GamProtect, the initiative that is the combined brainchild of the BGC, ICO, GC and gambling operators, has now moved from the ‘sandbox’ stage to the implementation stage, and has caused a great deal of interest in the sector.

While creating a ‘single-customer view’ shared amongst operators will help to protect the most vulnerable customers, there have also been concerns that it may be viewed by customers as an invasion of privacy or used by operators for commercial purposes.

That’s where the ICO’s buy-in is important: GDPR concerns have been taken into account when crafting the initiative and deciding which information to share, when and with whom.

Some of the largest operators in the sector have been participating in GamProtect since April 2023, including Flutter, Entain, bet365 and William Hill – with the programme officially opened to all operators last week.

One interesting point to note is the suggestion that introducing the single-customer view, with operators taking the lead, will have the tangential benefit to the industry of helping reduce the need for further mandated player protection legislation.

Whether this is true remains to be seen.

How does GamProtect work?

Under the scheme, participating operators will identify a player as being at risk if the customer themself states they meet one of five triggers:

• that they have a gambling addiction,

• they are seeking support or treatment for addiction,

• they might harm themselves and/or others,

• they should not be gambling due to a health condition or

• they want to stop gambling due to gambling addiction.

Following an interaction with the customer, an operator will share the customer’s name, date of birth, postcode, email address, telephone number and the reason for the flag with GamProtect, allowing other operators to check if the same customer has an account with them and to close it if necessary.

According to the Gambling Commission, GamProtect has already identified 5,527 consumers to date, with the goal of helping to protect them from risk and serious harm. Of these consumers, 88 per cent were matched by at least one operator, and 66 per cent by at least two.

Now the initiative is open to more operators, it will be interesting to see its efficacy and what public perception of it is. 

Popular iGaming content provider BGaming has transformed the classic Hold and Win Bonus game with its engaging TRUEWAYS mechanic in the latest title, Fortuna TRUEWAYS. On top of this, the magical release includes the Wheel of Fortune, Fortuna SpinUp™, and Fortuna Favors the Brave features, as well as Wilds, Mystery symbols, a Coin Respin round and an accessible Prize.

Players must reach the summit of Mount Olympus to witness the all-powerful goddess Fortuna spin her Wheel of Fortune, with a maximum win of €250,000 up for grabs. As the embodiment of luck, Fortuna can divide one symbol into 1/8 via the Wheel of Fortune feature, enhancing winning combination payouts in both the main and Bonus games.

A flexible dynamic Prize increases anticipation and delivers ample rewards to players who fill all the cells on the Bonus reels with Coins. The Prize adapts to the number of cells in the Bonus round, starting at x30 of the stake for 12 cells and ending at x5,000 for 48. Players can refer to the rules for the complete Prize table.

The Fortuna Favors the Brave feature can be triggered if there is a winning combination. An animated Expanded Wild featuring the goddess Fortuna may appear on reels 3 and 4 and break up into 1/8 Wilds. The smaller Wilds then assume the role of multipliers when Fortuna SpinUp™ is active.

The all-new Fortuna SpinUp™ can be purchased for x4 of the bet amount. This button sees the player receiving more Mystery, Coin and Wild symbols, with each Wild offering a multiplier between x2 and x8, and The Wheel of Fortune appearing more frequently. The Mystery symbol has the power to randomly transform into one of Fortuna TRUEWAYS’ paytable icons.

Adding further excitement to the classic Hold and Win Coin Respin round, Collect assumes all the values of the Coins present on the screen, while Boost adds its own value to the figures on screen, except for other Boosts. At the end of this round, all Coin values are summarised and the total amount is paid to the player.

Yulia Aliakseyeva, Co-CPO at BGaming, said: “We are delighted to inject Fortuna TRUEWAYS with so many engaging additions, such as our progressive Prize mechanic and our lucky character’s themed features. Our TRUEWAYS series continues to be a hit and switches up the traditional slot game format, offering more unexpected surprises for players on an ever-shifting field.”

Kevin Furlong has been appointed EveryMatrix Group Chief Product Officer (CPO) with responsibility for product strategy across all the tier one supplier’s multiple business units. 

Furlong will lead all the Group’s product design, delivery and output, co-ordinating with EveryMatrix business unit CPOs to ensure the best possible results for its 300+ global customers and partners. 

With 20 years’ industry experience including senior roles at Entain, GVC, Bwin and Paddy Power, Furlong will work across all EveryMatrix’s modular casino, sports, platform, affiliate and payments products including CasinoEngine, OddsMatrix, GamMatrix, PartnerMatrix and MoneyMatrix. 

He will report to Group CEO and co-founder Ebbe Groes and brings with him a proven record of success in product development, online business management and large-scale technology mergers. 

Ebbe Groes, Group CEO and Co-Founder, EveryMatrix, said: “EveryMatrix aims to service the largest and most discerning operators on the planet. More than two-thirds of our revenue is generated from tier 1 operators today. To do this successfully we must constantly improve the talent inside the company. 

“Kevin has outstanding industry experience working with some of the largest operators so we’re naturally delighted to have someone of his calibre join us as we continue to accelerate our growth. 

“Kevin will be instrumental in developing an even better experience for all our customers.” 

Kevin Furlong, Group CPO, EveryMatrix, said: “I’m delighted to join the EveryMatrix management team and focus my attention on some of the best products in the industry today. The business is on a rapid growth curve and we have some ambitious but achievable plans to come which I’m excited to be part of. 

“My role is to bring all our products together to give our customers and their players the best possible experience. We already do this in so many ways, but we know we can do so much more with the proprietary technology, knowledge and expertise we have at our disposal within the Group.”