Industry News
Lottoland responds to Gambling Commission report
Online betting operator makes head start on addressing calls for stronger partnerships to protect children with launch of its P.A.R.E.N.T initiative
Lottoland has responded to a Gambling Commission report claiming stronger partnerships are needed to protect children following the launch of its own education initiative.
The online betting giant’s P.A.R.E.N.T scheme is being introduced to support parents, educators and youth representatives across the board in mitigating the risks posed to young people gaming online.
A report from the Gambling Commission published today shows that close to a million youngsters have been exposed to gambling through ‘loot boxes’ in computer games or on smartphone apps, and claims the number of problem gamblers aged 11 to 16 has reached 55,000.
Nigel Birrell, CEO at Lottoland, said: “Lottoland already felt strongly that we could and should be doing more in the countries we operate in, even before this report, and its publication coinciding with the launch of our own partnership initiative supporting all those touched by the issues involved has given us more impetus than ever to push forward with our plans.”
In its latest report, the Gambling Commission called for regulators and businesses across industries to work together, and also highlighted the important influence parents can have on children’s gambling behaviour.
Lottoland’s P.A.R.E.N.T initiative focuses on six key behaviours essential for responsible gaming, and is designed to help all those involved in youth gaming ‘stay on their game’ following initial consultation with teachers, NGOs and other stakeholders.
These six key areas are:
P – Parent
A – Awareness
R – Responsibility
E – Environment
N – Nurture
T – Trust
Research conducted by the online betting giant also shows almost half the nation’s children aged 7-16 enjoy unlimited time online each day, and 1 in 5 have access to online games without any restrictions in place at all*.
Its P.A.R.E.N.T campaign otherwise comes after Lottoland researchers also found:
- Almost half the nation’s children enjoy unlimited time online each day – and 1 in 5 have access to online games without any restrictions in place at all.
- Children’s online gaming habits cost the average UK parent £31 in charges – a third of whom are unaware of the costs due to them until it is time to pay
- Almost one in five (18%) parents with children aged 7-16 in the UK do not know you can play games with other users live over the internet.
- More than a quarter of UK parents with children aged 16 or younger admit to knowing ‘none’, ‘very few’ or only ‘some’ of their online friends.
- Half of all UK youngsters spend up to four hours a day online in the school holidays – and almost twice the amount of time on average that they do in term time.
Mr Birrell said: “This latest report from the gambling regulator, as well as our own research, goes to show that the need to equip parents, teachers and others involved in the education of young people today with the awareness they need to successfully navigate today’s online gaming environment is more pressing than ever.”
“The scheme already been well received after focus group discussions held at the University of Gibraltar with various stakeholders led to the launch of P.A.R.E.N.T in conjunction with Gibraltar’s Department for Education,” Mr Birrell added.
“As such, P.A.R.E.N.T scheme training sessions are now being planned for delivery in conjunction with primary and secondary teachers across countries covered by the European Lotto Betting Association (ELBA), of which Lottoland is a founding member.”
“The time to come together and provide young people today with the resources they need to ensure they are ‘switched on’ enough to enjoy all that online gaming has to offer with the self-awareness required to stay safe and sound at all times is here.”
* The study was conducted by OnePoll between 19th and 28th of September, 2018 and polled 2000 parents of children aged 7-16. Participants were recruited online and were paid to participate.
About Lottoland
Lottoland has grown rapidly to become a world leader in online lotto. Innovation, coupled with the freedom to offer players a unique and enhanced lottery experience, has been key to the company’s success. In June 2018, Lottoland paid out €90 million to one lucky winner in Germany – this win has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the Largest online gambling payout. This is also the biggest payout for Lottoland to date.
The Gibraltar-based business is active in 13 markets, has over 350 employees, and more than 8 million customers worldwide. Lottoland is licensed and regulated by the Government of Gibraltar, the UK Gambling Commission, the Republic of Ireland National Excise License Office, the Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli in Italy and the Northern Territory’s Racing Commission in Australia.
Industry News
SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
Industry News
Kindred’s Share of Revenue from High-risk Players Shows Slight Increase
Kindred Group plc’s (Kindred) share of revenue from high-risk players showed a slight increase to 3.2% (Q4 2023 3.1%) in the first quarter of 2024. Compared to the first quarter of 2023, the high-risk revenue share decreased marginally. The percentage of detected customers who exhibited improved behaviour after interventions came in at 87.1% (compared to 87.4% in Q4 2023 and 83.0% in Q1 2023). This sustained trajectory in the improvement effect after interventions, observed over an extended period, serves as a testament to the strong dedication and collective efforts throughout the company. It reflects Kindred’s ongoing commitment to fostering positive change within the industry.
“We continue to see our share of revenue from high-risk players fluctuate quarter to quarter, and we are working closely with all teams across the company to support customers towards a more sustainable gambling experience. However, it is encouraging to see that our Journey towards Zero data has steadily decreased since 2020. A similar trend can be seen across the healthier gambling behaviour effect after interventions. This tells us two things: our work is paying off, but we need to continue to push ourselves to propel a sustainable progression,” Alexander Westrell, Director of Communications at Kindred Group, said.
“It was very encouraging to witness the open and transparent discussions at the Sustainable Gambling Conference in London on 20 March, where those with lived experience shared their important stories. Also, it is evident that technology is moving forward, and will provide greater opportunities to detect and intervene in the future. We hope to see more regulators engage with the industry and with experts to secure a more sustainable industry for everyone,” Alexander Westrell added.
Industry News
PENN Entertainment Names Aaron LaBerge as Chief Technology Officer
PENN Entertainment announced that Aaron LaBerge has been named Chief Technology Officer (CTO) effective July 1, 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. LaBerge will report directly to PENN CEO & President Jay Snowden.
In his new role, Mr. LaBerge will be responsible for driving the technology strategy and execution for PENN, while leading the multinational team of technologists and serving as the key business leader for the company’s Interactive division.
Mr. LaBerge spent more than 20 years at The Walt Disney Company, in two stints separated by five and a half years as a technology entrepreneur. He was most recently President & Chief Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN where he was responsible for driving all technology and product development in support of The Walt Disney Company’s two media divisions. In that role, he helped set the vision and strategic leadership for how Disney uses technology to enable storytelling and innovation, drive its business, and create unparalleled consumer experiences with entertainment and sports content.
“We are thrilled to have someone of Aaron’s caliber join our PENN executive team. Having overseen a global organization of thousands of engineers, product developers, designers, technologists, and data scientists that created some of the largest scale and most successful media properties in the world, there is no better candidate to lead our Technology and Interactive division into its future. I know Aaron is looking forward to working with Todd George, our head of operations, and our entire Executive Team to continue growing our position as a leader in online gaming, sports betting, and digital sports media,” Mr. Snowden said.
“I’m excited to join another talented team at PENN Interactive and lead our technology strategy. PENN Entertainment is at the forefront of the fast-changing gaming and sports media industry. I plan to use my experience from Disney and ESPN to help make ESPN BET an essential piece of the sports fan experience. Together, we’ll push the limits and redefine how fans interact with sports and gaming,” Mr. LaBerge said.
Prior to his most recent role at the Walt Disney Company, Mr. LaBerge was Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at ESPN from 2015 to 2018. At ESPN he played an instrumental role in the growth of ESPN’s consumer-facing digital media products and services – leading many of ESPN’s most ambitious and challenging projects and helping establish ESPN’s position as the leader in digital sports and innovative sports technology development. He was a key architect in the design, development, and engineering of ESPN’s state-of-the-art facilities in Bristol, CT; Los Angeles, CA; Charlotte, NC; and Austin, TX, as well as data centers and infrastructure that connect those facilities around the world, as well as the technology design and development to support the launch of the multi-platform SEC Network.
Between 2007 and 2012, LaBerge was co-founder and CEO of Fanzter, Inc. – a venture-funded consumer software and digital product development company. At Fanzter, he directed all day-to-day operations and led the development and launch of a variety of consumer-focused internet and mobile products, ground-breaking social and commerce technologies and more.
-
eSports7 days ago
Everything you need to know ahead of ESL Pro League Season 19
-
Latest News7 days ago
New Market Alert! Hacksaw Gaming Touch Down in Portugal with Solverde.pt
-
Latest News7 days ago
What Types of Resources Help You Find New Online Casinos?
-
Latest News4 days ago
THE UNIT APPOINTS ADAM NOBLE AS CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
-
Gaming4 days ago
The German Games Industry Association congratulates all winners of the German Computer Game Awards 2024
-
Baltics4 days ago
MARE BALTICUM Gaming & TECH Summit Announces Final Agenda for 2024 Event
-
Africa4 days ago
NE Group powers 888bets launch in Angola
-
Latest News4 days ago
INSPIRED LAUNCHES VIRTUAL SPORTS WITH COMEON GROUP