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SlotsHawk Editor Jean Prince on SIGMA and the UK Online Slots Scene

Published

3 years ago

November 15, 2021

Reading Time: 3 minutes

European Gaming are delighted to have with us today, Jean Prince, the UK editor of affiliate website SlotsHawk.com. In this interview, Jean will give us his thoughts on the upcoming SIGMA event in Malta as well as the current state of the gambling industry within the United Kingdom.

Thanks for joining us, Jean. First of all, could you tell our readers a little bit more about the SIGMA event, please?

SIGMA is probably the main meet up event on the calendar for all of the businesses and workers within the international iGaming industry. It is at SIGMA where affiliates, operators, CEOs and freelancers can come together to discuss ideas and come up with business plans for the future. The event also features numerous workshops from speakers within the industry (although this is rather hit and miss). It’s a great event though providing you don’t drink too much, and you attend to advance your own business or the business you work for.

We are particularly interested in the UK gambling scene, is it true that the laws are changing?

The UK government announced at the end of 2020 that they planned to update the 2005 Gambling Act so that it would be ‘’fit for the digital age’. So far, however, changes have been minimal. Although gambling operators with a foot hold in the UK are certainly lobbying MPs. Operators have already been told that autoplay on online slot machines will be banned. In 2019, credit card gambling was banned too. There is a chance that an update to the Gambling Act will chase the last of the operators away from the UK market, but the Conservative government has indicated that they will not be too draconian with the laws surrounding online gambling in the UK. The danger of too many restrictions is that players will likely end up playing at unregulated sites who do not abide by the rules enforced by the UKGC. A delicate balance needs to be ensured.

So, yes, the laws will be changing soon enough but we are unsure exactly how they will change.

We know that competition in the UK market is rife, how has the journey for SlotsHawk been?

We are a solely UK focused affiliate site, so the UK market is our top priority. We launched the site in November 2020, so we have been in the market for around a year now. Progress has been steady and without wishing to jynx things, we continue to grow month by month. You are correct in saying that competition within the UK online gambling scene is high, but there will always be room for websites which can offer punters high quality and helpful information on gambling, in our case, on online slots games. We have guides which showcase the best payout slot games as well as the slots with the highest RTP. These guides offer gamblers genuine advice on the best sorts of casino games to play. Our visitors can also read our guide to the top trustworthy slots websites which prioritise the UK online casinos which are regulated by the UKGC and offer 100% fair gameplay.

Although the competition is high, there is still room for both operators and affiliates which can offer unique and accurate information surrounding the UK gambling scene.

We have witnessed many operators leave the UK market with the reason that the UK market is no longer profitable for them. Do you think this is the beginning of the end for the UK market?

Not at all. Although the market is more restricted in comparison with other countries, the UK is still one of the biggest markets. In addition, it is also probably the safest market in the world for online gamblers. In my opinion, other countries would do well to follow the UKs example when it comes to their gambling laws. For example, the USA is the newest craze in the online gambling world, and it has the potential to be far and way the biggest gambling market ever. But these are still very early days and lawmakers have a lot of work to do. IN the UK the laws are already there, the government just need to ensure that they don’t go over the top on restrictions.

Finally, does SlotsHawk have any plans to expand into other markets?

When the time is right, we will look to expand into other markets, but for now our aim is solely focused on the UK.

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Springbok Casino’s Wild November Feature ‘Backyard Gangsters’ Offers 25 Free Spins on new Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion slot

Published

5 hours ago

November 2, 2024

Peter Tolan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Unravel the murder mystery and get 25 Free Spins on Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion, a feature-packed slot!

Springbok Casino’s November feature article introduces the “Backyard Gangsters” a playful look at the diverse animals that inhabit our gardens, highlighting their unique roles in maintaining ecological balance.

“Our backyards are teeming with life, and it’s fascinating to see how these cheeky animals each play a vital role in the ecosystem. From flashy sunbirds to silent assassin geckos, these creatures are portrayed as the true rulers of our garden turf, each contributing to the garden’s dynamic.” — Daniel Van Wyke, Springbok Casino Manager.

To celebrate these gang of wild characters, the leading South African online casino is offering all depositing players 25 free spins on the new RTG slot, Clue Chronicles: Mirror Mansion, until November 30th.

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Springbok Casino provides customer service in English and Afrikaans, offering hundreds of slots and table games from Spin Logic, all played in rands. Games are playable on mobile devices or on your desktop as download, instant.

Latest News

Play’n GO celebrates multiple win at 5 Star Media Awards

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Play’n GO, the world’s leading casino entertainment provider, is today celebrating a five-award sweep in the coveted 5 Star Media Awards of 2024.

The legendary games studio nabbed a second consecutive Slot Supplier of the Year award, as well as being named the RNG Casino Supplier of the Year. The company also secured three of 5 Star Media’s “Top 20” Awards for co-founder and CMO Ebba Arnred, Director of Business Development Stuart Trigwell, and Head of Brand and Communication, Andrew Pink.

Play’n GO has enjoyed a landmark 2024, breaking new ground by entering the South African market, as well as expanding its US presence into what is now five states.

Ebba Arnred, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Play’n GO, commented “We’re always very pleased to have our work recognised at the various awards throughout the year, but to win five in one fell swoop is almost unprecedented. It’s very special to be awarded Slot Supplier of the Year for a second year in a row, and RNG Casino Supplier of the Year is another well-received feather in our cap. We would like to thank 5 Star Media and the entire judging panel, as well as our entire team here at Play’n GO, without whom these award wins simply wouldn’t happen. On a personal level, I’d also like to express gratitude for the individual recognition of a 5 Star “Top 20” Award.”

Stuart Trigwell, Director of Business Development at Play’n GO, added “I’d like to express a sincere thank you to 5 Star Media for being recognised in their “Top 20” Awards. We do our work not for individual accolades but for the success of the entire business, so it’s great to see Play’n GO so well represented across the board.”

Andrew Pink, Head of Brand and Communication at Play’n GO, said “Play’n GO’s driving ambition is to be the best entertainment supplier there is. Aside from producing some of the most played games and best loved characters in the world, that ambition is often realised by things largely unseen by those outside the company. It’s extremely gratifying for everyone at Play’n GO to be recognised as Slot Supplier of the Year. Next year may just be our biggest and best yet.”

eSports

Procedure to be followed by school clubs affiliating for the 2025 season

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA), founded in 1984, is the national federation for Board games, Card games, Esports, and Wargames.

MSSA promotes all the different disciplines equally, although each school may pick-and-choose which discipline it wishes to promote at its school. Some schools will promote the whole gambit, while others will concentrate on only one discipline, and/or even just concentrate on one specific title.

The choice is ultimately up to the school.

The various games offer unique opportunities to many South African learners. Many learners have been able to earn Regional, Provincial, and National Colours which have allowed them to earn bursaries and obtain first-class educations.

MSSA has sent teams with full Protea Colours to international events since 1991 for wargames, 1996 for Morabaraba, 1997 for Checkers, and 2005 for Esports. Many members of the national teams have been scholars, and all have benefited from their involvement in the national Protea Team.

With the above in mind the MSSA has streamlined the process for schools to affiliate to the MSSA.

There is still the option open for a school to start a full-blown sub-club on its premises, but bearing in mind the tight regulatory conditions under which accredited schools have to operate in the Republic, the MSSA no longer deems it necessary for a school to start a sub-club.

As long as the school club has the approval of the school, and has an Educator-in-Charge, a school may affiliate by merely completing the Application for Affiliation Form and submitting such to MSSA.

In order to affiliate, the completed Application for affiliation Form must be submitted to the MSSA.

Once the Board has approved a school’s affiliation, the school then needs to complete the Google Registration Page allocated to the school for the players and make payment.

All school members may participate in all events for which it qualifies. Such events include meetings, championships, courses, and so forth.

Advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club: There are many advantages of having a MSSA affiliated club, such as:

Being part of a community where your club has a real say in how things are done
Being able to apply for National Lottery Funding – MSSA member clubs can apply for up to R800,000.00 in funding
Being able to get assistance from your local government
Experience increased media exposure of your events and your gamers
Become part of the international community through the MSSA Registered players are able to become internationally recognised umpires, etc.
Enable your gamers to take part in MSSA events, which may qualify them for Regional, Provincial, and National colours, overseas trips, and even sports bursaries at university.

MSSA’s Constitution

The Constitution forms the foundation of the MSSA. It guarantees members rights and governs the way that the MSSA operates. It can only be amended by a two-thirds majority at a Council Meeting. Please remember that Associations only have two (2) votes each, whereas member clubs have a representational vote, being:

Private clubs: one vote per every five registered players, and
School clubs: one vote per every ten registered players.

MSSA’s General Regulations
The General Regulations comprises of decisions made by both Council and Executive Committee Meetings. The General Regulations deals with how sub-committees operate as well as to how teams are selected and development funding is distributed. Please refer to Schedule 10.12 in regard to the rights of clubs in hosting events.

MSSA’s Discipline Specific Regulations
The Discipline Specific Regulations deal with rules concerning the different disciplines. The Disciplines that the MSSA caters for are; Board Gaming, Card gaming, Esports, and Figure Gaming.

Application for Affiliation form
When a club applies for membership, the applicant club must complete such form and return the same to the MSSA.Fee note for 2025
The fee note details the Affiliation Fees and Registration fees that are payable.

Player Registration Form
The Player Registration Form needs to be completed by every player that is a member of a club and intends to participate in MSSA affairs.

MSSA’s Letter of Undertaking
The Letter of Undertaking is for all registered players who sit on any MSSA committee.