Connect with us

News

The UK online casino market is at a crossroads

Published

on

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

 

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.

 

News

MightyTips launches snappy Football Tips format for casual and pro bettors alike

Published

on

MightyTips launches snappy Football Tips format for casual and pro bettors alike

 

MightyTips unveils a major product update — Football Tips, a dynamic new feature that delivers fast, curated football betting advice tailored for today’s users.

MightyTips is a leading platform dedicated to helping sports bettors make smarter decisions through in-depth sportsbook reviews, up-to-date bonus offers, expert betting blogs, and insightful match previews. While offering a wide range of content for bettors at all levels, the platform’s core focus has always been on delivering accurate predictions empowering users to place educated bets.

But as digital habits shift and the need for actionable insights grows, the platform is stepping into a new chapter. Football Tips are built to meet users where they are — with lighter, faster, and more personalised content that enhances the betting experience.

Ivo Osis, Product Owner at MightyTips, said: “This launch represents a major evolution in how MightyTips serves its audience. With Football Tips, we’re opening up our platform to casual and pro bettors alike, providing smarter insights in a more scalable format, driven to improve user experience and frictionless journey through the world of football betting.”

Key features of Football Tips:

  • Match of the Day highlight – instantly find the most important game to bet on, hand-selected by expert analysts
  • Quick match briefs – save time with short, insightful tips written by trusted football authors
  • Tipsters’ stats on every tip – check each tipster’s accuracy to build transparency and trust
  • My Saved Choice feature – save favourite tips and revisit them anytime
  • More matches, more options – explore tips beyond just predictions and expect other sports coming soon, such as tennis and cricket
  • Easy navigation by tip type – find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it’s 1X2, BTTS, or Over/Under tips, all one click away

This new format enhances usability, increases engagement, and broadens access to MightyTips’ expert content. It’s part of a wider strategy to modernise content delivery across sports and improve the overall user journey

Continue Reading

News

Mikael Strunge is appointed as the new President and CEO of ACROUD

Published

on

Mikael Strunge is appointed as the new President and CEO of ACROUD

 

The board of directors of ACROUD AB has appointed Mikael Strunge as the new President and CEO of Acroud. Mikael Strunge, born in 1981, has worked within Acroud for four years in various roles in different parts of the company, most recently as COO. Mikael Strunge succeeds Robert Andersson.

“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Robert Andersson for his leadership and contributions over the past years. We are pleased to appoint Mikael Strunge as our new President and CEO. Mikael brings deep operational insight and a clear strategic vision, and we are confident that under his leadership, Acroud will enter its next phase of growth and innovation”, says Morten Marcussen, Chairman of Acroud.

“The last 4 years at Acroud has been a rollercoaster of emotions and results. I am proud to accept this appointment from the board and look forward to start the implementation of the company’s new strategic framework”, says Mikael Strunge, new President and CEO of Acroud.

Biography of Mikael Strunge

Mikael Strunge is 44 years old and has worked within Acroud for over four years, most recently as COO of Acroud, being responsible for the day-to-day management and operational activities of Acroud. Before that, Mikael was the CEO of PMG before PMG was acquired by Acroud.

Continue Reading

Affiliate Announcements

ReferOn Launches Three Powerful New Features for Smarter Affiliate Management

Published

on

ReferOn Launches Three Powerful New Features for Smarter Affiliate Management

 

ReferOn, the next-gen affiliate management system, has introduced three major features aimed at making affiliate operations faster, smoother and more scalable than ever.

The latest updates, including Async task tracking, affiliate-controlled postbacks and bulk payment generation, reflect ReferOn’s ongoing commitment to removing friction and empowering users with practical and efficient tools.

  • Async Tasks: Say goodbye to frozen screens, slow loading and laggy sessions. The new system handles background-heavy processes such as bulk payments asynchronously (and with real-time tracking). This ensures smoother overall performance where users can monitor complex actions without overloading their session.
  • Affiliate-Controlled Postbacks: Affiliates can now manage their own postback setup directly in the platform (when enabled by their manager). No more tickets, long email threads or tedious back-and-forth communication. Campaigns go live faster and everyone moves more efficiently and with less delay.
  • Bulk Payment Generation: One of the more repetitive recurring workflows for users just became radically more efficient (and easy). Users can now generate payments for multiple partners in bulk with just a few clicks, freeing up time for higher-impact work.

Vladyslav Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the new features, “At ReferOn, we design for scale, efficiency and performance. These new features are more than simple improvements, they represent the foundations of a more autonomous, convenient and resilient system. We’re about empowering both operators and affiliates, and we’ve done that by providing self-service and streamlined tools to keep control in their hands. The ReferOn team continues to deliver on our promise of user empowerment without complexity.”

Continue Reading

Latest News

MightyTips launches snappy Football Tips format for casual and pro bettors alike MightyTips launches snappy Football Tips format for casual and pro bettors alike
News2 days ago

MightyTips launches snappy Football Tips format for casual and pro bettors alike

  MightyTips unveils a major product update — Football Tips, a dynamic new feature that delivers fast, curated football betting...

Mikael Strunge is appointed as the new President and CEO of ACROUD Mikael Strunge is appointed as the new President and CEO of ACROUD
News2 days ago

Mikael Strunge is appointed as the new President and CEO of ACROUD

  The board of directors of ACROUD AB has appointed Mikael Strunge as the new President and CEO of Acroud....

ReferOn Launches Three Powerful New Features for Smarter Affiliate Management ReferOn Launches Three Powerful New Features for Smarter Affiliate Management
Affiliate Announcements2 days ago

ReferOn Launches Three Powerful New Features for Smarter Affiliate Management

  ReferOn, the next-gen affiliate management system, has introduced three major features aimed at making affiliate operations faster, smoother and...

News2 days ago

Personalization in Action: How CasinoBonusesFinder Adapts to Every Player

Today’s casino players represent a diverse spectrum of preferences, playing styles, and risk tolerance levels. A high-stakes crypto enthusiast from...

New Sponsorship Opportunities Announced for the EEGS Affiliate Conference New Sponsorship Opportunities Announced for the EEGS Affiliate Conference
Conferences1 week ago

New Sponsorship Opportunities Announced for the EEGS Affiliate Conference

  The EEGS Affiliate Conference, now in its 4th edition, is pleased to announce the launch of new sponsorship opportunities....

Let’sBet Partners with NetRefer for its Affiliate Marketing Platform Let’sBet Partners with NetRefer for its Affiliate Marketing Platform
Affiliate Program News2 weeks ago

Let’sBet Partners with NetRefer for its Affiliate Marketing Platform

  Emerging US sportsbook operator Let’sBet has partnered with NetRefer, the industry’s leading data-driven, AI-powered affiliate marketing platform, to support...

Casino Guru secures Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year at iGB Affiliate Awards Casino Guru secures Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year at iGB Affiliate Awards
Affiliate Success2 weeks ago

Casino Guru secures Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year at iGB Affiliate Awards

  Casino Guru is proud to announce that it has won the Safer Gambling Initiative of the Year at the...

The Ethics of Ranking: Can Affiliates Be Both Commercial and Credible? The Ethics of Ranking: Can Affiliates Be Both Commercial and Credible?
News2 weeks ago

The Ethics of Ranking: Can Affiliates Be Both Commercial and Credible?

  Ethics is one of the most important issues in the world of online gambling affiliates. Many gamblers wonder if...

Blask wins Best Tech at iGB Affiliate Awards 2025 Blask wins Best Tech at iGB Affiliate Awards 2025
Awards2 weeks ago

Blask wins Best Tech at iGB Affiliate Awards 2025

  Blask, the data-driven analytics ecosystem transforming iGaming oversight, has been named ‘Best Tech’ at the prestigious iGB Affiliate Awards...

EEGS Affiliate Conference Returns - Celebrating Its Fourth Edition as a Key Industry Milestone in Eastern Europe EEGS Affiliate Conference Returns - Celebrating Its Fourth Edition as a Key Industry Milestone in Eastern Europe
Conferences2 weeks ago

EEGS Affiliate Conference Returns – Celebrating Its Fourth Edition as a Key Industry Milestone in Eastern Europe

  Building on the success of previous years, the EEGS Affiliate Conference is set to host its fourth edition, reaffirming...

Trending

Offering comprehensive coverage on all aspects of the gaming sector, our daily posts include online and land-based gaming, betting, esports, regulatory and compliance updates, and technological advancements. Regular features encompass daily news articles, press releases, exclusive interviews, and insightful event reports.

The platform also hosts industry-relevant webinars, and provides detailed reports, making it a one-stop resource for anyone seeking information about operators, suppliers, regulators, and professional services in the European gaming market. The portal's primary goal is to keep its extensive reader base updated on the latest happenings, trends, and developments within the gaming and gambling sector, with an emphasis on the European market while also covering pertinent global news. It's an indispensable resource for gaming professionals, operators, and enthusiasts alike.

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial / PR Submissions: [email protected]

Copyright © 2015 - 2024 - GAV is part of HIPTHER. Registered in Romania under Proshirt SRL, Company number: 2134306, EU VAT ID: RO21343605. Office address: Blvd. 1 Decembrie 1918 nr.5, Targu Mures, Romania