are underway. This was one of the main changes brought to the country’s Gaming Law.

Potential License Revocation for Operators Guilty of “Very Serious” Infractions

If over the course of two years, an online or brick-and-mortar gambling operator in Spain is found guilty of a series of “very serious” infractions at a state and regional level, the DGOJ is allowed to revoke their license. This is why the publication of all advertising sanctions is mandatory and critical for the protection of consumers and the well-being of the regulated gaming industry. In Spain, regional governments are the ones that manage offline sportsbooks, which is why they are required to collect information regarding any infractions at other levels.

An operator that has recorded at least two serious offenses in two years’ time has the potential to make a “very serious” offense, according to the gaming legislation in the country. Codere, which is one of Spain’s biggest operators in the industry warned it might lose its license at the start of the year. The Codere Online subsidiary informed NASDAQ of the potential problem, explaining it was at risk of losing its license in the country because of this very change in the Gaming Law. 

19 Gaming Operators Were Fined in 2021 for “Serious” and “Very Serious” Infractions

In 2021, the MCA fined 19 gaming operators for a series of “serious” and “very serious” infractions, issuing a total fine that went over the €58 million ($59.88 million) mark. The figure was higher compared to the previous record of €55.8 million ($57.61 million) collected in 2020. Eleven of the 19 fines were issued to operators providing their services to S[panish players without owning a license. The rest of the fines were given to companies that enabled prohibited players in the self-exclusion register to wager real money. Last July, the MCA drafted a new gambling decree that would require operators to send detailed reports that would allow the industry to be regulated more effectively.

As the United Kingdom prepares for the upcoming World Cup in Qatar, experts forecast a high betting activity. Because of that, GambleAware, a local charity providing relief to gambling harm victims, has launched a new safer gaming campaign.

Bettors Worry about Gambling Ads

As the 2022 World Cup draws near, many British bettors are excited to place wagers on their favorite teams and players. However, some are cautious as they fear that operators will flood the media with ads during the highly-anticipated soccer tournament.

Opinium Research, a market research and insight agency, asked 2,000 soccer fans about their feelings about the upcoming event. As the results of the new survey demonstrated, 61% of respondents admitted that operators are often going overboard when it comes to ads during international sports events.

More than half of the sports fans also feel that it is easier to lose a lot of money during such prestigious tournaments. In addition, 28% of respondents said they worry that they will likely lose a lot of money during the pro soccer event.

To support struggling sports fans, GambleAware launched a new campaign in collaboration with the Football Supporters Association (FSA). The new initiative also has the support of famous retired players such as Lee Hendrjie, Peter Shilton and Shaun Wright-Phillips. Through its new campaign, the charity seeks to teach players to recognize early signs of gambling harm. It also provides them with tips on how to avoid “Bet Regret” and becoming a problem gambler.

GambleAware Wants to Protect Customers from Bet Regret

Zoë Osmond, GambleAware’s chief executive officer, spoke about the new initiative. She said that the World Cup should be a time for enjoyment, not anxiety. However, the huge number of gambling ads makes it easy for people to lose track of their finance and bet more than they are willing to lose.

The worst part, Osmond said, is that people might lose a lot of money right before Christmas, making betting losers even more miserable than they would have been normally.

As the cost-of-living crisis bites and people feel the pinch in the run-up to Christmas, this could create a ‘perfect storm’ where fans resort to gambling as a way to cope. This can have the opposite effect, both financially and in terms of mental health.

Zoë Osmond, CEO, GambleAware

Osmond advised people to avoid Bet Regret by uninstalling betting apps and setting limits.

Paul Scully, Britain’s gambling minister, praised GambleAware for its new initiative. He said that it is great that the charity is taking action against gambling harm and added that the government is also hard at work reviewing the country’s gambling laws.

France just launched a similar initiative under the slogan “you saw, you lost,” warning players that betting is oftentimes hazardous.

Many records for mobile sports betting handle and mobile sports wagering gross gaming revenue (GGR) were broken since the launch of mobile wagering in New York. Now, judging by data released by the gambling regulator, the New York State Gaming Commission, October marked another record month for regulated sports betting operators.

Sports Betting Handle in October Hits $1.54bn

Overall, the betting handle reported by regulated operators last month hit $1.54 billion. This marked the third-highest betting handle since the launch of mobile Betting and the highest betting handle in the last six months. When compared to the result from September, when the betting handle halted at $1.26 billion, the result from last month showed an increase of nearly 23%.

While the betting handle increased, so did the mobile sports betting GGR for the period. Overall, mobile sports betting GGR in October hit $145.7 million, setting another record. This result marked a slight increase considering that a month earlier, in September, mobile betting GGR hit $143.3 million. Still, the result from last month was the best for the last six months.

Sportsbooks’ Revenue Increases

Considering the increase in betting handle and mobile betting GGR, the net revenue to platform providers, as well as taxes increased as well. Currently, mobile sportsbooks in New York are subject to 51% tax, meaning that the $145.7 million in GGR translates to $71.4 million in net revenue for sportsbooks and $74.3 million in tax revenue. Different education programs, as well as municipal and county governments, benefit from the collected tax revenue.

Month-over-month comparison of the $71.4 million in net revenue for the operators shows a slight increase, considering that in September the net revenue for sportsbooks halted at $70.2 million. However, the result from last month marks the highest net revenue reported in the last six months. Similarly, the net revenue collected from sports wagering taxes last month was the highest reported in the last six months.

FanDuel Reports Highest Revenue, Followed by DraftKings

According to a breakdown provided by the gambling regulator in New York, FanDuel was the leader in October reporting the highest betting handle and revenue. FanDuel has seen a total of $609 million in betting handle last month, translating to $76.4 million in GGR. Of that total, the sportsbook collected $37.5 million, while the state collected $38,979,222 in tax.

DraftKings was the operator that reported the second-highest betting handle and revenue last month. In total, the operator’s betting handle in October was $534.6 million, which translates to $20.1 million in net revenue for DraftKings and $20.9 million in taxes.

The third-highest betting handle and revenue last month was reported by Caesars. The sportsbook’s betting handle in October hit $195.2 million, resulting in $14.9 million in mobile sports wagering GGR. A further breakdown reveals that the state collected $7.6 million in taxes while Caesars’ net revenue for October was $7.3 million.