Responsible gambling has generated heated debates and conversations throughout the last few months. The more the gambling sector has expanded in terms of offerings and gaming operators, the more the number of people who suffer from gambling addiction rises. As the gaming industry grows so rapidly, many tools that are used for responsible gambling also have been developed.

Self-Exclusion as a Resource to Reduce Gambling Addiction

The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board (PGCB) offers self-exclusion programs, which help people who suffer from gambling addiction, keep their distance from any time of wagering. These self-exclusion programs allow affected individuals to ban voluntarily themselves from casinos, internet-based gambling (iGaming), video gaming terminals (VGTs), and fantasy sports wagering. People who appear on the self-exclusion list are prohibited from receiving any winnings, recovering any losses, or accepting additional services or gifts from an operator or a licensee.

Gaming operators must avoid serving individuals who are self-excluded. Otherwise, the PGCB would seize their winnings.

Record Numbers of Self-Exclusions in 2022

In October, the PGCB released its 2021-2022 annual report, according to which the numbers in the self-exclusion list have been growing throughout the years and it is expected to mark new records in 2022.

The board did not report any self-exclusions related to internet–based gambling during the 2018/2019 fiscal year, because at that time iGaming had not launched yet. In 2019, PGCB started to track online casinos, VGTs, and fantasy contests.

Per the 2021-2022 annual report, the number of iGaming self-exclusions reached 2,295 in comparison with 1,041 for FY 2020/2021 and 231 for 2019/2020. When speaking about VGTs, the self-exclusions for FY 2021/2022 amount to 864 compared to 378 for FY 2020/2021 and 91 in FY 2019/2020. The fantasy contest self-exclusions reached 495 in FY 2021/2022 as opposed to 223 in FY 2020/2021 and 54 in FY 2019/2020.

When the gaming operators introduced online sportsbooks and online casinos in In June and July 2019, respectively, only a small number of offers existed. However, the gambling sector has grown rapidly, and currently, there are 14 online PA sports wagering applications and 18 PA online casinos, which offer a great variety of games to Pennsylvania residents.

PGCB to Raise Awareness About Harmful Gambling

The growth of the gambling industry leads to an increase in the number of self-exclusions. Thus, the PGCB has worked very hard and put effort into raising awareness of gambling addiction, responsible gambling, and the resources that are used in the fight against unhealthy gambling. The board updated its website by including tons of information concerning problem gambling, self-exclusions, phone numbers, and other ways that are used to help gamblers. The governmental agency also plans to include information on problem gambling in six different languages in order to reach anyone, who is affected by gambling addiction.

The global decentralized sports betting exchange, BetDEX Labs Inc., announced that BetDEX Exchange became the first licensed and regulated sports betting exchange on the blockchain. The announcement came Tuesday and sees the BetDEX Exchange gain licensing under the Isle of Man Gambling Supervision Commission (GSC).

Isle of Man Issues BetDEX Exchange License

Effective immediately, BetDEX Exchange is now the first fully licensed sports betting exchange on the blockchain. The recent licensing was facilitated under the Online Gambling Regulation Act (OGRA). This grants BetDEX approval and licensing for all forms of gambling, gaming, as well as sports betting.

“It is a pleasure to welcome BetDEX to the Island. We are excited to be at the forefront of technologies like blockchain while maintaining our reputation as a highly regulated jurisdiction that prides itself on player protection.“

Abby Kimber, head of eGaming, digital Isle of Man

Abby Kimber, the head of eGaming and digital for the Isle of Man, revealed that welcoming BetDEX to the Island is a pleasure. She explained that it is exciting to see such an innovator join the growing market within the regulated jurisdiction. At the same time, Kimber acknowledged that BetDEX supports player protection. Last but not least, she said: “I wish BetDEX every success with their future ventures and look forward to partnering with them for many years to come.”

The Licensing Marks a Major Step for BetDEX

Varun Sudhakar, BetDEX’s CEO and co-founder added that the licensing in the Isle of Man marks an important step for the company’s innovative exchange. He pointed out that the regulatory approval and the licensing designated BetDEX as the first fully regulated sports betting platform within the web3 realm. Finally, Sudhakar predicted that the recent achievement marks the first step of long-term growth for the company and its sports betting expansion further into the web3 vertical.

“With the licensing and regulatory approval, BetDEX now boasts the first fully-regulated sports betting platform in the web3 space, and we’re excited to welcome bettors from approved regions.“

Varun Sudhakar, CEO and co-founder of BetDEX

As a web3 company founded by Sudhakar, along with other FanDuel executives including Stuart Tonner and Nigel Eccles, BetDEX Labs currently powers the BetDEX Exchange. According to the company, after operating for only three weeks, the Exchange accepted bets from more than 12,000 of its early-access members. The innovative platform offers peer-to-peer sports bets for soccer. However, the BetDEX Exchange actively seeks to increase this number and add new sports.

Kindred Group and Sportradar announced a new deal Tuesday. Under the terms of the new collaboration, Sportradar agreed to supply its leading social media advertising solution to boost customer acquisition for Kindred via multiple channels.

The recent deal will seek to help Kindred grow its customer base. At the same time, the company will explore acquisition options for social media channels and optimize its advertising spending. Sportradar’s ad:s paid social media advertising solution enables Kindred to target and acquire customers via social media by offering relevant content depending on online behaviors.

Kindred’s flagship brands, Unibet, VladCasino and 32Red will benefit from Sportradar’s technology which will generate hundreds of thousands of personalized ads. This will increase the effectiveness of social media advertising and will deliver targeted messages for sports fans and bettors across Instagram and Facebook.

“Under the terms of the deal, the sports technology company is helping the global digital entertainment brand to grow its customer base and increase the effectiveness of its advertising spend by optimizing social media as an acquisition channel,“

Sportradar explained

Sportradar has more than two decades of data expertise which helped the company create a leading paid social media advertising solution for the gaming and betting industry. The company identified that there are three billion people that are active on social media every month which creates new growth opportunities for operators via paid social advertising. Citing data from a private study, Sportradar revealed that its market-leading advertising solution helps “increase purchase intent and drive significant return on advertising spend of up to 450%.”

The Deal Will Boost Kindred’s Growth

Elen Barber, Kindred Group’s chief marketing officer, shared her excitement about the recent deal with Sportradar. She pointed out that Sportradar’s leading solution which is powered by AI technology will help Kindred enhance its social media advertising by delivering personalized content for customers in different regions. Last but not least, Barber said the deal will improve the delivery of marketing campaigns.

“By leveraging Sportradar’s AI-led technology, Kindred will enhance the relevancy and personalization of social media advertising across a number of regions, boosting our creative delivery capabilities and improving marketing campaigns’ time-to-market.“

Elen Barber, chief marketing officer at Kindred Group

Florian Geheeb, Sportradar’s global director of advertising sales, added that this is not the company’s first deal with Kindred. He explained that the latest partnership reaffirms Sportradar’s goal to deliver leading products and services for its partners within the gaming and betting vertical. Finally, Geheeb said: “An effective social media advertising strategy is essential for sustainable customer growth and must deliver strong return on investment; our ad:s paid social service will help Kindred Group realize this potential.”

Casumo, an online casino that prides itself on its free deposits and fast payouts, has made a foray into the Canadian province of Ontario. This launch is a key strategic move that will allow the operator to target one of the most profitable iGaming markets.

Casumo Has Launched Its Online Offerings in Ontario

Ever since the launch of iGaming in Ontario earlier this year, it has been one of the most attractive markets for online gambling operators. Casumo is one of the many companies seeking to tap into the province’s fresh iGaming scene. The gaming firm received approval to launch in the province this summer and is now ready to engage local gamblers.

Following the operator’s launch in the province, Ontarian players can now visit Casumo’s site or download the mobile app to play. The latter is available for both Android and iOS, allowing players to digitally access the operator’s exciting offerings.

By playing with Casumo, gamblers can access a myriad of slots and table games. In addition, the operator offers a whole line of live dealer games, such as roulette variants, blackjack, baccarat, wheel games and texas hold ‘em. The digital mobile-optimized aspect of these products allows Casumo players to carry a great portable casino in their pockets.

McGibbon Is Thrilled to Offer Gaming to Local Customers

Casumo’s vice president of commercial, Garry McGibbon commented on the launch in Ontario. He said that his team feels excited to be one of the pioneers in the province’s fairly new online gambling market. According to McGibbon, the launch attests to the agility of the company’s team and products.

McGibbon added that the company is looking forward to providing local players with an easily-accessible casino packed full of games.

We’re excited to get going with our plans to bring Casumo magic to the fingertips of players all across Ontario.

Garry McGibbon

Casumo is a primarily European operator that is now seeking to expand into other regions as well. The company was founded a decade ago and currently operates several gaming brands in some of Europe’s biggest regulated jurisdictions. The company has a presence in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and Sweden, among others.

While Casumo opened 2022 with a player protection-oriented partnership, the operator still had some shortcomings and managed to get into trouble with the Spillemyndigheden, Denmark’s gambling regulator. The authority noted that the shortcomings date to March 11 this year, when Casumo failed to assess risk on its mobile app. While Casumo quit the Danish market on April 18, the Spillemyndigheden argues that it is still responsible for its prior wrongdoings.

The gaming industry in the special administrative region of Macau continues to struggle with the aftermath of the pandemic. The Macau Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau just reported how gambling performed in October. While the results are not great, they show that there might be hope for recovery.

The Bureau Posted the October Results

According to the Bureau, the industry recorded revenue of around $481 million, which represents a 10.7% year-on-year decrease. These results are far from rosy, considering that October is the month of the National Day Golden Week holiday – an event that usually attracts thousands of tourists from mainland China and foreign countries. Yet, despite the visitation boost, the October 2022 results failed to surpass those recorded in October 2021 and are still far below 2019’s results. For reference, in October 2019, the industry recorded a GGR of a whopping $3.27 billion.

According to the Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau, the festivities attracted a daily average of 26,040 new visitors. This number remains far under the pre-pandemic levels but still surpassed the expected results. In addition, JP Morgan said that GGR during the Golden Week returned to almost 35% of the 2019 levels. While this is not a lot, it sparks optimism about the market’s eventual recovery.

Furthermore, the October results marked a 31.4% month-on-month increase from September. The latter was a very weak month, although not as bad as August.   

Hope amid a Crisis

Macau’s gaming industry recorded an overall GGR of $4.4 billion for the first 10 months, which translates into a year-on-year decline of more than 50%. However, analysts are cautiously optimistic that November may be a turning point in this downward trend.

Macau’s abysmal GGR is caused by the recent pandemic outbreaks and China’s zero-COVID policy. Meanwhile, travel restrictions prevented foreign customers from visiting the region, adding to its woes. Luckily, starting in November, the restrictions on eVisas and package tours will be lifted, allowing more visitors to come to Macau. Some believe that this will quickly lead to an improvement in the region’s GGR.

However, there are also existing dangers of another pandemic outbreak as the region just reported a spike in COVID cases. If worse comes to worst, Macau would be forced to reinstate the travel restrictions, once again preventing visitors from mainland China and other countries from coming to the region. If this happens, analytics firms will likely release more pessimistic forecasts about the future of gambling in Macau.

The Philippines has dispensed with the mandatory requirement for face masks with an Executive Order signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. This is part of the country’s plans to revitalize tourism and bolster the economy, which has taken a serious hit due to the pandemic. With visitor numbers falling, President Marcos Jr. wants to signal to the world and regional neighbors that his country is ready to welcome travellers back.

Masks Off for the Philippines

Still, the order allows for the use of voluntary masks indoors, albeit masks remain obligatory for health care facilities, medical transport vehicles, and the public transportation system across the country. Executive Order 07 was promulgated over the weekend, and it is part of the sustained recovery from COVID-19 that the region has been undergoing.

Countries in Southeast Asia have all pushed forward towards the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions. Even China has introduced an eVisa format that effectively enables mainlanders to travel to Macau and play there.

The U-turn from restrictive measures has to do with the fairly successful global vaccination campaign that helped tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the worst the world has experienced, with the virus taking over entire countries, and placing megapolises under lock and key. The Philippines has felt the sting of these mass restrictions. The gambling industry, though, has proven a solid backbone of the health care system in the country.

PAGCOR, which is being assaulted by the current administration and private interest groups, has been contributing hefty amounts in terms of revenue to the state coffers. The regulator and operator of gaming products in the Philippines has been doing very well in supporting various healthcare initiatives and has helped the financially ailing system weather the worst of the pandemic.

Regardless, there have been vociferous calls to privatize the company as it is inefficient, according to some, and to even scrap the lucrative POGO sector, which has ruffled feathers in China.

SOFTSWISS, a provider of online iGaming solutions and an innovator in the use of digital currencies for the purposes of gaming, has released a new update for its comprehensive solution. The company has reported that it has created a new in-game currency conversion feature that is now incorporated into its dedicated casino platform which will enable players to convert their cryptocurrency balances into nine available FIAT currencies.

Nine Conversion Cryptocurrencies to Pick From

The feature offers players more control over their own bankrolls and empowers them to navigate both FIAT and cryptocurrency balances, providing for a seamless transition between the two. Moving forward, SOFTSWISS-powered casinos will offer players the option to convert their cryptocurrencies into USD, EUR, AUD, RUB, CAD, NZD, NOK, JPY, or BRL. The tool itself is simply called “In-Game Currency Conversion” and it’s part of the company’s continued effort to innovate and make the cryptocurrency gaming experience more accessible for everyone.

As an added benefit, players can also use the feature to bet with cryptocurrencies on games that do not natively support cryptocurrencies as one of their available currencies. SOFTSWISS head of casino platform Darya Avtukhovich welcomed the opportunity. She noted that players were previously only restricted to US dollars conversions only, but this has now changed. She added:

The range of available games was limited by currency. However, game diversity brings diverse emotions and experiences. So, this time we have implemented multi-currency support. Players can now convert cryptos into more fiat currencies and enjoy a greater variety of games.  

SOFTSWISS head of casino platform Darya Avtukhovich

The Casino Platform which SOFTSWISS has coined is multi-functional software that has been the backbone of the company’s expansion. SOFTSWISS has been able to create compelling iGaming platforms, games, and products that resonate with a global audience and allow operators to considerably innovate their proposition by seamlessly implementing innovative features into its offer and powering the iGaming experience for everyone. Recently, SOFTSWISS helped Spin Samurai with its jackpot solution.

The ICE London 2023 is now open for registration as this year’s event will be looking to raise the bar for the global gaming industry under the ‘Stronger Together’ theme.

Fantastic Opportunity to Re-Connect

The event labeled as “three days of unrivalled product discovery” is scheduled to take place at ExCel London February 7-9 and will mark the return of the gaming industry’s major supplier brands as organizers expect the event to become the biggest on record.

Clarion Gaming’s managing director Stuart Hunter expressed his expectations that ICE23 will raise the bar for the global gaming industry, hailing “the prospect of a full-scale ICE London … [as] a fantastic opportunity for world gaming to re-connect and take advantage of the unparalleled business opportunities the show delivers.”

He then mentioned the recently held at The Venetian Convention and Expo Center in Las Vegas international gaming trade show Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2022, outlining the optimism and energy demonstrated there and hoping to see the same dynamic brought to the “international community of 35,000+ gaming pioneers” when they gather in London to gain “access to the latest innovations, technology solutions and expert insights,” hailing ICE23 as the “world’s most comprehensive gaming expo.”

Access to Gaming Innovations Is Paramount

“The quantitative and qualitative research that we’ve undertaken with our stakeholders confirms how much importance the ICE community places on having access to the latest gaming innovations,” he continued, confident that ICE will once again live to its name and ensure its visitors receive “the very best opportunity of the year to gather ideas, meet the right people and make the right connections over three days of unrivalled product discovery.”

Hunter then stated that the team at Clarion Gaming “can’t wait to welcome the entire global industry” back to London to “what promises to be one of the most memorable and unmissable ICE events” in its history, hoping the event will set the tone for an exciting 2023 for the gaming industry.

“We look forward to seeing the industry get off the fantastic new Elizabeth Line trains and arrive at ExCeL London ready to connect,” he concluded.

Last year, the fate of ICE London was decided in a vote by the members of the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) as there were concerns that the event could be postponed due to the waning interest from major industry suppliers such as Merkur Gaming, Quixant, Novomatic, Zitro, R Franco Group, and others.

The event also needed a last-minute effort by the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) in the UK to reassure the gaming industry that ICE London 2022 is safe and will take place as planned.

Win Millions Lotto, the operator that offers some of the most popular lotteries and games in the world, announced a new collaboration with Warren Boxing Management (WBM). Under the terms of the new collaboration, the duo will seek to raise funds for charities.

WBM and Win Millions Lotto Unveil New Collaboration

The new deal will raise invaluable funds for young people from disadvantaged areas and seek to encourage them to start boxing. At the same time, the funds will help future professional boxers that have recently started their professional path, including males and females. This will be achieved by promotions completed by professional boxers. By promoting Win Millions Lotto via social media, a portion of each lottery ticket will be redirected toward different boxing charities.

Sonny Warren from Warren Boxing Management revealed that joining forces with Win Millions Lotto marks a proud moment for the WBM. He explained that there’s no doubt that boxing is among the most challenging physical sports. However, Warren added that boxing creates a significant sense of self-worth and builds strong confidence.

“By supporting local boxing charities and young professionals, we believe we can do a lot of good work and provide opportunities for young people in deprived and marginalized communities to enjoy all the positive benefits of the sport. Our stable of boxers are all very excited to be taking part in this project.“

Sonny Warren, Warren Boxing Management

According to Warren, the new collaboration will raise funds and help young people from disadvantaged areas and such who have not had options to enjoy the benefits of the sport. Last but not least, he revealed that boxers will be excited to raise funds for charities and help up-and-coming athletes.

The Initiative Will Be Recurring

Sulim Malook, Win Millions Lotto’s CEO, added that the company is excited to join forces with the WBM and raise funds for boxing charities. He outlined that sports stars such as Tyson Fury and Marcus Rashford have significantly contributed to help raise much-needed money and awareness for different charity causes.

“We look forward to working with WBM and the boxing charities they endorse. Donations will keep recurring for as long as their fans keep buying tickets, for weeks, months or even years.“

Sulim Malook, CEO at Win Millions Lotto

At the same time, Malook explained that boxers that participate in the initiative will have a referrer link on their profile, allowing fans to support different boxing charities. According to him, this will not be a one-off campaign but rather an ongoing effort that will benefit boxing-related charities continuously.