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YGAM launch ‘Parent Hub’ as university research highlights loot box danger amongst children


National charity, YGAM has joined with research teams from Newcastle and Loughborough Universities to help parents and carers understand the danger of loot boxes, with one young respondent in the Economic and Social Research Council funded project confirming how he spent nearly £500 buying packs of random cards.
The expert insight and advice is being posted on YGAM’s new ‘Parent Hub’ website www.parents.ygam.org. The hub which has been developed thanks to funding received from Lottoland, GVC and Playtech, provides families with the resources, information and activities to help build digital resilience and safeguard children. ‘Parent Hub’ helps explain why children are drawn to purchase loot boxes, ranging from the surprise and suspense of opening a box and the desire to win something rare, to receiving specific items that deliver an in-game advantage or boost their social status.
The research covers the potential harm loot boxes can cause, such as young people’s exposure to and normalisation of gambling style systems, as well as the emotional and financial harm from repeat spending – with one young person telling researchers how he spent nearly £500 in a mobile card game by buying packs of random cards, playing for up to seven hours a day. The advice covers how parents can take important steps to safeguard children, including the use of parental controls and identifying potential signs of harm.
“For some children, the act of opening a loot box is as important as what it contains” explains Dr James Ash, Reader in Technology, Space and Society at Newcastle University, who is leading the research. “Feelings of surprise and suspense lead to the repeat purchase of loot boxes. But this is often short-lived.
“Children and young people have told us how they feel disappointment, frustration, anger, and regret at loot box purchases, yet they are still driven to purchase again. This is concerning, given the deliberate design of these mechanisms – the visual stimulus, the randomised contents, and the very unfavourable odds for unboxing rare items – which can lead to repeat loot box purchases.”
Amanda Atkinson, Head of Parental Engagement at YGAM said the research will help inform and develop the charity’s educational programmes so that all young and vulnerable people are safe from gaming and gambling related harms. She stated: “Certainly the enormous variety of games and in-app purchases that are available can make it confusing for parents to keep on top of safety controls. Through our educational resources, we are focused on providing crucial information to parents so they can identify changes in behaviours and understand the effects this may have on mental and financial wellbeing.”
In collaboration with GamCare, YGAM is delivering the UK’s ground-breaking National Gambling Education and Prevention Programme. Supported by members of the Betting and Gaming Council, the £10 million programme will reach over 3 million young people to raise awareness of the risks of potential gaming and gambling related harms.
Source: Latest News on European Gaming Media Network
This is a Syndicated News piece. Photo credits or photo sources can be found on the source article: YGAM launch ‘Parent Hub’ as university research highlights loot box danger amongst children

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National Platform Expands Its International Network of Partners: Memorandum Signed with IBIA
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The National Platform of Sports Integrity of Ukraine and the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) have signed a memorandum of understanding.
IBIA is the is the leading global voice on integrity for the regulated betting industry. It brings together more than 90 sports betting operators and over 200 brands across six continents. IBIA’s global monitoring network tracks over USD 300 billion in betting activity annually, detecting suspicious patterns in real time.
The organisation works closely with major international sports institutions such as FIFA, UEFA and the IOC, as well as with national gambling regulators worldwide.
The signing of the Memorandum opens new opportunities for the National Platform in identifying and countering sports competition manipulation, in particular:
- access to IBIA’s Monitoring and Alert Platform;
- the ability to receive alerts on suspicious betting patterns related to matches involving Ukrainian teams or athletes; and
- strengthened international cooperation on sports integrity.
The National Platform stated: “Cooperation with IBIA allows us to integrate into the global system for safeguarding sports integrity. For Ukraine, this represents a qualitatively new level of detection and prevention of competition manipulation. We gain access to advanced international response mechanisms and become part of the worldwide network fighting corruption in sport.”
Khalid Ali, CEO of IBIA stated: “IBIA is delighted to be able to reach this important agreement with the Ukraine National Platform for combating competition manipulation. The move maintains our approach of widening our global integrity collaborations and partnerships and aligns with our Mission 2030 strategic objectives.”
The post National Platform Expands Its International Network of Partners: Memorandum Signed with IBIA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Ygam achieve milestone of reaching 5 million young people
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Ygam has now surpassed the milestone of reaching an estimated five million children and young people across the UK through its portfolio of prevention programmes.
Founded in 2014, Ygam has now delivered its award-winning training and resources on gaming and gambling harms to over 32,000 delegates.
Ygam’s reach extends beyond the education sector, with training delivered to more than 5,500 professionals working across health and social care — including hospitals, health boards, GP surgeries, and community nursing settings. This work, aligned with a public health approach to preventing gambling harms, has directly contributed to the digital safeguarding of nearly half a million children and young people accessing health services.
With growing concerns from parents and carers about the role of gaming and gambling in the wider online safety conversation, Ygam has become a trusted and respected source of advice and guidance for families. The charity has delivered workshops to more than 4,500 parents and carers.
Ygam is a national charity with a footprint across every region of England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, and a presence in 64 of the UK’s 76 cities.
Ygam’s work has also seen a significant increase in the longevity of its reach, with nearly 100,000 resource downloads of its award-winning resources, and at least 50% of educators implementing these materials into their lessons.
Helen Martin, Interim CEO of Ygam, said: “This milestone is more than just a number – it’s a reflection of the positive impact we’re making in every corner of the UK. We’re incredibly proud of the growing community that shares our passion for safeguarding children’s wellbeing in an increasingly complex digital world, where gaming and gambling are more accessible than ever. From schools to sports clubs, parents to practitioners, and colleges to community centres, we’re raising awareness through the powerful tool of education. As we mark this extraordinary achievement, the demand for our resources has never been greater. We remain committed to expanding our reach and deepening our impact, ensuring that every child has the knowledge and confidence to navigate the risks of gaming and gambling harms.”
But there’s so much more to do – help us reach the next 5 million…
The post Ygam achieve milestone of reaching 5 million young people appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Boomerang Partners set to shine at SiGMA Europe 2025 with sports-themed booth activities and the Golden Boomerang League winners celebration
From November 4th to 6th, 2025, Boomerang Partners will participate in SiGMA Europe 2025 in Rome, one of the most important events in the world for the affiliate marketing and iGaming industry. The company’s booth 5046 G will be a focal point, thanks to the signature ‘Boomerang Arena’ concept.
The ‘Boomerang Arena’ symbolizes the strong connection between sports and technological innovations, and reflects Boomerang Partners’ focus on the sports aspect of their business. The booth will be divided into several themed zones dedicated to football, golf, tennis, and boxing, as well as a location for sports-related interactive experiences.
Booth 5046 G will be the must-visit hub for SiGMA Europe 2025’s guests for many reasons. Boomerang Partners is preparing a variety of activities that are sure to generate heightened interest from booth visitors. They can look forward to various sports-related interactive experiences, mini-games, table tennis activity, and a unique gift auction. Details about the participation conditions will be announced later. Stay tuned for updates.
On November 5th, Boomerang Partners will ceremoniously announce and award the winners of its first sports traffic tournament, the Golden Boomerang League. It runs from September 1st to October 31st and is designed for both current and new affiliate partners of the company. The prizes include direct entry into the annual global tournament, the Golden Boomerang Awards 2026, and two all-expenses-paid AC Milan Experience packages, which include flights, accommodations, and tickets to a match at the San Siro Stadium. Boomerang Partners will provide this opportunity as the Official Regional Partner of AC Milan.
Book a meeting with Boomerang Partners’ managers now to learn about collaboration opportunities. There are only a few slots left.
About Boomerang
Boomerang Partners is a rapidly growing global marketing agency offering a wide range of services. Boomerang Partners is the Official Regional Partner of AC Milan. In 2024, it launched the inaugural Golden Boomerang Awards — a global tournament for affiliate teams. More than 400 affiliate teams participated in the second season of the tournament in 2025. The agency launched six new products in 2024-2025, contributing to a nearly 1.5-fold increase in product users.
The agency’s client portfolio contains 13+ brands offering affiliate and entertainment services across 40+ markets in compliance with local regulations. These products provide personalized bonuses and 24/7 multilingual support.
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