The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling (Mass. Council) strongly urges Governor Charlie Baker and the Mass. State Legislature to include safeguards in any sports gambling legislation against the potential negative consequences that may result.

The Mass. Council’s Executive Director Marlene Warner states, “Massachusetts is known as a leader in the field of responsible gambling and problem gambling services due to the number of safeguards that were implemented when casino gambling was passed. The Mass. Council would recommend that, similar to the 2011 Expanded Gaming Bill, any proposed sports gambling legislation include items that increase protective factors for players and minimize the potential harms. Gambling is not a risk-free activity and we have a state that loves to gamble; these recommended measures would go a long way to make sure that people can keep their gambling fun and entertaining. And, for those for whom gambling is a problem, we would like to provide a solid safety net to get them back to health.”

The safeguards recommended include:

Dedicated funds to provide for responsible gambling and problem gambling programs across the Commonwealth
Designated regulator, such as the Mass. Gaming Commission, so that they can further implement current responsible gambling and research initiatives to encompass sports betting
Required employee training for all brick-and-mortar and online staff of both host and vendor companies
Opportunities for voluntary self-exclusion and limit setting on time, losses, money in account
Baseline research prior to sports betting going live, ongoing research on gambling behavior, required evaluation of all responsible gambling programs, and requirement that all player data be anonymized and turned over to the regulator for future research
Required signage and promotion of Helpline number and online chat and text services
In-person and online interventions for loved ones and employers to implement
Minimum age of 21 to register and play

The Council reminds people that if they, or someone they know, may have a gambling addiction, they can call our 24-hour helpline at 800-426-1234 or chat with us on our website www.masscompulsivegambling.org. We understand the problem and we can help.

About the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling:

The Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling offers programs to prevent problem gambling, connect the public with treatment and intervention services and support those in recovery. Among the services it provides is a 24-hour problem gambling support helpline, programs in schools, recovery services, and numerous other programs across the Commonwealth. The Mass. Council does not take a position in favor or against legalized gambling. Call 800-426-1234 with questions or concerns about your gambling.

Innovative studio adds scratch card portfolio via Relax Gaming’s Powered By program

Relax Gaming, the new-breed games and platform supplier, has agreed yet another new Powered By plat-2-plat partner, Hacksaw Gaming.

Under the terms of the agreement, Hacksaw Gaming’s range of 26 scratch card games will go live on Relax Gaming’s platform, adding to an offering that now comprises more than 280 games.

The deal sees scratch card products integrated into Relax’s platform for the first time.

Daniel Eskola, Relax Gaming CEO, said: “We pride ourselves on offering a powerful range of content to suit the needs of any operator and adding Hacksaw Gaming’s new take on scratch cards is an exciting new proposition.

“Its commitment to innovation stood out to us, and we are certain that our operator partners will love their games.”

Marcus Cordes, COO at Hacksaw Gaming, said: “Hacksaw Gaming was founded with a vision for revolutionising scratch cards and we are delighted this has been recognised by Relax Gaming, which has shown great enthusiasm for our products.

“Expanding the reach of our growing range of pioneering products is a key priority as we enter 2019, and we are pleased to be doing so with a platform that is gathering so much momentum.”

Relax Gaming has been set up to become a next generation supplier offering transparent fees and scalability for the hand-picked studios with which it works.

About Relax Gaming:

Relax Gaming Group was founded in 2010 with the goal of simplifying B2B content delivery for the modern iGaming landscape. With transparency and collaboration central to its ethos, its recent and rapid expansion has been conceived in order to deliver unparalleled global reach.

Via a quick one-time integration, Relax Gaming now provides access to a roster of 280+ casino games and a diverse range of proprietary products, including Poker, Bingo and its recently launched slot portfolio. The high-quality aggregated content is provided through its selected Silver Bullet (commercially represented) and Powered By (commercially independent) partners.

Regulated markets are also at the heart of its growth strategy, with licenses held in multiple jurisdictions including: the Malta Gaming Authority, Alderney Gambling Control Commission, the UK Gambling Commission and the Danish Gambling Authority.

Retention specialists to showcase its (Re)activation Cloud at stand N9-252

Enteractive will be exhibiting at ICE for the first time this year, showcasing its range of innovative player retention solutions.

Delegates heading to stand N9-252 will be able to find out more about the company’s innovative (Re)activation Cloud service, which is designed for comprehensive player reactivation.

The solution, which was first unveiled ahead of SiGMA in 2018, is the iGaming industry’s first AI-driven platform for large-scale personal player retention and win-back.

Operators connect to Enteractive’s proprietary platform for player reactivation and activation with 100% maintained real-time control, where they can re-engage with their player base through Enteractive’s one-to-one personal conversations, which results in up to 50% of players re-depositing.

In addition, (​Re)activation Cloud safeguards both operator and customer data to ensure it adheres to the most stringent of regulatory frameworks as well as responsible gaming measures.

Enteractive CEO Mikael Hansson said the company is extremely excited to be exhibiting at the industry’s largest trade event for the first time.

He said: “Following a hugely successful SiGMA at the end of last year, we’re all set to make our debut appearance and showcase our highly-effective retention products at ICE 2019.

“As new regulation kicks in that will affect the way in which operators can target their customer base, now is the perfect opportunity to consider new approaches to player engagement.

“At stand N9-252, delegates can discover how our services, including the (Re)activation Cloud, can help operators tap into an existing customer base and guide them to reactivating in a responsible manner.”

To arrange a meeting with Enteractive at ICE 2019, please contact us at info@enteractive.com.

About Enteractive:
Enteractive is a leading provider of player retention solutions for the iGaming industry. Co-founded in 2008 by CEO Mikael Hansson, the company’s Player Reactivation Services help operators return churned players back to action, while its Player Support Offering makes sure active players stay on board. Enteractive received its Responsible Gaming accreditation from the Global Gaming Guidance Group and is committed to supporting and augmenting the responsible gaming policies of its operator clients. This includes promoting the awareness of problem gambling, as well as improving prevention, intervention, and treatment. Their clients within betting and gaming include leading names such as Betsson Group and Gaming Innovation Group.