Industry News
IWG Signs eInstant Contract With LEIA
Company to supply its InstantGames™ to five lotteries; Danske Lotteri Spil, Française des Jeux, Norsk Tipping, Svenska Spel and Veikkaus
Instant Win Gaming (IWG), the leading supplier of digital eInstant games to WLA/NASPL-member lotteries, has been selected by the Lotteries Entertainment Innovation Alliance (LEIA) to supply eInstants, also known as instant win games, to the joint venture’s five members; Danske Lotteri Spil, Française des Jeux (FDJ), Norsk Tipping, Svenska Spel and Veikkaus.
Following a competitive tender process, the Company has signed a two-year contract to innovate games for LEIA’s members. This new partnership will provide each of the five LEIA lotteries with access to IWG’s InstantGames™ which includes both in-house developed studio games, as well as bespoke content featuring themes and mechanics tailored to each lottery’s local brand.
IWG’s track-record of producing games that successfully capture a lottery’s individual brand character, and having showcased the effectiveness of such games across its many lottery markets, was a significant factor behind the LEIA’s decision to select the digital eInstant games supplier.
As a result of this latest contract win, IWG now delivers its content to 25 WLA/NASPL-member lotteries across the globe, reaffirming its status as the leading supplier of digital games to the iLottery market.
Rhydian Fisher, IWG CEO, said: “It’s not every day you have the opportunity to partner with five of the best lotteries in the world in one fell swoop, and we cannot be more excited to begin our partnership with the LEIA. Our proven track record of developing localized and bespoke games for lotteries means we are best placed to meet the expectations of each LEIA member. We know through first-hand experience that these types of games are very powerful and are among the top performing titles in the world.”
Industry News
Dutch Mental Health Care Calls for Total Ban on Online Gambling Advertising
The Dutch mental health service is calling for a total ban on online gambling advertisements in the Netherlands.
Although a ban on untargeted gambling advertisements and a ban on the use of role models has been in effect since 2023, a recent research by KRO-NCRV’s Pointer shows that (illegal) gambling companies and sports tipster platforms are still enticing young people via social media such as TikTok and Snapchat.
By using influencers and terms like “free money”, they try to attract a young audience and thus lower the threshold to start gambling. This concerns both legal online casinos and online casinos that do not have a license in the Netherlands. The Gaming Authority has started an investigation based on Pointer’s findings.
Pointer’s research shows that part of the gambling industry deliberately targets young people who are often susceptible to promises such as “fast money” and the influence of role models. Ruth Peetoom, chair of the Dutch mental health service, compares this approach to that of the tobacco industry, where similar marketing strategies were used to get young people to smoke.
Despite the existing advertising ban, gambling companies continue to explore the boundaries of the law, according to Peetoom. The Dutch mental health and addiction care associations in the Netherlands therefore push for a total ban on online gambling advertising and stricter rules for the duty of care of gambling providers.
With the call for a total ban, the Dutch mental health care sector hopes to prevent further normalisation of gambling behaviour among young people and to protect them from the temptation and consequences of online gambling.
Compliance Updates
UKGC: Market impact data on gambling behaviour – operator data to Oct 2024
The Gambling Commission has published further data on the gambling industry in Great Britain.
This data, sourced from operators, reflects the period between March 2020 and September 2024, inclusive, and covers online and in-person gambling covering Licensed Betting Operators (LBOs) found on Britain’s high streets.
Comparison should not be made with the industry statistics dataset, as this dataset may include free bets and bonuses and does not include data from all operators.
This release compares Quarter 2 (Q2) of financial year 2024 to 2025, with Q2 of 2023 to 2024, looking at how the market has changed in comparative periods over a year.
The latest operator data shows:
- online total Gross Gambling Yield (GGY) in Q2 (July to September) was £1.32 billion, an increase of 11 percent from Q2 the previous year. The overall number of total bets and/or spins increased 12 percent Year-on-Year (YoY), reaching a new peak for the third consecutive quarter of 25.2 billion, whilst the average monthly active accounts2 in the quarter increased 8 percent
- real event betting GGY increased by 6 percent YoY to £453 million. The number of bets decreased 10 percent, while the average monthly active accounts in Q2 increased 9 percent
- slots GGY increased 16 percent to £680 million YoY. The number of spins increased 13 percent to 23.3 billion while the average monthly active accounts in Q2 increased 16 percent to 4.4 million per month. Although this is a new peak for GGY in this dataset for the slots vertical, it should be noted that one operator has re-classified some of its products into the slot vertical this quarter, which has had an impact on the vertical data
- the number of online slots sessions lasting longer than an hour increased by 9 percent YoY to 10 million. The average session length remained at 17 minutes. Approximately 6.1 percent of all sessions lasted more than one hour compared to 6.6 percent in Q2 the previous year. The number of spins per session has fallen from 147 to 142 YOY, whilst the GGY per session has fallen from £4.20 to £4.13 in the equivalent timeframe
- LBO GGY decreased by 1 percent to £533 million in Q2 2024 to 2025, compared to the same quarter last year, while the number of total bets and spins decreased by 0.1 percent to 3.1 billion.
Industry News
Petra Maria Poola Joins Xace as Group Commercial Director
Xace has announced that Petra Maria Poola has joined the company as Group Commercial Director.
Petra brings a wealth of experience from the iGaming industry having formerly held roles at several iGaming companies such as Yolo, Relax Gaming and SiGMA. She will lead the commercial growth of Xace and its group companies, including crypto and iGaming focused xda.io, helping to drive strategic initiatives across banking, fintech and iGaming solutions.
In her new role, she will mainly oversee the growth of the group’s sales, marketing and account management functions, ensuring a cohesive strategy that supports Xace’s ambitious expansion plans.
“I am incredibly excited to start this new chapter with Xace, and work alongside such a talented team and management. Transitioning into the fintech space, while still connected to iGaming, presents an exciting opportunity for growth and learning. I’m looking forward to applying my expertise to help Xace and its group companies achieve new heights commercially, while gaining deeper insights into the fast-evolving world of fintech,” said Petra Maria Poola.
Reuben Abel, CEO of Xace, said: “Petra’s extensive background in the iGaming sector, combined with her commercial acumen, makes her a valuable addition to the Xace team. She will play a crucial role in expanding Xace’s market presence and enhancing its suite of services tailored to the specific needs of the iGaming and fintech industries.”
-
Asia5 days ago
Skillhub Online Games Federation forges strategic partnership with IESF to bring International Esports Championships to India
-
Asia4 days ago
Red Bull M.E.O. returns in 2024 to India: BGMI qualifiers lead to thrilling LAN National Finals in Chennai
-
Latest News5 days ago
TRUMO LAUNCHES INSTANT OPEN BANKING PAYMENTS FOR FINNISH IGAMING REFORMS
-
Industry News5 days ago
International Accolade for Campaign from the Danish Gambling Authority
-
Asia4 days ago
GG.BET is inviting BLAST Premier: World Final attendees to the GG.BOOTH to take part in some fun activities
-
Asia5 days ago
DreamHack India 2024: A complete guide to the esports tournaments with INR 45+ lakh prize pool on the line
-
Industry News5 days ago
Betsson Group Triumphs at the EGR Operator Awards 2024, Securing Five Major Wins
-
Asia3 days ago
NODWIN Gaming partners with Japanese gaming company KONAMI for ‘eFootball Diwali Showdown’