News
Casino Guru Launches Initiative to Create Global Self-Exclusion Scheme
After months of behind-the-scenes work, Casino Guru is pleased to announce the official launch of the initiative to build a global self-exclusion system, with the goal of making online gambling safer for everyone and reducing harm caused by it to vulnerable players.
The team behind Casino Guru, a global informational website about online casinos, is always looking for things to improve within the gambling industry, especially in regard to player safety and fairness. When reviewing casinos and helping players mistreated by dishonest gambling sites, they kept noticing the insufficient protection offered by currently available self-exclusion tools.
That’s why they launched the Global Self-Exclusion Initiative, aiming to put things into motion and work towards creating a tool that has the potential to significantly increase player protection on a global level.
Simon Vincze, the manager of Casino Guru’s responsible gambling projects, leads their efforts in this area. He explains the reasoning behind the initiative: “Self-exclusion is one of the most effective tools to reduce gambling-related harm caused to vulnerable players. It allows players to block their access to gambling and therefore limit the negative impact of it on their lives. However, the effectiveness of self-exclusion is limited because of the scope of current options.”
According to Simon, the main drawback of current self-exclusion options is the fact that they can be circumvented by playing in a different casino or by looking for foreign operators that don’t have to comply with nation-wide schemes available in the player’s country. For this reason, he believes that current self-exclusion options are not an effective tool in blocking addicted players’ access to online gambling.
He believes that a global system could help fix these shortcomings: “If there was a truly global system in place, players would have an effective tool that could stop them from playing despite their efforts to circumvent the system when feeling cravings to start gambling again.”
Displaying ads to self-excluded players is also part of the issue. No gambling ads or promotional materials should be displayed or sent to players that have decided to exclude themselves from gambling activities. However, according to Simon, the closedness of the systems currently in place limits their effectiveness in this regard.
He also added that continuous help should be a much bigger part of self-exclusion: “…we feel that self-excluded players could benefit from a closer cooperation with problem gambling help and prevention centers, helping them overcome problem gambling or reduce gambling-related harm more than self-exclusion alone can.”
Casino Guru aims to create a reliable global self-exclusion system that allows people to exclude from all online gambling opportunities at once, on a global level. They also hope to be able to prove excluded players with resources and help they need to address the underlying issue of their addiction to increase their chances of a full recovery. Their goal is to create a system that becomes an industry standard, similar to that of gambling only being available to people that are at least 18 years old.
That said, they realise that they will not be able to do it alone. “We launched this initiative, because we knew that we would never be able to achieve something like this alone. Successfully carrying out such an ambitious project requires cooperation of multiple and varied members of the gambling industry,” Simon added.
For this reason, the first phase of the initiative will focus on spreading awareness of the issue and collecting feedback from the public and predominantly from industry professionals. Simon and the entire Casino Guru team hope to gain valuable feedback about the best way to implement such a system, as well as the effectiveness and feasibility of it all.
Casino Guru invites members of the gambling industry interested to join the initiative, discuss anything related to responsible gambling, or learn more about the goals of the initiative to reach out.
Already Media, the tech-driven affiliate and media company, has opened its new headquarters in the Polish capital of Warsaw.
The office will initially house more than 20 members of Already Media’s 250-strong global team, with a focus on C-suite positions including CEO, COO, CLO, CFO, as well as senior SEO department heads.
Officially opening on July 1, the office provides a base for the company as it continues to pursue a primarily remote-work strategy, hiring on-the-ground talent worldwide, particularly in the emerging markets it focuses on.
Alina Famenok, CEO of Already Media, said: “It’s a proud moment to open our new headquarters in Warsaw. We’re excited to tap into the city’s thriving tech and start-up scene, as well as adding to our team from the huge amount of local talent here. Already Media has expanded rapidly over the last couple of years, and this HQ positions us well to continue what has been a remarkable journey so far.”
Members of the Already Media team – whether they work remotely or are based in Warsaw – enjoy a wide-range of benefits, with a focus on professional growth, health and work-life balance.
The approach has helped the company build a unique culture which contributes significantly to maintaining its edge when it comes to innovation.
It has been a busy few months for Already Media. In March, it acquired iconic affiliate asset PokerListings. In the months since, PokerListings has already significantly ramped up its video content output and launched into additional markets.
SiGMA East Europe will hold its third event for the Balkan-Slavic markets in Hungary this September. Powered by Soft2Bet and taking place at the Hungaro Expo in Budapest from the 2nd to 6th of September, the event is expected to attract a 9,000-strong crowd to the expo’s Pavilion E arena.
The event will also be held back-to-back with Affiliate World, which takes place on the 5th and 6th of September in Budapest – making SiGMA East Europe a must attend for operators.
This unique partnership promises an unrivalled networking environment, offering operators the chance to connect with top tier affiliates from a diversity of sectors. With an estimated 5,000 new affiliates expected to participate, this collaboration is set to elevate opportunities for operators and suppliers alike, while also bringing many of the world’s top affiliates closer to the iGaming community. Affiliate World also took place alongside the SiGMA Eurasia event, held in Dubai earlier this year.
Affiliate Announcements
Stase Blitz: ‘For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities and sets the tone for the rest of the year’
PIN-UP Partners will be attending iGB LIVE 2024 with a mission to be at the vanguard of the affiliate sector and a pledge to set new trends as the industry prepares to bid farewell to Amsterdam ahead of iGB L!VE’s relocation to London in July 2025.
PIN-UP Partners will be using its iGB L!VE presence to build new partnerships and find affiliates as CMO Stase Blitz confirmed: “For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities, as the event brings together the best and the brightest of the iGaming industry. Every year, iGB L!VE delivers for the business, and our team leaves the event with hundreds of new contacts that have the potential to really propel our business forward.”
Looking ahead to what she believes the industry will experience at the show she noted: “We can expect to be part of what will be the biggest edition of iGB L!VE there has ever been which would be the best possible way to say a big thanks to Amsterdam in advance of the move to London in 2025.
“Like everyone in our field we are always looking to identify new affiliates and iGB L!VE provides us with the perfect platform to do exactly that. For our part we will be using our presence on booth 11-D50 to launch amazing terms for our offers alongside some catwalk-worthy merch!”
She added: “One of our goals is to build a strong community: harnessing the power of people who are the greatest influence on any industry – but in particular ours! At iGB L!VE we are planning to host a grand event where we can gather our friends and partners for networking and so much more, so don’t forget to stop by our booth!
“The PIN-UP Partners team is delighted to be a part of the iGaming industry’s greatest event.”
Already Media opens new Warsaw headquarters
Already Media, the tech-driven affiliate and media company, has opened its new headquarters in the Polish capital of Warsaw....
SiGMA East Europe edition moves to Budapest with Affiliate World
SiGMA East Europe will hold its third event for the Balkan-Slavic markets in Hungary this September. Powered by Soft2Bet and taking...
Stase Blitz: ‘For PIN-UP Partners, iGB L!VE is a trove of opportunities and sets the tone for the rest of the year’
PIN-UP Partners will be attending iGB LIVE 2024 with a mission to be at the vanguard of the affiliate...
Meet MiFinity at iGB Amsterdam 2024: Discover New Affiliate Opportunities
MiFinity is excited to announce its attendance at the iGB Live! conference in Amsterdam this July 2024. As one...
Digitain Launches Centrivo Affiliate Platform
Digitain’s Centrivo provides an affiliate software platform that allows its operator partners advanced solutions for complete and targeted affiliate marketing campaigns....
ReferOn Announces Second Seminar for Affiliates: ReferOn Insights
Following the success of the first seminar for operators, ReferOn is delighted to announce its second seminar, “ReferOn Insights,”...
Gaming Innovation Group Media Arm (GiG Media): Official Policy in place for joining QMRA
GiG Media is one of the most well-known international iGaming Affiliate companies—the listed iGaming giant places high value on...
Casino Guru wins Affiliate of the Year at AffPapa Awards for third consecutive time
Casino Guru, the premier platform for online casino reviews and industry insights, is thrilled to announce its victory in...
Winners Announced at the First Annual Golden Boomerang Awards 2024 in Cyprus
The 11 most significant participants in the Golden Boomerang Awards traffic tournament were awarded heavyweight golden statuettes for contributing...
Slotsjudge Awarded Slots Review Affiliate of the Year at AffPapa iGaming Awards 2024
Securing the Slots Review Affiliate of the Year award at AffPapa iGaming Awards 2024 marked another crucial milestone in...
