News
The UK online casino market is at a crossroads
Martyn Hannah, Managing Director of Comparasino, says the direction the government and regulator take with updates to gambling law will determine the long-term success of the market
Great Britain is approaching a crossroads when it comes to online casino and the direction it takes will ultimately determine the viability of the market for all stakeholders over the next few years, including comparison sites such as Comparasino.
This remains a market with plenty of potential. The latest participation figures from the Gambling Commission show high demand for online casino, sports betting and bingo, with around 10 million people (16% of the population) engaging in these activities.
But the regulatory requirements being put on operators are now impacting the experiences they can offer to players while squeezing margins to the point where the UK – once the benchmark for regulated online gambling markets – is no longer sustainable for some.
In the last three years or so, we have seen an exodus of brands with only a small number of new online casinos taking their place.
This should be cause for concern, especially as the consultations from the White Paper rumble on and the changes that will result come into focus – we’ve already had the £2/£5 slot stake limits confirmed with more updates to follow.
Of course, players must be protected so that those at risk of developing problem play receive the support they need long before they reach the point of crisis. But at the same time, we have to remember that just 0.3% of UK players are considered to have a gambling problem.
The real risk for me is that if regulations and requirements continue to tighten, the UK market will no longer be viable for most brands – only the tier ones will be able to manage the slim margins.
This is bad for player choice and ultimately has the potential to push consumers towards unlicensed brands that can offer the experiences they are seeking and this is the opposite of what the changes to regulations are aiming to achieve.
It’s important to remember what players are looking for when deciding where to play – they want generous bonuses, a seamless sign-up process and a great selection of games to explore. They want to do this with reputable brands they can trust, and that’s why licencing is so important.
But the requirements operators must now meet – and any new requirements set to come into force – are at risk of damaging the player experience to the point where many will turn to unlicensed brands. Remember, these sites usually offer a great customer experience, they just don’t hold a licence.
The other day I was sitting with a friend when they signed up for an online casino for the first time. They were genuinely shocked by the sign-up process, especially the amount of information they had to provide and the length of time it took to register and deposit.
They were especially irked by the need to provide their occupation and monthly income. When I said there were unlicensed sites that offered a more streamlined onboarding process – and bigger bonuses – the friend said they’d play at those brands over the licensed site.
Of course, this is just one example but for me, it should raise concerns about how far we go when it comes to limiting bonuses and imposing stringent affordability checks on operators.
The Gambling Commission has indicated that affordability will be “light touch” for most players, but any additional friction really does risk pushing players to unlicensed sites where the sign-up process is quicker and the bonuses bigger.
The challenge is striking the right balance between consumer experience and protecting the most vulnerable, and I have some ideas for how we can do this.
I think operators should be able to offer the bonuses they wish, but they should not be able to impose high wagering requirements – or any wagering requirements, ideally.
Again, I tried explaining how the wagering requirement works to my friend and they simply couldn’t get their head around it.
“So, I have to wager £975 through the casino to unlock £15 in bonus winnings? That’s ridiculous.”
This is also what leads players to ultimately gamble more than they can afford as they make additional deposits in an attempt to complete the playthrough requirement, only to run out of funds or give up having deposited more than they intended.
This is when players can become frustrated. Many find it hard to understand how wagering requirements work, and then when they can’t withdraw their bonus winnings, it leads to a negative experience with the brand but worse, can put them in a state of mind that’s not ideal for gambling.
Player onboarding needs to be faster and more seamless, too. It’s so clunky right now that operators shouldn’t be surprised that a large percentage of players drop-off between landing at a casino for the first time and spinning the reels.
For context, it took around seven minutes for my friend to find a brand, sign up, deposit and play.
There are technologies available now – I’m talking about open banking here – that would mitigate sign-up friction, but would most likely require regulatory approval for operators to be able to use them to improve the sign-up process.
I absolutely believe that operators should be mandated to monitor each and every player in real time, and benchmark their gambling activity against markers of harm. This is the best way to spot problem play early and then make the necessary interventions.
I also think education is vital, and this is where affiliates must do more. Players are often unaware of the licensing process in the UK, and why it’s important to play at licensed brands. Nor are they aware of the tools in place to help them stay in control of their play.
This is something that we have committed significant resources to, with a dedicated safe gaming hub, responsible play messaging on all of our pages and the Comparasino Blog, where we publish articles and interviews with responsible gambling thought leaders.
The UK has always set the standard for regulated online gambling and I hope that this will continue to be the case once the consultations have closed and the final updates to the law are made.
The market might be at a crossroads, but if it goes in the right direction, it has a long and successful future ahead.
Ukrainian esports team L&G won the Dragon EC Cup tournament, held on the 20th of April by Dragon Esports Club. Four teams competed in the tournament’s final: Lazer Cats, L&G, which received a direct invitation to the final stage, EsportsBattle, and ThunderFlash, which had open qualifiers. During the Grand Final, the L&G team competed with Lazer Cats on Mirage, Anubis, and Vertigo maps.
“This victory is a testament to the exceptional talent and commitment of our players, as well as the collective effort of our coaching staff and support personnel,” said Alona Shevtsova, founder of L&G Esports. “We are immensely proud of their accomplishments and grateful for the unwavering support of our fans.”
L&G is among the top 5 Ukrainian teams in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. It was founded in 2021. The previous name was Leogaming, and it was created on the initiative of the famous Alona Shevtsova from the fintech sector.
The team began competing in top tournaments and almost immediately made it to the Advanced division of the ESEA League Europe competition. The team also participated in and took prizes in European tournaments such as the SCL League, WhiteBit Crypto Open, Phoenix League, and local competitions. The team players are marat2k, r0ublE, kr1vda, kL1o, OneUn1que, rji (coach).
The winners received a 50,000 UAH prize. Dragon Esports Club also prepared a 15-skin giveaway for the broadcast’s viewers.
It is worth mentioning that the L&G team created its merch items, which are available for order worldwide. To get more information about the team, visit the L&G Instagram page, Twitch, or Telegram Channel.
WA.Technology, an award-winning B2B iGaming solutions provider, announces the launch of WA.Affiliates, a next-gen iGaming affiliate management platform. WA.Affiliates empowers operators to manage and optimise their affiliate programs for enhanced profitability, broader market reach, and streamlined, successful operations.
WA.Affiliates combines an intuitive user interface with a clean, functional design, facilitating simple affiliate performance management. The platform solution is built on real-time optimisation and informed analytics so operators can expand their reach, increase traffic, and boost revenue with maximum efficiency.
Key features include personalised and customisable agreements for each affiliate, integrated user tracking for intelligent insights, and an optimised iGaming-oriented back-office. WA.Affiliates’ support includes zero setup fees alongside free panel transitions and integrated wallets for transaction security and straightforward migration.
Operators can reap the benefits of effortless management thanks to WA.Affiliates’ user-friendly dashboard configuration. Around-the-clock support offers real-time assistance and uncomplicated navigation, giving operators the upper hand in the global marketplace. Hourly insights, detailed reports, and in-depth analysis perfect data-driven decisions for improved acquisition and retention strategies. WA.Affiliates also motivates affiliates via its engaging gamification system, and intelligent user-tracking provides accurate information on campaign performance.
Tim Scoffham, CEO of WA.Technology, shared his enthusiasm for the launch, saying, “With WA.Affiliates, we’re forging a new path in the iGaming industry, creating a platform that not only meets but anticipates the needs of our partners. Our focus on innovation and customised solutions makes WA.Affiliates a key player in driving growth and profitability. We’re simplifying affiliate management to deliver tangible results, demonstrating our commitment to leading the way in digital excellence. At WA.Technology, we’re not just following the path to excellence – we’re creating it.”
News
Affiliate Roulette Introduces Affiliate Brain AI – A Comprehensive AI Tool Suite for Affiliate Marketers
New Platform Streamlines Content Creation, Social Media Management, and Performance Optimization
Affiliate Roulette, a leading provider of iGaming affiliate networking, announced the launch of Affiliate Brain AI, an advanced AI tool suite designed to assist affiliates and affiliate managers in enhancing their marketing efforts. This platform offers 60 AI-powered tools to simplify various aspects of affiliate marketing, including content creation, social media strategies, and performance analysis.
Affiliate Brain AI aims to address the challenges faced by affiliates in the dynamic digital marketing landscape. Having been trained specifically for affiliation, this platform enables affiliates to generate high-quality content, visuals, and social media posts efficiently. From AI-driven article assistants and adaptive content capabilities to intelligent writing tools and code generators, Affiliate Brain AI equips affiliates with the resources they need to create compelling, brand-consistent content tailored to their target audiences.
“We are excited to introduce Affiliate Brain AI, a practical solution that addresses the evolving needs of affiliate marketers,” said Edward of Affiliate Roulette. “Our platform utilizes AI technology to provide affiliates with a comprehensive toolkit that streamlines their operations, enhances productivity, and drives better results across all aspects of their affiliate marketing efforts.”
Key features of Affiliate Brain AI include:
Content Creation Tools:
· AI Article Wizard: Simplify content creation with a guided template for generating keywords, titles, outlines, and more.
· Brand Voice Integration: Maintain consistent brand identity across all content by integrating your brand’s voice and style.
· Intelligent Writing Assistant: Generate high-quality text content with an intuitive interface and robust editing capabilities.
· Custom AI Models: Create tailor-made AI models for generating content that aligns with your unique affiliate marketing needs.
Visual and Multimedia Tools:
· AI Video Enhancements: Transform static images into engaging, motion-based affiliate promotion videos.
· AI Image Generator: Create stunning visuals and graphics in seconds with advanced AI image generation capabilities.
· AI Voiceover: Convert text into natural-sounding audio with customizable voices and languages.
Coding and Development Tools:
· AI Code Generator: Accelerate coding processes and bring projects to life more efficiently with AI-generated code.
· AI Web Chat: Analyze web page content and generate relevant information or responses based on the provided URL.
Social Media and Marketing Tools:
· Social Media Post Generators: Access post, caption, and hashtag generators for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
· Email and Newsletter Generators: Automate the creation of emails, newsletters, and other affiliate marketing communications.
· SEO Optimization Tools: Improve search engine visibility with AI-generated meta descriptions, titles, and keyword-optimized content.
Productivity and Efficiency Tools:
· AI Speech-to-Text: Transcribe audio recordings into text format with high accuracy.
· File Analyzer: Extract key insights or generate summaries from documents like PDFs, Word files, and CSVs.
· Advanced Dashboard: Track data, manage documents, and monitor time saved with a centralized control panel.
Affiliate Brain AI also offers tools specifically tailored for social media management, such as post generators, caption creators, and hashtag optimizers for platforms like Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.
With its flexible pricing model, including a free plan with unlimited word tokens for active Affiliate Roulette users, Affiliate Brain AI is accessible to affiliates of all levels, enabling them to optimize their marketing strategies and drive better results in the competitive digital landscape.
Affiliate Roulette is a networking platform that offers a free iGaming affiliate directory to make it easy for operators to find affiliates. Affiliates and operators can create a company profile, find new customers, and grow their reputation in the iGaming industry. And now with Affiliate Brain AI, Affiliate Roulette is the only platform that provides a full arsenal of tools and networking site to ensure their success.
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Affiliate Announcements1 week agoWA.Technology Launches WA.Affiliates
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News1 week ago
Affiliate Roulette Introduces Affiliate Brain AI – A Comprehensive AI Tool Suite for Affiliate Marketers
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News3 days ago
L&G esports team founded by Alona Shevtsova won the national Dragon EC Cup tournament
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