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Solo mum’s $2000 a night gambling addiction part of a $32.8m take in Northland

Published

7 years ago

March 29, 2018

Solo mum's $2000 a night gambling addiction part of a $32.8m take in Northland

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Solo mum Aysha McDonald would spend up to $2000 a night gambling online and it wasn’t until her bills started falling behind that she got help to quit the habit.

She is among Northlanders who spent a staggering $32.8 million on all forms of gambling last year, including pokie machines and Lotto tickets.

That figure was an increase of $1.1m from the previous year, according to figures released by the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).

The figures come as Whangarei-based Nga Manga Puriri, which helps gambling addicts, accepted 15 new referrals in two days in February— the highest number of problem gamblers referred to the service ever.

Nga Manga Puriri manager and problem gambling practitioner Marino Murphy said gambling support service was at “crisis” point, saying poverty drove people to pokie machines in the hope of winning big.

Northlanders spent $7.8m on gambling in the first quarter of last year, $8.2m in the second quarter, $8.2m between July and September, and $8.4m in the past three months of that year.

McDonald said $32.8m was a “lot of money” for Northlanders to spend on gambling in just one year.

“Gambling is like drugs because it destroys everyone around you. There’s heaps of support and all people have to do is look up online.“

She was introduced to online pokies by a friend about 15 years ago and said the amount of money she spent gambling increased over the years.

“It started with $20 or $40, then a couple of hundred dollars and sometimes $2000 overnight. The last couple of years, the addiction got so bad I started falling behind in my bills,” said the part-time spray painter from Ruakaka.

McDonald said she looked online for gambling support services and contacted Nga Manga Puriri.

She hasn’t gambled since last December and said in four months she was on top of her finances and was not missing pokie machines.

“The amount of money I’ve wasted on gambling over the years, I could have done so much more for my kids. People just get sucked into it and it’s very hard to quit.“

DIA records show there were 305 gaming machines in the Far North, 283 in Whangarei and 60 in Kaipara at the end of last year.

Murphy said while those who sought help made good progress, there were a lot of gambling addicts who were embarrassed to come forward.

“Over a couple of days in February, we received 15 referrals which was very high and it shows the problem has become worse over the years. Normally we receive between three to five people a month.

“Gambling is something that you can’t see, you can’t smell and it goes undetected until you hit rock bottom,” she said.

Murphy supported calls for pokie machines to be banned.

At the International Gambling Conference in Auckland early this year, Kaitaia-based GP Dr Lance O’Sullivan called for a ban on pokie machines because of their negative impact on families.

Gambling harm is reflected in poverty statistics, housing inequalities and mental health, with Māori being disproportionately affected, he said.

But Whangarei-based Oxford Sports Trust member Don Armitage said statistics showed between 0.3 per cent and 1.8 per cent of adult New Zealanders were deemed to be problem gamblers.

The trust operates 191 electronic gaming machines in Northland.

Armitage said its venue operators identified problem gamblers and excluded them from the venues by a number of ways.

“We guide them to go to service providers. Some agree to be self excluded from gaming venues and those that don’t, we issue them with a venue-initiated exclusion order even if it’s against their wishes,” he said.

Armitage said the trust distributed grants from gambling proceeds to education and health sectors, community groups, arts and culture and amateur sports organisations.

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Expanse Studios (GMGI) Secures ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Certification

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: < 1 minute

Expanse Studios, the iGaming division of Golden Matrix Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: GMGI), proudly announces its recent certification to the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard, which demonstrates globally leading data security standards.

This globally recognized certification reinforces the Group’s dedication to safeguarding confidential information, client trust, and strengthening its competitive position in the iGaming industry.

The ISO/IEC 27001:2022 standard establishes a rigorous framework for managing and protecting information security across all operations. By attaining this certification, Expanse Studios has implemented a comprehensive Information Security Management System (ISMS) that ensures the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data. This certification goes beyond compliance and assures our clients and partners of our stringent security protocols, protecting against cyber threats and unauthorized access.

“Achieving the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification marks a significant milestone in Expanse Studios’ journey. This certification not only reinforces our security framework but also highlights our commitment to upholding the highest standards of trust and integrity for our clients and players worldwide.”, said Damjan Stamenkovic, CEO of Expanse Studios.

In an industry where information security is paramount, ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification demonstrates Expanse Studios’ proactive stance on cyber risk management and adherence to international best practices. The certification process included comprehensive evaluations, audits, and stringent checks, all contributing to a secure environment that benefits our clients, players, and business partners.

ISO certification assures the clients that Expanse Studios operates with top-tier security mechanisms, solidifying the role of the GMGI entity as one of the most trusted and compliant partners in the iGaming sector.

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Almedia Hires 17 New Staff Fuelling Exponential Growth

Published

11 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

– Powering the next generation of rewarded user acquisition –

Almedia, the data-driven platform engineering the future of mobile gaming user acquisition – today proudly announces a major hiring wave which includes over 17 people from leading global tech and gaming brands. The new hires are essential to Almedia’s ambitious strategy for achieving exponential growth across Europe and Northern America over the next 12 months.

The new team members will join an already established team, based in Berlin, with a current headcount of 80, supporting a global client base of mobile game developers and publishers. The expanded team joins established departments including product development, marketing, account management, fraud, and talent acquisition. The 17 new hires will drive Almedia’s core mission: elevating user acquisition to new heights and engineering the future of intelligent engagement.

Moritz Holländer, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at Almedia, commented: “Since 2020, we’ve been at the forefront of rewarded user acquisition, and our services and results are being embraced by the global mobile gaming industry, by companies such as Playtika, SuperPlay, Plarium, and Monopoly Go. Team Almedia is witnessing real-time exponential demand for its rewarded UA services, hence we have a robust scaleup roadmap in place to help us manage demand.”

He added: “What we’ve proudly achieved in four years is quite remarkable. With zero funding, a highly profitable organisation, we are humbled to be assembling a true dream team for the global mobile gaming industry. We are thrilled to welcome the latest waves of new hires to the team, which will help us to further establish our brand as the most credible, data-driven rewarded user acquisition company in the world.”

The new hires include

Andrey Shilin, Lead Product Manager
Holly Pickerell, Workplace and Culture Manager
Sabina Halilovic, Fraud Analyst
Alexander Rasch, Senior Finance Manager
Alisson Paschoal Hausmann, Senior Mobile Developer
Anthony Clement, SEO Manager
April Chen, Senior Customer Success Manager;
Benedikt Roth, Lead User Acquisition Google Ads Manager
Caroline Sobkow, Talent Acquisition Partner
Federica Stiscia, Senior Gaming Partnership Manager
Marc Hammes, SEO Manager
Mapa Vega, Senior Talent Acquisition Partner
Pablo Herranz, Senior Talent Acquisition Partne
Ravisankar Chinnam, Senior Frontend Developer
Kutay Akalin, Data Scientist
Aleksei Smagin, Junior Affiliate Specialist UA
Neil Laverty, Senior Customer Success Manager

Almedia currently has a range of positions open across operations, talent, product, marketing and more. To learn more about careers at Almedia, visit the jobs section on the website.

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Huge Jackpot at King Billy Casino: C$3,658,306!

Published

14 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Zoltan Tundik

This amazing six-digit number was the result of a player going on a safari in her (and millions of other players) beloved Mega Moolah progressive slot from Games Global

Reading Time: 2 minutes

King Billy Casino, launched in 2017, has had some impressive players wins during the “reign of King Billy”. A few of them include Live Game winnings of €135,223, daily winnings from 2 or more slots of $164,000, and €250,000 won on a single spin. However, the latest win by a King Billy Casino player dwarfs every big win that has come before this. Actually, it’s bigger than all previous big wins combined for the operator!

Because, we are talking about C$3,658,306.

This amazing six-digit number was the result of a player going on a safari in her (and millions of other players) beloved Mega Moolah progressive slot from Games Global. In an autumn, the player stepped into eternal summer by wagering a small C$6,25 bet and winning 562.816 times her bet! This is the power of Mega Moolah, as evidenced at King Billy.

King Billy people had only warm words for the occasion. A representative of the casino has stated: “We are elated, for this huge big win. We can never forget that our first big win, many years back, was more than 200,000 Canadian dollars, so we have special ties with the region. And it’s now amazing to see our VIP-player making such a cashback and echoing that big win! Congratulations to our player”.

A few words about Mega Moolah. It was an Internet sensation when it was launched with its beautiful graphics and sounds, and immersive gameplay and it is a sensation today, still going strong after almost 20 years. The slot, which has spawned more than 20 variations, and has given millions in cash to players all over the world (including 5 millionaires in 2024 alone) features 4 types of jackpots that make it stand out from the competition.

About Games Global

Games Global is a supplier of the online gaming industry delivering force and direction to gaming with more than 1,300 top class games. The company has made a commitment to deliver the industry’s more disruptive ideas and compelling data-driven gaming experiences. Games Global features a total of 40+ partnered and in-house studios, services 600+ branded websites and boasts record-breaking jackpots with its worldwide network.

About King Billy Casino

Established on St Patrick’s Day in 2017, King Billy is a renowned new generation casino with more than 26 awards and accolades. The casino is available in English, German, French and Finnish, and created a unique user experience, building on the theme of King Billy and his Kingdom. King Billy ensures that all its players, “Citizens” in the casino language, receive the care and attention they deserve.