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Exclusive Q&A with Warren Russell CEO/W2 Global Data

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Why is affordability such a focus right now and especially in the UK?

Since the 2005 Gambling Act has been under review from late 2020, affordability has been heavily discussed as being a central part of any changes to requirements that might be brought into force. It has become increasingly common for operators to be fined for failings relating to player protection and safer gambling – the Gambling Commission has handed out more than £54m in fines over the past two years alone – and many stakeholders believe these issues could be mitigated or greatly reduced with more comprehensive and robust affordability requirements.

 

Is it really key to helping better protect players? Or does it need to be combined with other additional safeguards?

Affordability has the potential to greatly improve player protections and ensure players are gambling responsibly. That is why as a result of the review of the 2005 Gambling Act affordability checks will likely become a key requirement for operators to support both their own player protection initiatives and their customers. But affordability is not the only saving grace for the industry. All areas of the industry must come together and collaborate on efforts and technologies in order to fully implement change. In short, affordability is just one piece of the puzzle that makes up comprehensive player protection processes and protocols.

 

What are the current requirements for UK operators regarding affordability? How might that change?

Currently, the Gambling Commission sees affordability as identifying vulnerable players and limiting the amount of marketing that operators can target at them. Regulation is quite ambiguous, so different operators have a different understanding of what is expected of them. But affordability requirements will undoubtedly be more clearly defined following the review of the 2005 Gambling Act. The Gambling Commission has directly said that affordability checks are something it is heavily focused on within the review and that it will play a more centralised role in its updated regulations.

 

How can operators meet these requirements without impacting the player experience? How does your Affordability for Gambling Tool help in this regard?

It all comes down to striking the right balance between player experience and player protection. With problem gambling continuing to rise, more focus needs to be placed on protecting players over the experience that is provided to them, at least to a certain extent. W2’s solution helps operators to strike this balance; it works seamlessly in the background of the onboarding journey or based on various markers of harm triggers so as to not impact the player’s journey. Of course, if something which needs investigating comes back from the affordability check, it is the responsibility of the operator to deal with it further.

 

Do you think the UK market is heading towards over-regulation? What about specifically when it comes to affordability?

As mentioned above, it is all about balance. I wouldn’t say it is heading towards over-regulation, but we can’t be naïve to the fact that operators need to balance player protection with commercial viability. Some current affordability solutions such as open banking (which requires players to agree to give their bank data) could be considered as impacting the player experience too much. A player could simply go to another operator if they don’t want to take the extra steps to pass affordability.

Our solution works seamlessly enough in the background to prevent the player experience from being impacted by affordability checks, whilst still ensuring that operators can truly protect players. It can be a fine line to tread, but that is why we have developed our affordability solution so that operators can be confident they are protecting players while also not negatively impacting their experience to the point where they go to another brand that is perhaps not as stringent in its affordability requirements and checks.

 

Do you think other regulated markets will look to tighten requirements around affordability?

The consultation from the Gambling Commission is being closely watched by regulators around the world. The UK gambling industry is being used as the litmus test for how safer gambling initiatives should be moving forwards. With regulated gambling rolling out across the US, and countries such as the Netherlands opening up their own online gambling marketplace in 2021, it is highly likely these jurisdictions will swiftly follow updated regulations should the work of the UK Gambling Commission be a success.

 

How can operators prepare for any changes that might come now?

It is often overlooked just how much work operators are currently undertaking when it comes to their player protection initiatives. The real issue within the industry at present is the lack of clarity and understanding as to what best-practice safe gaming actually looks like. The review of the Gambling Act has been rumbling on for two years now (with further delays likely due to Boris Johnson’s departure) and quite frankly the industry is still struggling. That is why collaboration between stakeholders is going to be key. W2’s affordability is one part of what the industry needs as a whole, but we believe it can significantly assist operators in protecting players when combined with what those companies are already doing from a safer gambling perspective.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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Amusnet Enters into Partnership with Casino.Online

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Amusnet has entered into a partnership with Casino.online, an affiliate dedicated to delivering in-depth reviews and comparisons of online casinos targeting players in multiple languages and regions, including Bulgaria, Spain and Portugal. This collaboration will focus on showcasing comprehensive reviews of Amusnet’s extensive portfolio of premium casino titles to a broad global audience, starting with the slot Extra Crown Deluxe.

The slot’s is a sophisticated evolution of the company’s signature and top-performing slot Extra Crown, highly recognised in various markets. Extra Crown Deluxe stands out with its 5 reels, 20 fixed paylines and top-notch sound effects complemented by a number of special features including the popular Gamble feature, allowing players to multiply their winnings, as well as the Jackpot Cards bonus game, where players have the chance to win one of four progressive jackpots.

“Partnering with Casino.online presents an opportunity to expand the reach of our games and connect with an audience that values high-quality gaming experience. We’re thrilled to highlight top-performing titles like Extra Crown Deluxe and deliver even more engaging content designed to enhance the player experience across all platforms. Casino.online’s solid reputation and deep insight into local player preferences – particularly within our valued Spanish, Portuguese, and Bulgarian markets – make them an ideal partner as we expand our international presence,” said Liliya Chatalbasheva, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Amusnet.

“At Casino.online, we genuinely care about our audience and are committed to connecting them only with the best brands in the industry. Amusnet stands out as one of the top gaming providers worldwide, and we’re proud to do everything we can to support their brand awareness and bring their exceptional games to more players,” said Joshua Rawlings, Head of Strategy at Casino.online.

The post Amusnet Enters into Partnership with Casino.Online appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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PTSB Launches ln-app Voluntary Gambling Block to Support Customer Financial Wellbeing

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PTSB has launched a digital voluntary block for customers who wish to stop card transactions involving gambling merchants. This is an important initiative in promoting financial wellbeing and supporting customers in managing gambling-related harm.

The new feature allows PTSB customers to block debit and credit card transactions that are classified as gambling instantly through their PTSB App.

If customers choose to remove the block, a 48-hour impulse delay period will apply before gambling transactions can resume.

Along with betting sites, the block also covers online casinos, poker sites and lottery websites.

An analysis of PTSB banking data from January to June 2025 shows:

• 91% of gambling spend was completed online.

• 80% of gambling spend was completed by men, versus 20% completed by women.

• The age group with the highest spend on gambling sites for both men and women is 40-49.

• 2% of those who gambled in June 2025 spent over €1000, which falls into the threshold of problem gambling, according to ESRI Research.

ESRI research found that there are 130,000 adults with problem gambling in Ireland. There is also growing evidence that gambling offers lure people to bet more, particularly those at risk of problem gambling.

As part of the Bank’s 2025-2027 Sustainability launched earlier this year, PTSB is committed to playing its part in supporting customers with their financial wellbeing and has a continued focus on improving the financial literacy of its customers through education, inclusion supports and the delivery of digital tools. This includes raising awareness of the risks associated with problem gambling and providing support for those affected.

PTSB also has a dedicated Enhanced Customer Support team within their Contact Centre should customers need to access this support via phone.

Patrick Farrell, PTSB’s Retail Banking Officer, said: “At PTSB, the safety and welfare of our customers is of the utmost importance, and we’re committed to ensuring our customers have the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions and plan for their future.

“Problem gambling is increasingly becoming a societal issue that warrants the closest attention, as it can have hugely damaging implications for individuals, their families and loved ones. We know from ESRI research that one in 30 adults in Ireland suffers from problem gambling, but worryingly a further 279,000 adults show moderate evidence of it. That’s why we have introduced this voluntary gambling block in-app so that it is accessible when our customers need it most.”

Oisín McConville of GamblingCare.ie said: “I am delighted that PTSB has introduced a Gambling Block feature to their app. Having this service available to customers digitally will make a huge difference as it is accessible to them on the go, which is particularly important given the prevalence and availability of online gambling.

“Initiatives like this from PTSB are crucial in supporting those who experience problem gambling and really complement the support services GamblingCare offers in managing gambling-related harm.”

The post PTSB Launches ln-app Voluntary Gambling Block to Support Customer Financial Wellbeing appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Altenar unveils slice market functionality to enhance betting precision

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Leading sportsbook provider boosts flexibility and variety of betting options available through latest feature

Altenar, a leading sports betting and iGaming technology provider, has added slice markets to its award-winning sportsbook, allowing operators to create an intuitive betting experience through segmented market views.

The feature allows operators to display a focused selection of betting options by creating filtered versions of existing markets. Selective lines or excluding certain selection options gives the end user a more personalised and streamlined view, based on their betting styles and preferences.

As part of Altenar’s continued investment in its sportsbook offering, this latest enhancement offers higher flexibility for operators to deliver a unique and tailored product that helps the bettor find their preferred bet types as quickly as possible.

Dinos Doxiadis, Director of Product – Sportsbook and Data at Altenar, said: “Through the introduction of slice markets, operator partners can now deliver a more focused and relevant user experience, which will help bettors engage faster and in a more meaningful way with the markets they care about.

“This is another step forward in our commitment to helping build high-performance sportsbook solutions to boost operators’ retention rates and differentiate them in a competitive vertical.”

The post Altenar unveils slice market functionality to enhance betting precision appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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