Industry News
Ireland’s Psychiatrists Urge Government to Ban Betting Ads
After releasing its Gambling Disorder Position Paper last week, the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland called problem gambling a “public health crisis” and urged the government to ban betting advertising.
The report created by the College’s Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry points to the national lockdown as a contributing factor in the growth of problem gambling. The professional body of psychiatrists indicated that loneliness times and the modern home working community pressured individuals to fill their time by turning to online betting platforms.
The paper selected five primary channels to counter the “hidden epidemic,” which include public education, new laws, advertising controls, recovery programmes and problem gambling studies.
Professor Colin O’Gara, the paper’s lead author and a specialist psychiatrist for addictions, compared problem gambling to drug addiction: “We cannot continue to ignore the links between problem gambling and the current high volume of betting ads – be that in traditional TV ads or on team jerseys and side-line banners.
“Much like tobacco, in 10 years I think we will look back on the proliferation of gambling advertising in sport and entertainment and ask ourselves how we let it get so out of control. Currently, gambling advertising in Ireland is much too common and, critically, occurs before the adult television watershed.”
President of the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland Dr William Flannery said: “Even in the absence of live sports, people are finding it difficult to avoid triggers, with increased visibility of online gambling ads and the rollout of new betting platforms.
“We need to support people with tighter controls and responsible gambling measures inbuilt in the industry.”
The paper read: “All gambling advertising-related activity should be closely monitored by an independent regulator. The independent regulator should be aware of the influence social media advertising can have on children and adolescents” and “the independent regulator should also be aware of the use of micro-transactions and loot boxes in online gaming, described as ‘virtual games of chance’.”
Industry News
Clarion Gaming and ExCeL London plan for the migration of iGB L!VE 2025 to the heart of igaming
Clarion Gaming is advancing preparations for the migration of iGB L!VE to London in July 2025 establishing a roadmap of activities in partnership with the senior team at ExCeL London which will host the leading global event.
The latest meeting between the two organisations featured:
- iGB L!VE Portfolio Director Naomi Barton,
- Clarion Gaming Managing Director Stuart Hunter,
- Head of Operations Richard Logan and
- Head of Marketing Jody Frost with the senior team from ExCeL led by the venue’s
- Chief Commercial Officer Simon Mills.
Expanding on the meeting Naomi Barton said: “This was the second senior level planning meeting that we have held with our colleagues at ExCeL London in order to move the home of the igaming community to a city which is the heart of the igaming industry in a country which is igaming’s largest market.
“The roadmap is being created in order to anticipate industry needs, address pain points and to exceed the expectations of customers. The migration of what is already a top performing Tier One igaming event is set against the backdrop of iGB L!VE’s 5-year growth plan which is focused on delivering 35,000 visitors and over 550 exhibitors and sponsors by 2029.
“Our vision is to harness the tremendous momentum created by the iGB L!VE brand and to take the event to a whole new level in a new venue, and a new exceptionally well-connected global home in the city of London.
“ExCeL London has a fantastic track record of helping events to fulfil their potential, and all of the building blocks are in place for iGB L!VE and its customers to accelerate their businesses to new heights in London.
She added: “Placing our customers at the heart of everything that we do is central plank to the iGB L!VE growth strategy, and the roadmap for 2025 is underpinned by a clear customer-focused programme that will ensure maximum cost-effectiveness as well as global growth for all of our stakeholders.
“We will be using July’s edition of iGB L!VE not only to reflect and celebrate our time in Amsterdam and say thank you to our fantastic partners for many years RAI Amsterdam, but also enable our vendors and customers to secure their presence at ExCeL London in 2025.”
Industry News
1spin4win Unveils “Treasure Hunt” Network Promotion for Online Casinos
1spin4win, a renowned provider of online casino games, announced the launch of its new network promotion, “Treasure Hunt”. Set to run from June 1 to 9, 2024, this thrilling event invites players on an enchanting adventure across 11 captivating games, with a total prize pool of €20,000 waiting to be claimed.
The nine-day “Treasure Hunt” promotion is designed to significantly enhance player interest and engagement, boost GGR and betting volume, and elevate the brand image of participating online casinos. Players will have the chance to win one of 515 randomly awarded cash prizes, adding an extra layer of excitement to their gaming experience.
Each bet placed during the promotion can result in a maximum of one prize, with no limit on the number of prizes a player can win. Notably, all prizes are deducted from the GGR prior to invoicing, ensuring a smooth and transparent process for operators.
The “Treasure Hunt” promotion features a stellar lineup of participating games, including Sun Treasure, Lucky Robbery, Cash the Gold Hold and Win, Cash the Gold, Mega Cash the Gold, Hold the Gold, Book of Corsairs, Lucky Jane & Aztec Book, Lucky Jane in Egypt, Lucky Gold Miner and Dolphin’s Wealth.
To cater to a global audience, all participating titles support 16 fiat and cryptocurrencies, including EUR, USD, BTC, ETH, LTC and USDT.
Industry News
Allwyn Appoints Ifor Evans as Group Chief Technology Officer
Allwyn announced the appointment of Ifor Evans as its new Group Chief Technology Officer. Ifor will replace Tony Khatskevich, who, after six years of dedicated and exemplary service, has decided to move from his current role as Group Chief Technology Officer and become an Advisor to the CEO and Board of Directors. In this role, Tony will focus on offering strategic counsel on innovation, technology, IT and security matters. Ifor will take up the CTO role at Allwyn on 1 June 2024.
Ifor is an accomplished CTO with over 25 years of extensive experience in software engineering, systems and data architecture, IT management and project leadership. He joins Allwyn from Gamesys PLC/Bally’s Corp, where he has been Group Chief Technology Officer since 2019 and where he developed, maintained and operated highly capable gaming platforms.
Prior to Gamesys, he held the role of Group Chief Technology Officer (Southeast Asia) for Lazada, part of the Alibaba Group, working in Singapore. He also established Lazada eLogistics (LEL) as a separate entity within the Lazada Group, and led a team of over 400 individuals to create and implement a comprehensive technology strategy.
Robert Chvátal, CEO of Allwyn Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Ifor as our new Group Chief Technology Officer to continue enhancing the innovation of the lotteries we operate. Allwyn wants to make its lotteries even more entertaining and attractive to new audiences, and in doing so have even more of a positive impact on society.
“Ifor is a dynamic business leader who has an excellent track record of delivering technology solutions across the gaming and IT sector. He has exceptional strategic capabilities, proven operational effectiveness and strong experience in our markets.
“I would also like to take the opportunity to thank Tony for his exceptional contribution and commitment to Allwyn over the past six years. He played a pivotal role in establishing a strong technology function for Allwyn, and conceived and led technology initiatives that have helped to drive innovation across the Group. In addition, Tony played a key leadership role in Allwyn’s winning bid in the UK and management of the transition. I’m very pleased that we will continue to benefit from Tony’s wisdom, knowledge, ideas and warm personality in his new role, where he will continue to help us to fulfil our business growth and ambitions.”
Ifor Evans said: “I am delighted to have been appointed as Group Chief Technology Officer of Allwyn. The company’s commitment to social impact is evident across its global footprint. I look forward to helping the team to develop even better lotteries and new game formats through the power of cutting-edge technology and future thinking.”
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