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UK Gambling Commission Concludes Four-part Series on Illegal Online Gambling
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The UK Gambling Commission has published the fourth and final report in its series exploring the complex and evolving issue of illegal online gambling.
The series — launched earlier this year — set out to improve understanding of consumer engagement with illegal online gambling, the risks it poses and the actions being taken to disrupt it.
Over the past months, the Commission has published three reports examining:
Part 1: Consumer awareness, drivers and motivations
Part 2: Consumer engagement and trends
Part 3: Disruption of illegal online gambling
This report — “Estimating the size of the illegal online gambling market” — explores the challenges of quantifying an activity that is, by its nature, hidden.
Understanding the challenge
The report highlights that while measuring the scale of the illegal online gambling market is essential for effective enforcement and policy-making, doing so presents significant methodological challenges. Reliable data is limited, and assumptions are often required to fill gaps — meaning that confidence in any single estimate is inherently constrained.
The Commission draws parallels with other areas of illicit activity, such as the trade in illegal tobacco, where government departments face similar difficulties estimating financial impact.
Building on progress
Although no single estimate of market size has been published, the Commission’s work to date has built a stronger evidence base and clearer understanding of both consumer behaviour and illegal operator tactics.
The series has found that:
• consumer motivations to use illegal sites are varied — there is no single driver of engagement
• some consumers are unaware that they are gambling illegally, highlighting the need for greater public awareness
• not all activity in the illegal market represents a direct loss to the regulated sector, as some consumers are self-excluded or otherwise unable to gamble legally
• there is currently no evidence of sustained growth in engagement with illegal websites where data has been collected
• a range of disruption and enforcement tactics are being deployed, supported by cross-industry and international collaboration.
A shared responsibility
The Commission emphasises that tackling illegal gambling requires a coordinated response. Efforts to measure, monitor and disrupt the illegal market will depend on continued collaboration across government, industry, digital platforms and financial services.
Chief Executive, Andrew Rhodes said: “Illegal online gambling remains a serious threat to consumers and to the integrity of the regulated market.
“While measuring the full scale of the problem is complex, our understanding is growing — and so too is our ability to disrupt illegal operators.
“Our independent research has strengthened the evidence base, improved transparency, and underlined that progress depends on a collective effort across sectors.”
Next steps
Although this marks the end of the current series, the Commission will continue its programme of research, data collection and enforcement activity.
The post UK Gambling Commission Concludes Four-part Series on Illegal Online Gambling appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Wazdan’s Mighty Wild™: Jaguar nominated for Online Slot of the Year at Global Gaming Awards EMEA
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Wazdan, the leading gain-focused developer, has been nominated in the Online Slot of the Year category at the Global Gaming Awards EMEA 2026 for its standout release, Mighty Wild: Jaguar.
The prestigious nomination recognises Wazdan’s ongoing commitment to innovation and player engagement, with the jungle-inspired title balancing modern mechanics and smooth, dynamic gameplay to deliver a captivating gameplay experience.
The title brings together several of Wazdan’s most distinctive features, including Wild Rampage, the signature mechanic of the Mighty Wild series, which fills bonus rounds with symbols and multipliers for fast-paced action.
It also incorporates Hold the Jackpot, one of Wazdan’s flagship features, where players trigger bonus rounds to pursue grand jackpot win by filling the entire grid, alongside Cash Infinity, which boosts engagement and retention by keeping symbols on the reels between spins. Lastly, Sticky to Infinity also makes up the title’s impressive mechanic line-up, which locks bonus symbols in place during respins to heighten the sense of progression and maximise win potential.
The game’s success underlines the growing strength of the Mighty Wild series, one of Wazdan’s most popular lines. Following the outstanding performance of Mighty Wild: Jaguar, the company is preparing to expand the collection with the upcoming Mighty Wild: Gorilla, further cementing its reputation for creating high-performing, feature-rich titles.
Delivering exceptional results since launch, Mighty Wild: Jaguar has become one of Wazdan’s strongest releases of the year, resonating with both players and operators across regulated markets.
At the same time, Wazdan’s nomination takes on even greater significance in light of the upcoming Global Gaming Awards EMEA ceremony, which will take place in Barcelona in January 2026 as part of the opening day of ICE 2026.
With the release now shortlisted among the industry’s best in class, Wazdan continues to strengthen its position as one of the leading developers shaping the future of online slot entertainment.
Andrzej Hyla, Chief Commercial Officer at Wazdan, said: “Being nominated for Online Slot of the Year at the Global Gaming Awards is a fantastic recognition of the creativity and engineering that drive every Wazdan release.
“Mighty Wild: Jaguar reflects our ongoing mission to design games that not only entertain but deliver measurable results for our partners. We’re incredibly proud of how the Mighty Wild series has evolved and look forward to building on its success with new titles that continue to push the boundaries of player engagement.”
The post Wazdan’s Mighty Wild™: Jaguar nominated for Online Slot of the Year at Global Gaming Awards EMEA appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Wazdan wraps up successful showcase at SiGMA Central Europe
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Wazdan, the leading gain-focused developer, has concluded a successful trip to Rome for SiGMA Central Europe, where the company’s team connected with key partners, unveiled its latest titles and reinforced its growing presence across the region.
Located at booth 4040, Wazdan’s cohort enjoyed intensive meetings with partners and operators, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback on its latest releases and engagement-boosting features. The event provided an excellent platform to strengthen regional relationships and accelerate the company’s local growth strategy.
Attendees had the opportunity to exclusively explore some of the developer’s highly anticipated and top-performing titles, including Mighty Wild: Gorilla, Cash Grotto, 16 Coins x5000 and Mighty Crown: Legacy of Mars. Each game captivated operators with its distinctive mechanics and player-driven experiences, underlining Wazdan’s commitment to innovation and entertainment.
Adding to the excitement, Wazdan also presented its festive €6,000,000 Network Promotion, with its Halloween chapter having successfully concluded on the 2nd November and its Christmas stage set to run from 28th November to 31st December, once again offering its partners fresh ways of engaging their player bases.
Wazdan’s appearance at SiGMA Central Europe marks another milestone in its global event calendar, as the company continues to showcase its cutting-edge content and strengthen partnerships across key markets.
Radka Bacheva, Head of Sales at Wazdan, said: “SiGMA Central Europe was an incredible opportunity to connect with both new and existing partners.
“The positive response to our portfolio and features reaffirms our focus on creating value-driven, immersive gaming experiences. We’re delighted with the momentum we’ve built in this region and look forward to achieving even greater success together.”
The post Wazdan wraps up successful showcase at SiGMA Central Europe appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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The ELA Games Fiesta: Piñatas Festival Outperforms Studio Benchmarks With Instant Success
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Vibrant visuals and engaging mechanics are key growth drivers for the studio’s new release
Piñatas Festival, a recent ELA Games release, has outperformed studio averages across all key performance metrics. The game’s strong results reinforce ELA Games’ sustainable growth trajectory and its ability to produce titles that captivate players and drive record performance for operators.
Inside Piñatas Festival Breakout Success
In the first month following its release, Piñatas Festival recorded the following results:
- Actives: +13%
- Turnover: +280%
- GGR Total: +465%
- Round Count: +276%
These results highlight the game’s instant mass appeal, player retention, and strong value for partners. The game’s visually rich design sets the player in a vibrant world of music, colour, and energy, combined with its engaging mechanics, such as Hold & Win, Collector Symbol, and generous bonuses, which keep players returning and operators growing.
Consistent Growth Through Creativity
Piñatas Festival builds on ELA Games’ signature development approach of data-backed creativity and visually rich design. The game’s success mirrors the studio’s track record of building positive momentum on each release. Buffalo Force, another recent title, also experienced significant results, including +62% GGR total growth, and much more. Both games have been strong additions to the studio’s portfolio, with Piñatas Festival’s continuation of its predecessor’s success delivering increased value to operators.
Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented, “Piñatas Festival is another strong addition to our portfolio, with its success proving that our titles can deliver consistent business value. The game’s strong GGR growth is a direct result of how our signature visually rich design, engaging mechanics, and creative approach support our partners’ growth. Maintaining this high-quality output will ensure our trajectory positions ELA Games as a top content developer with a diverse portfolio for all types of players to enjoy.”
ELA Games remains committed to a steady content release schedule, consisting of diverse titles that blend innovation and engaging mechanics that keep players engaged. Piñatas Festival is a key milestone for the studio’s portfolio as it aims to achieve its goals.
The post The ELA Games Fiesta: Piñatas Festival Outperforms Studio Benchmarks With Instant Success appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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