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Safer Gambling: UK Govt Shows its Cards on the Trajectory of Gambling Reform for Digital Age
The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has recently presented a white paper to Parliament, outlining the ill-equipped and outdated standards for protecting vulnerable players, and how they have failed to adapt to the digitalised age of gambling. There seems to be a disconnect between the technological advancements of gambling itself, and the technological advancements intended to protect its players.
According to the paper, there are an estimated 3,000,000 people in Great Britain who struggle with “problem gambling” – defined as “a degree which compromises, disrupts or damages family, personal or recreational pursuits”. The impact of problematic gambling can destroy lives and, given the impact of the current economic crisis on the lives of so many, it is imperative that the industry is supported to take on board the new approaches to gambling protocol as put forward by the white paper.
Despite the technological advancements within the industry making gambling accessible online, there is still a demand for land-based gambling enterprises such as casinos, betting shops and racecourses as they offer an authentic experience and atmosphere. Such a vivacious atmosphere cannot be emulated online which is indicative that land-based gambling sites will always be popular among players, whether regular or first-timers.
The white paper acknowledges that these are subject to outdated regulations, and looks to bring these in line with the proposed changes to the online gambling reformations. These intend to enable better monitoring of land-based gambling, in the same way that controls can be placed online to help protect players wherever they play.
From betting shops to pubs with arcade machines, discover more about what the recent white paper recommends for implementing Player Protection protocols in the business and providing responsible restrictions for customers.
Player Protection
Gambling operators are responsible for identifying customers who are susceptible to harmful play and must act accordingly. However, the operators have not had to date the adequate tools or assistance in performing checks on every person that enters their premises. Technology can be utilised to aid operators in this challenging but necessary task in protecting their players.
Biometric technology can help the operator in three core tasks
1) Age Estimation to prevent underage gambling
2) Player Tracking to limit daily spend or excessive losses
3) Identifying Self-Excluded Players
Underage Gambling
In the UK, most forms of gambling are illegal for those under 18s, and the government has the intention of strengthening this further by enacting legislation to ensure consistency. Gambling organisations are obliged to have stringent procedures in place to prevent underage gambling.
Recent figures released by Serve Legal reveal a vast rise in the number of bookies preventing young people from entering their shops. Instances of betting shops carrying out spot checks on underage players have increased from 67% to 91% over the last ten years. This is a promising statistic, and concrete evidence that the new infrastructure put in place to protect players is working.
“However, there are still too many instances of insufficient age verification in some venues, particularly those such as pubs, which can offer adult-only gaming machines but are not adult-only venues like many gambling premises.” – UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2023.
To further help reduce access to premises, ICU Pro can detect if an underage person is entering the premises and send an alert to the operator. A MyCheckr can be placed at the counter to aid the till operator in estimating the age of the customer and also reduce risk of abuse in asking for ID. Analytic and appropriate advertisements is also an attractive feature of the MyCheckr and can be used both as a return on investment and a valuable tool to extract the demographics of the customer base.
Biometric technology can be also used to automate age checks at a machine. ICU Lite, for example, is a compact age estimation device that can be seamlessly integrated into existing software and machines to help businesses comply with adherence to age restrictions. Through more stringent and consistent checks it can help prevent play from vulnerable persons who are underage from accessing the machine.
This new technology gives the operator 3 touchpoints where underage gambling can be prevented, 1) at entry to the premises 2) at the counter 3) at the gaming machine itself.
Player Tracking
Under the Gambling Act 2005, the Gambling Commission was established to regulate the industry and ensure responsible gambling among both individuals and businesses involved in gambling in Great Britain. In their review, the Department of Culture and Sport worked with the Gambling Commission to develop a two-form financial check preventative procedure.
The first will be background checks for moderate levels of spend, to check for indicators of financial vulnerability such as County Court Judgements, and should occur at £125 net loss within a month or £500 within a year. The next check is for higher levels of spending, suggestive of a harmful gambling binge or irrecoverable financial losses as a result of gambling, proposed at a threshold of £1000 net loss within 24 hours or £2000 within 90 days.
Biometric technology can again help operators in this vital task. An ICU Lite can be placed in every machine. Once a player accesses the machine, their age is initially checked. If the person is overage, then their face can be converted into a FaceID. This FaceID can be anonymously linked to the session and shared with all connected machines. Information such as daily spend and losses can then be linked to this FaceID and any necessary interventions can be easily alerted to the operator.
Additionally, the FaceID of a person can be used to set tailored restrictions and can be uploaded to the operators’ database with the agreed restrictions. For each session, the FaceID can ensure that the player will adhere to playing with the restrictions they have set. The FaceID can be automatically deleted after 24 hours and as such no data is stored permanently on the device.
Self-Exclusion
The Betting and Gaming Council enforces that anyone concerned about their gambling habits can exclude themselves from on-premises gambling facilities. Self-exclusion has the potential to help those suffering from gambling addictions to have more control over their lives and build a healthier relationship with gambling.
If a player has self-excluded, the device with facial recognition technology will store that player’s information as FaceID. If the player attempts to play again, the device will detect a match on the system for an attempt of play by a person who is self-excluding and alert the operator. This intervention can occur at multiple touchpoints, such as access to the premises, at the counter or at the machine itself.
Bolstering the Gambling Commission
The white paper also discusses the powers and resources given to the Gambling Commission. The paper acknowledges the difficult feat that the Commission is faced with; in an ever-evolving industry that has long been subject to outdated regulations, there is a lot of work to be done.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport envisions a future where the Commission has greater powers as regulators of the industry and supports the Commission in gaining cooperation from operators to share data to help identify non-compliance to licence conditions.
This is made even more prevalent as the Commission has recently issued its largest fine in history. A British online gambling company was recently fined £19.2m for widespread social responsibility and anti-money laundering failures, a record-breaking figure in the UK. The organisation had previously been fined £6.2m in 2018 for the same reasons, illustrating a repeatedly negligent pattern.
Protecting vulnerable players is a vital but complex task. Operators need the right support and tools to maintain and advance player protection as technology develops. Biometric technology will play a key role in implementing these key reforms designed to improve player protection.
The future for gambling certainly looks like one of change for the better. The restrictions are there not to impede the recreational joy of gambling, but to protect those most vulnerable to addiction. As stated by MP Lucy Frazer, who penned the ministerial foreword of the white paper, “prevention of harm will always be better than a cure, so we are determined to strengthen consumer protection and prevent exploitative practices”.
We recently sat down with BetBrothers’ Head of Growth & Strategy, Borja Imbergamo, to talk about the company’s mission to become a global leader in regulated sports betting markets. He discusses the principles driving BetBrothers strategy, its unique value to players and operators, and what it takes to build a trusted affiliate brand in today’s market.
Could you please share a bit about your background and experience within the iGaming industry?
My journey in the iGaming industry began more than 11 years ago. I was one of the few professional bettors who successfully turned sports betting into a full-time career. Later, I became a professional tipster and in the meantime, 8 years ago, I had the opportunity to build one of the leading affiliate websites in Spain from the ground up.
During that project I was involved in every aspect of the business — from content creation, SEO, and marketing to sales, product development and team management. Being part of a small team meant I had to wear many hats, which I believe gave me a 360-degree understanding of the industry and the skills needed to launch and scale successful projects. As well as identify and manage the right people to make them happen.
Currently, as Head of Growth & Strategy at Betbrothers, I’m applying this experience to lead the expansion into more than 20 GEOs. I’m confident we’ll achieve this ambitious goal thanks to the strong and talented team we have built.
What’s Betbrother’s mission, and what sets it apart in the affiliate marketing landscape?
At Betbrothers, our priority is always the player. Our core mission is “Connecting Players with Safer Bets”. This means helping users enjoy sports betting as a form of entertainment — guiding them to bet responsibly, in ways that suit their style and preferences.
A key part of this is ensuring users are betting in safe and regulated environments. We are fully committed to working only with licensed operators, and we invest significant resources in matching users with the right bookmakers in each market. Ones that are compliant with local regulations.
We believe regulated markets, despite their limitations, offer the safest and most transparent experience for users. Through our content and platform, we aim to promote responsible gambling by helping users understand their options, set limits and stay in control of their behaviour. Ultimately, we see our role as both a guide and a safeguard — making the betting experience safer and more enjoyable.
BetBrothers is only partnering with operators holding licenses in regulated markets. What is the strategic reasoning behind this focus?
Our focus on regulated markets comes from user-centric philosophy. We want our users to enjoy sports betting in a safe, transparent and well-regulated way — even if sometimes it means fewer promotions or tighter restrictions. Licensed operators provide clear rules, secure transactions, and fair play. It leads to a much more positive user experience.
From a business perspective, partnering exclusively with regulated operators also ensures long-term sustainability. These operators have invested significant time and resources to obtain licenses, which means they are committed to the market and are here to stay. This gives us the confidence we need to build long term partnerships.
In short, working with licensed operators aligns with both our values and our strategic vision — promoting sports betting as a safe form of entertainment, while building a trustworthy and future-proof business.
From an operator’s perspective, what is the unique value that BetBrothers brings to the table?
First and most important: we bring high-quality, compliant traffic. Our strategy is heavily focused on organic acquisition, which we believe is the most valuable and sustainable traffic (and not only in iGaming). But we don’t just deliver volume. We are focused on providing users with the right content to help them make informed decisions — where, how and when to place their bets. This results in users who truly want to play with a specific operator. Players that are loyal, conscious of their choices, and more likely to stick around in the long term.
Additionally, we bring deep industry knowledge to the table. Our team has over 25 years of combined experience, allowing us to create content that is not only optimized and compliant, but also useful.
On top of that, we are building Betbrothers as a globally recognized and trusted brand. One that players all over the world can rely on. When users see an operator on our side, they’ll know it’s fully licensed, reputable and safe. Because we have done the due diligence for them already. That trust is a key part of the value we offer to both users and operators alike.
How Betbrothers is going to differentiate itself from competition in terms of content and product experience?
Our focus is — and always will be — the user. Every piece of content we produce is designed to deliver real value, helping users to make smarter betting decisions and improve their strategy. We know what players are looking for, how to speak their language, and how
to strike the right balance between honest, user-first content and effective promotion of trusted operators.
In an industry where a lot of the content is AI-generated and tailored primarily for Google, we are doing things differently. We are not writing for algorithms — we’re writing for people. Our editorial team is made up of experts with hands-on industry knowledge.
Another key differentiator is our approach to user-generated content. We want our platform to be a space where users share their opinions, voice their concerns, and help each other out. We see UGC as a way to create community, improve transparency, and provide even more value — with our team always there to guide and support where needed. We believe that strong content combined with smart, intuitive UX is the best strategy to grow organically and stand out in a crowded space.
What’s the long-term vision for BetBrothers when it comes to expanding into new markets?
Our long-term vision is to become the most trusted and recognizable brand in the world when it comes to regulated sports betting. We want users to know exactly what to expect when they visit Betbrothers: transparent information, responsible guidance and a curated list of fully licensed operators.
We are committed to expanding only into regulated jurisdictions, where we can guarantee a safe, legal and responsible betting experience for our users. We’re already active in focus markets such as Spain and Greece, along with a growing number of others across Europe and beyond. With more than 20 GEOs currently in progress, our goal is to establish a strong local presence wherever sports betting is legal and regulated. We want to become a regional authority in each market while maintaining the same standards of quality.
Looking ahead two to three years, what does success look like for BetBrothers?
In two to three years, success for Betbrothers means being the go-to platform for both users and operators. For users, we want to be the most trusted and reliable source of information about legal, regulated bookmakers. A place where they know they’ll find expert, honest and useful content to guide their betting decisions.
For operators, we aim to be the ideal long-term partner — providing high-quality, compliant traffic from engaged users across multiple markets. When an operator is looking for a partner they can trust, with a global footprint and a focus sustainability, we want Betbrothers to be the first name that comes to mind.
Beyond business success, our broader goal is to help push the industry in a more responsible, transparent direction. More and more countries are moving toward regulation and safer gambling practices. We want to be part of that transformation. To play a key role in building an industry that’s not just profitable, but also fair, honest and truly centered around the player.
The post Borja Imbergano, Betbrothers: “Our Priority is Always the Player” appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
1. In an industry often driven by affiliate commissions, how do you personally define “trust”? Why do you believe it holds more long-term value than short-term revenue gains?
The best way to build trust with your audience is through a customer-centric approach. That means prioritizing accurate and honest reviews, rather than focusing purely on commercial interests. When visitors find the information, they’re looking for, you build customer loyalty. In the long run, loyalty creates far more value than quick gains from promoting questionable casino brands with flat fees and hybrid deals.
2. Given the financial incentives at play, how do you ensure your reviews remain truly objective and transparent?
Our casino reviews are always factually correct and honest, regardless of the commissions we are receiving. Our review criteria are available on our website, and our scoring system remains consistent, unaffected by affiliate partnerships. We clearly disclose that we use affiliate links but we always side with our visitors. That kind of transparency might not maximize revenue, but it builds trust and forges strong relationships with our players.
3. Have you ever had to reject or cut ties with a high-paying casino partner over ethical concerns? Can you walk us through one such decision?
Yes, that happens from time to time. We have a contact form on our website that allows players to contact us when they feel they are being treated unfairly. We received several complaints from players and escalated these to our partner. Upon doing some research we realized that other casino portals were reporting similar problems with this operator, which led to us updating our reviews and dropping them in our rankings.-
4. What are the key red flags you look for when evaluating whether or not to recommend a casino operator to your audience?
We always make sure that the casino operators we are listing are properly licensed and have a good reputation in the iGaming industry. Red flags are unfair bonus terms, missing translations, withdrawal issues, unprofessional customer support, and a lack of responsible gambling tools. If a casino operator has lots of unresolved complaints on Trustpilot or Casinomeister, we simply don’t promote them.
5. From your experience, how do players pick up on bias or manipulation in reviews — and what can platforms do to avoid giving that impression?
Players are much smarter today and exchange information on forums and in their circles. They are often seasoned and have played at online casinos for many years. They can spot inaccurate reviews right away and know exactly what they are looking for in a casino. Our reviews therefore always focus on the pros and cons, the bonus conditions and real expert experiences from hands-on testing of the casino.
6. Many affiliate sites claim to be “independent,” but not all deliver on that promise. What practical steps can review platforms take to actually earn user trust?
Be customer-centric and focus on user intent. Players visit your site to find out which casinos are reliable and trustworthy. Make sure your reviews are up to date and unbiased. Avoid promoting shady operators that could damage your reputation with your audience. To earn trust, you need to publish honest recommendations based on facts rather than sales pitches.
7. How do you collect, verify, and incorporate player feedback into your rating system?
We have a contact form on our site for player complaints, and we also make use of external sources such as forums and watchdog sites like Casinomeister, Trustpilot and Casino Guru. If we notice patterns related to specific casino groups or licenses, we incorporate a warning in our reviews as well. Player feedback is one of the most valuable tools we have to ensure our reviews are honest and reflect real user experiences.
8. Do licensing authorities and regulatory frameworks factor into your trust scores — or is your assessment more focused on real user experience?
Both matter, but reputation is most important. If a casino is not properly licensed, we will either choose not to list it or highlight the risks associated with an unlicensed casino in terms of player protection and payouts. However, we do list some casinos that operate under a weaker license when we know from previous experience that they are overall reliable and trustworthy.
9. With the rise of AI-generated content and fake reviews, how can affiliate sites protect their authenticity and credibility at scale?
All our reviews are produced in-house by real casino experts who have been working in the iGaming industry for many years. We test casinos ourselves and focus on detailed reviews based on real-life experiences and industry knowledge. While we use AI for
mundane tasks like spell-checking, we believe AI-generated reviews ultimately represent fake experiences and do not reflect the unbiased expert opinions and recommendations that players deserve.
10. Looking to the future, do you see reputation becoming a key differentiator among affiliates? If so, how will users — and partners — measure that reputation?
As the market matures, users are choosing review sites based on their interests, honesty, and reputation. These signals are picked up by Google and will directly impact your rankings. Users will look at how sites respond to user complaints, how accurate their reviews are, and whether they truly advocate for casino players. The affiliates that focus on credibility will be the preferred choice for players who are searching for real reviews from industry experts.
The post Topic: ROnline Casino : Why Trust is the Real Currency in Online Casino Reviews appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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USDT Casino Launches Industry-First ‘Sunday Brunch Free Spins’ with Zero Wagering Requirements
USDT Casino has unveiled a groundbreaking promotion that is set to transform weekend gaming for cryptocurrency enthusiasts. The innovative ‘Sunday Brunch Free Spins’ offer provides players with 20 free spins on Evoplay’s popular Food Feast slot, featuring zero wagering requirements and no maximum win limits.
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Industry-Leading Player Benefits
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The promotion is now live and available every Sunday, with USDT Casino reserving the right to modify terms as needed. Players must agree to the casino’s fair play policy and promotion terms to participate.
About USDT Casino: USDT Casino is a leading cryptocurrency casino platform specialising in Tether (USDT) gaming solutions. The platform offers seamless crypto transactions, instant withdrawals, and a diverse game portfolio tailored for the modern digital gambler.
The post USDT Casino Launches Industry-First ‘Sunday Brunch Free Spins’ with Zero Wagering Requirements appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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