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An avalanche of World Cup gambling ads causes concern in the UK
It has been raining goals in the World Cup, especially for England. And it has been raining gambling ads on TV channels that broadcast the World Cup football matches.
It has been found that almost all ad breaks during matches feature at least one gambling advertisement, sometimes two.
Gambling firms themselves expressed concerns over the large number of ads. Still, they see no change to this, the government alters the law. At present, TV channels can show gambling commercials after 9 pm or during live sports broadcast.
Betfred, Skybet, Betfair, BetVictor, Paddy Power, Bet365, William Hill, Ladbrokes and Coral are the biggest advertisers in the commercial break this World Cup.
The research analysed 11 games broadcast on ITV, each game contained six ad breaks. 62 of the 66 breaks contained one or more gambling advertisements.
Future problems
Matt Zarb-Cousin from the Campaign for Fairer Gambling wants gambling advertisements to be restricted during football games.
He said: “I think it’s inappropriate before the watershed because children are seeing them… the response from the public is inevitable and we’re storing up problems from the future.”
Mr Zarb-Cousin was a problem gambler and says his problem was exacerbated by gambling advertisements: “Research from Australia found that children, when they’re watching the football and they see the ads, they think you have to have a bet to enjoy the game. Australia then went on to ban the ads during sporting events.”
Complaints jump
Viewers of the World Cup on ITV have expressed surprise on social media about the amount of gambling advertisements this week, but ITV said there were no more commercials this tournament than in previous ones.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) says they have received complaints this year and they always see a jump in complaints during big sports tournaments.
But the watchdog only upholds complaints about the content of commercials, not the volume of them.
Craig Jones from the ASA said: “The gambling market was liberalised in the mid-2000s, the one area we don’t have control over is the volume of the gambling ads, but where the ASA does kick in is the content and content of the ads.”
Leprechauns and wizards
There are strict rules surrounding gambling advertising. Adverts must not appeal to children, portray gambling as seductive, or suggest gambling can be a solution to financial problems and get you out of debt.
Gambling companies regularly fall foul of the rules. This week the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint against Coral for three games that featured cartoon characters of leprechauns and wizards.
The regulator said the games and marketing materials could appeal to children.
Over the past 12 months Foxy Bingo, William Hill, Ladbrokes, 888, and Casumo have all been fined for breaking advertising rules.
“Widespread unease”
The advertising watchdog recently introduced stricter rules banning gambling companies telling customers to “bet now” and ambiguous offers of free bets.
Craig Jones said: “You used to get kind of, tough guy content in ads where the message was ‘bet now’, ‘these are the odds’, ‘get your bet in quickly.’ We recently toughened the rules because we think that preys on people’s impulse control and anything that trivialises gambling or underplays risk is also the wrong side of the line.”
Some gambling companies say they would like to see restrictions on the amount of gambling advertising shown on television.
William Hill told Radio 4’s You and Yours it would like to see greater controls.
Gillian Wilmot, chairman of the Senet Group, a body set up by bookmakers to address concerns about problem gambling and advertising said: “There is widespread unease in the gambling industry at the volume and density of gambling adverts around live sport, but it is difficult to reduce this in a competitive market unless government decides to act.”
The Department for Culture Media and sport said: “We have set out a package of measures to strengthen rules around gambling advertising.”
“This includes responsible gambling messages appearing on screen throughout gambling ads and a multi-million pound campaign that will promote responsible gambling to be launched later this year. There are strict controls in place to ensure children are not targeted by gambling adverts.”
Source: BBC
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ECA and AGEM applaud creation of Association Assembly at ICE Barcelona
The news that January’s ICE Barcelona will include a major new feature dedicated to global gaming’s most influential trade associations has been welcomed by organisations in Europe and abroad.
Making full use of the additional space at the Gran Via Fira de Barcelona, the first ICE Association Assembly has been created to enable trade bodies to promote their values and create new opportunities for the gaming community across every sector and geography, including both the Brussels-based European Casino Association (ECA) and the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM), the global trade association for gaming equipment suppliers with its primary headquarters in Las Vegas.
Erwin Van Lambaart, Chair of the ECA confirmed: “Our members are already planning their week in Barcelona and they will be at this historic edition of ICE in great numbers. ICE is a pivotal event for the global gaming community and having a show floor feature which will enable us to engage directly with all sectors is a unique opportunity.
“Traditionally, our association’s involvement at ICE and its Conference program has primarily centred around networking and product development orientation—connecting with our members, regulators, suppliers, and fellow trade bodies. However, ICE 2025 marks a significant milestone. For the first time, the ECA will have the chance to fully interface with the global industry supply chain in its entirety. We are looking forward to this unique opportunity to articulate our vision for the future to a diverse and comprehensive audience, where innovation, responsibility and significant partnerships for guest and customer centricity will have centre stage.”
Daron Dorsey, CEO of AGEM added: “We represent the interests of our gaming suppliers whose well-known brands are global in reach, so to be given the opportunity to explain our agenda and engage with what is a truly international audience of association colleagues on the ICE show floor is invaluable.”
January’s editions of ICE and iGB Affiliate will occupy 120,000sqm of space compared to the 100,00sqm at ICE 2024. In a major endorsement of the opportunities offered by the relocation to Barcelona 72% of the 25 biggest exhibitors will have an increased stand presence at ICE 2025.
The post ECA and AGEM applaud creation of Association Assembly at ICE Barcelona appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards
Blask, the pioneering AI-powered analytics ecosystem for iGaming, has been named “Startup of the Year” at the prestigious 2024 Starlet Awards. The company earned this recognition for developing a groundbreaking market intelligence platform that has redefined how gaming operators leverage data and market insights.
Award Recognition
The award confirms Blask’s revolutionary approach to market analytics and its significant impact on how iGaming companies access and utilise market intelligence. Powered by AI models including Computer Vision and Natural Language Processing, Blask analyses billions of data points across 2000+ active brands to provide unprecedented market insights.
The Starlet Awards recognition follows Blask’s recent SiGMA Asia Startup Pitch 2024 Award victory. “Winning these awards affirms our belief that innovation and bold ideas can reshape the iGaming landscape. The recognition underscores the impact of our cutting-edge AI technology and our relentless pursuit to transform data into actionable insights”, reflects Max Tesla, CEO and Co-founder of Blask
Blask provides operators with a strategic edge across multiple critical areas. Its real-time market analysis capabilities deliver instant access to crucial market metrics, while the high-granularity data available at one-hour intervals enables swift, informed decision-making. The sophisticated AI modelling system estimates GGR and FTD by analysing a comprehensive range of inputs, including historical data, third-party OSINT data, market performance, competitor metrics, historical brand performance, market reports, and public company disclosures.
Beyond analytics, Blask offers robust brand monitoring and competitor analysis tools, alongside strategic and tactical planning capabilities particularly valuable for market entry decisions and maximising performance during major events. The recently introduced customer profile feature harnesses AI to generate detailed, country-specific user profiles, adding another layer of strategic insight for operators.
The post Blask Wins Prestigious “Startup of the Year” at 2024 Starlet Awards appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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CONCEPT: VERSATILITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SPACES
The CONCEPT cabinet line has been designed to maximize space in casinos, adapting to any configuration. Its efficient design allows for different bank arrangements, making the most of the available area. This gives operators greater flexibility in organizing their gaming floor.
Additionally, the integrated LED strips in CONCEPT eliminate the need for extra signs or wedges, creating a sleek and attractive visual at all times.
The post CONCEPT: VERSATILITY AND EFFICIENCY IN SPACES appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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