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NHS to Open Seven New Gambling Addiction Clinics

Published

1 year ago

July 6, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Seven new gambling addiction clinics will open this summer as NHS services face record demand, chief executive Amanda Pritchard announced.

The NHS said it was “adapting to new healthcare needs” and rapidly expanding the support services for thousands of people experiencing gambling-related harms.

New figures published reveal that around 1400 patients were referred for help last year, an increase of more than a third on the previous 12 months and up by almost four fifths compared to two years ago.

The seven new clinics are in Milton Keynes, Thurrock, Bristol, Derby, Liverpool, Blackpool and Sheffield.

There are already eight gambling harms clinics open in London, Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent and Telford, as well as an additional national clinic, which treats both gambling and gaming addiction in children and young people, in London.

The NHS plans to treat up to 3000 patients a year across the 15 clinics, fulfilling the NHS Long Term Plan commitment six months ahead of schedule.

NHS chief executive, Amanda Pritchard, said: “This expansion shows the NHS once again adapting to the new healthcare needs that have emerged over the last 75 years.

“In 1948 when the NHS was founded, you had to go to a bookies to place a bet, but now people can gamble on their phone at the touch of a button and everyone, young and old, is bombarded with adverts encouraging them to take part.

“Record numbers of people are coming to the NHS for help to treat their gambling addiction, a cruel disease which has the power to destroy people’s lives, with referrals up by more than a third compared to last year.

“As it has done since 1948, the NHS is responding at speed and rolling out seven new gambling harms clinics across England, so that even more people can be supported by the NHS in their time of need.”

Around 138,000 people could be problem gambling according to Gambling Commission figures, with around a further 1.3 million people engaging in either moderate or low-risk gambling – although other research estimates that this figure could be higher.

One patient who received help from the Northern Gambling Harms Service, said: “Gambling addiction took over my life to the extent I was suicidal and relationships with my family and friends had broken down. Engaging with NHS services has helped me get control of my life back and I’m rebuilding trust with my family and friends, once again having happy and healthy relationships with people close to me.”

The latest clinics will treat people with serious addiction issues through cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy, support groups and aftercare.

NHS teams including psychologists, therapists, psychiatrists, mental health nurses and peer support workers also offer support to patients’ family members, partners and carers.

NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch said: “Addiction is a cruel disease that can take over and ruin lives, whether it be destroying finances or ruining relationships, but the NHS is here to help, so if you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction please come forward.

“Although progress has been made on clamping down on this billion-pound industry with the Government’s White Paper, I hope further action can be taken to protect our young people and future generations from being bombarded by gambling advertisement while watching sport.”

Public Health Minister Neil O’ Brien said: “The stark rise in the number of people seeking NHS treatment for gambling-related harms shows the devastating impact it can have on people’s lives and health.

“These new clinics will bring vital support to more parts of the country, so thousands more people can get the help they need. We have taken firm action to tackle gambling-related harms through our White Paper, which includes our commitment to introduce a statutory levy so gambling companies pay their fair share towards the costs of treatment services.”

Related Topics:Amanda Pritchard Claire Murdoch Neil O’ Brien NHS services

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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.

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hinterzimmer.io Partners with Tangelo Games to Deliver Engaging Social Slots Content to Sweepstakes and RMG Casinos

Published

1 day ago

November 1, 2024

Adrienn Sarkany

Reading Time: < 1 minute

hinterzimmer.io, a cutting-edge Remote Gaming Server (RGS) platform provider designed and created by industry veterans, is excited to announce a new partnership with Tangelo Games, an award-winning leader in social casino gaming. This collaboration will enable online casino operators and publishers to bring best-in-class social slots content to sweepstakes and real-money gaming (RMG) casinos. Tangelo Games’ extensive library of popular, proprietary social slot titles has captivated players in the U.S. and Europe for over a decade. With studios in Barcelona and Tel Aviv, Tangelo is widely recognized for its engaging, high-quality social casino experiences.

The partnership allows Tangelo Games’ content to be ported, hosted, and distributed through hinterzimmer.io for both RMG and social casino operators and publishers, simplifying the integration and delivery processes.

By leveraging their combined expertise, hinterzimmer.io and Tangelo Games have curated an exclusive selection of premium game titles—such as Goddess of Love, Get Rich, and Golden Unicorn—for an expanded global audience. Each of these games has achieved widespread success within the social casino sphere, and now hinterzimmer.io’s integration partners can offer this unique content to their player base, leveraging their access to exclusive content to differentiate their offering to players.

Robert Lenzhofer, CEO of hinterzimmer.io, said “This partnership is especially meaningful, as it allows us at hinterzimmer.io to distribute slot games that have been enjoyed by millions of social casino players worldwide. These titles are bound to be a hit across all gaming platforms. We’re thrilled to help Tangelo Games reach a broader audience, leveraging our distribution network to introduce their beautifully crafted games to even more players and to provide our partners with unique, exclusive content.”