News
Casino Guru Complaints Resolution Center Breaks Another Record: Almost $1 Million Returned to Players in May 2022
May has become a new record month for Casino Guru whose Complaints team has seen $915,000 returned to unfairly treated players across the world. The team has received 822 and resolved 265 complaints in May, spending a total of 1,114 hours on the cases. This makes it the new record for the company.
Casino Guru, the most extensive database of online casinos and a respected gambling authority, is well known for its safer and responsible gambling practices within the industry. Global Self-Exclusion Initiative, Casino Guru Academy, and even the recently launched database of problem gambling help organizations are just some examples of the many ways through which Casino Guru is trying to make a safer gambling environment for players.
With the number of players mistreated by casinos turning to Casino Guru for help increasing on a monthly basis, the quality of the Complaints team’s services cannot be denied. In comparison with May 2021, the number of published complaints in May 2022 has almost doubled from 452 to 822. In fact, since its launch, Casino Guru’s Complaints Resolution Center has become an unrivaled leader in the complaint resolution segment.
A total of 1,113 complaints have been solved since the beginning of the year, with impressive $2,952,404 returned to players to this day. Casino Guru’s highest resolved complaint of this year came from a player who managed to win 170,000€ but, once requesting a loss limit, found his account completely restricted, unable to withdraw any of the winnings.
Petronela Kontos, Complaints Team Lead, who recently debated the complaints statistics at the CasinoBeats Summit in Malta, commented on the team’s achievements: „Speaking for the whole Complaints team, it just feels amazing to see the amount of trust the players place into our hands. The Complaints Resolution Center was launched a little less than three years ago, and as of this very moment, we can proudly call ourselves the leaders of the segment. Of course, as is the case with all other Casino Guru projects, we are continuously working on new improvements so that we can continue to make playing as frictionless as possible.“
But the increase in complaints brings another important challenge for Casino Guru: workforce. „We will always resolve players’ complaints free of charge. That’s something we are very adamant about. And the fact that we constantly need to hire new help to keep resolving all of the complaints only shows one thing: that Casino Guru is fully determined to invest into projects like ours – projects that make gambling better and safer. I even dare to say that all of us here at Casino Guru are proud of the impact we’re constantly leaving behind,“ Kontos concluded.
In order to bridge the gap between players and operators, it’s important that Casino Guru keeps on being the mediator in resolving these complaints. Every complaint influences Casino Guru’s overall rating of the casino, which gives the operators an incentive they previously didn’t have. This way, apart from directly helping players to resolve their cases, Casino Guru is indirectly pressuring operators into being more responsible and fairer towards their players.
Affiliate Announcements
Registration opens as ‘Nuevos Horizontes’ unveiled as creative theme for Barcelona-bound iGB Affiliate
As registration opens for iGB Affiliate, ‘Nuevos Horizontes’ (New Horizons) has been unveiled as the creative theme driving the international marketing campaign in support of the 2025 edition which will be the first to take place at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona alongside sister show ICE.
Explaining the thinking behind the creative Naomi Barton, iGB Events’ Global Portfolio Director said: “The iGaming industry is continually evolving, and our 2025 campaign invites affiliates to explore new horizons at our exciting new venue, Fira Gran Via in Barcelona.
“iGB Affiliate is the home of the igaming affiliate community, and it enables connection, growth and shared business success for our audience of affiliates, operators and tech vendors. This campaign will drive our community into uncharted territory, sparking a spirit of exploration that embraces emerging markets, innovative strategies, and untapped commercial opportunities. It equips affiliates with the tools and insights needed to adapt, innovate, and conquer new horizons.”
She added: “With our move to Barcelona we’re setting our sights on an incredibly bright future. The additional space at Fira Gran Via, Barcelona, which is among the largest exhibition venues in Europe, will enable iGB Affiliate to achieve its full potential and continue to connect the best affiliates with the best operators and tech vendors.
“The 2025 edition of the show is set to feature a record 250 exhibitors and sponsors, occupying 15,000 sqm of space. The enhanced facilities in Barcelona will empower the affiliate community to forge new igaming connections, build strategic and trusted partnerships, expand their networks, and explore uncharted territories.”
Awards
Casino Guru takes the top distinction in SBC Awards 2024
Casino Guru has won the SBC Awards 2024 in the “Casino Affiliate of the Year” category, which was contested by 12 shortlists and, which was ultimately won by the company.
Casino Guru is the biggest database of online casinos and online casino bonuses with up-to-date information on thousands of online casinos on the internet, providing human-reviewed insight into individual casinos and devising a complex Safety Index to help assess brands and help players make an informed choice.
The database has grown rapidly, with Casino Guru upholding its “Casino Affiliate of the Year” status by consistently updating its repository with accurate, human-verified data. The accolade was awarded based on key performance indicators, including a more than 100% increase in organic traffic and a noticeable expansion in referring domains over the observed period.
Casino Guru’s Head of Sustainable & Safer Gambling Šimon Vincze, had this to add: “Winning a major award for best casino affiliate is an excellent achievement for us because, as a private company, we do not disclose every commercial detail in the nomination. Instead, we focus on unique achievements and use publicly available information, which puts us at a disadvantage against publicly listed companies. Despite such strong competition, we still managed to convince the judges this year.”
Casino Guru has so far processed more than 6,930 casinos and it currently is the world’s largest gambling casino forum, proving an invaluable source of information for players of all backgrounds. The Casino Guru Forum now numbers 200,000 users and has generated 53,000 posts in the 12 months leading up to the company’s submission for SBC Awards 2024.
In the observed period, the brand has similarly handled 13,514 disputes, compared to 10,708 from the previous period and recovered $10,121,109 in player funds. Casino Guru established 310 new partnerships over the same period.
The accolade comes after Casino Guru added 1,201 new casino brands in the period leading up to the company’s submission alone, with 3,750 casinos reviewed over the extended period, the result of a dedicated joint effort by the company’s team of experts.
The company has used big data, consumer feedback, and a fastidious in-house team of analysts to ensure that it remains at the very forefront of the sector, winning it the important SBC Awards accolade in the “Casino Affiliate of the Year,” and further consolidate its status as an indispensable industry source for matching players with the best casino websites.
This is hardly the first distinction won by Casino Guru this year, or the first time Casino Guru’s efforts have been rewarded at an industry summit.
Casino Guru similarly secured the Vixio Global Regulatory Awards distinction in the “Outstanding Contribution to Safer Gambling” category, demonstrating that as an affiliate company, Casino Guru remains multi-faceted, and fully committed to bringing the safest and most reliable information to its players.
News
QMRA Online Certificates launched to boost transparency and trust in the iGaming Industry
Quality Mark Responsible Affiliates (QMRA), the certification initiative for iGaming affiliate websites, is proud to announce the launch of individualized online certificates for its members. This new initiative is set to enhance transparency and trust among consumers, operators, and regulatory authorities by providing dedicated landing pages that validate each affiliate’s commitment to responsible and compliant practices.
Previously, QMRA members linked to a general certificate page. Now, each affiliate has its own specific online certificate, featuring a detailed overview of its compliance with the QMRA Code. This includes adherence to strict standards in responsible advertising, channelling objectives, and the promotion of responsible gambling. This change not only benefits stakeholders by showcasing the integrity and reliability of each certified website but also offers SEO advantages, as the certificates are uniquely tailored to the affiliate’s site.
Quote by Steven Vrolijk, LL.M., QMRA Director: “Our goal is to create a safer and more transparent iGaming environment. These online certificates reflect our members’ dedication to responsible gambling and compliance. This initiative will help consumers make informed choices and enhance the credibility of our affiliates in the eyes of operators and regulators.”
From now on, all new QMRA members will receive a dedicated certificate page upon certification. Existing members have been notified to update their footer links to their new, personalized certificate pages, which are accessible via the QMRA member overview page.