The development of the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB) has received a significant endorsement from Professor Patrick Sturgis of the London School of Economics, marking a crucial step towards the production of reliable and comprehensive gambling statistics for the nation.

GSGB Receives Acclaim for Methodological Excellence and Innovative Approach

The independent assessment, released on February 19, lauded the GSGB’s methodological approach, describing it as “exemplary in all respects.” Professor Sturgis, while acknowledging the importance of the survey’s development, also offered several recommendations aimed at addressing key unresolved issues.

The GSGB represents a departure from previous methodologies, transitioning from quarterly telephone interviews to a ‘push-to-web’ survey focused solely on gambling activities. This shift, according to Sturgis, allows for a considerably larger sample size, with an anticipated 20,000 annual responses compared to the previous 4,000.

In his evaluation, Sturgis highlighted the success of the pilot study conducted by the UK Gambling Commission in January and February 2022, which yielded 1,078 responses. The survey’s response rate of 21% was deemed comparable to similar ‘push-to-web’ surveys conducted in the UK, indicating its feasibility and potential for accurate population estimates.

“The move to self-completion was the correct decision,” stated Sturgis, emphasizing the necessity of adapting survey methodologies to address declining response rates and the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. He commended the UK Gambling Commission for consulting widely with stakeholders and adhering to industry standards in developing the GSGB.

UKGC Embraces Sturgis’s Recommendations for Improved Gambling Data

Despite endorsing the survey’s development, Sturgis outlined seven recommendations for the UK Gambling Commission to address remaining unresolved issues. These recommendations include conducting research to understand survey response biases, evaluating question biases for online respondents, and exploring opportunities to benchmark GSGB estimates against face-to-face interviews in the future.

Tim Miller, executive director of the UK Gambling Commission, welcomed Sturgis’s recommendations, reaffirming the commission’s commitment to leveraging better data for improved regulation and outcomes. Miller emphasized the importance of understanding the impact of changes to the survey design and methodology, signaling a commitment to ongoing evolution and improvement.

The endorsement of the GSGB marks a significant milestone in the quest for more accurate and comprehensive gambling statistics in the UK.

The UK Gambling Commission aims to enhance gambling regulations by improving data collection methodologies, believing that better data leads to better regulation and outcomes.

Through extensive consultations and collaboration with stakeholders, including the government and academic experts, the Commission made significant progress in developing the GSGB, to produce reliable statistics to inform policymaking and ensure effective regulation of the gambling sector.

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PokerStars, the world-renowned online poker platform, has introduced a revamped Rewards Program, which went live on January 22, 2024. 

PokerStars Ditches Weekly Challenges for Fairer Rewards Program

PokerStars is bidding farewell to its Weekly Poker Challenges, a significant departure from the previous system. The decision stems from the challenges’ lackluster performance, with a staggering 75% of participants failing to complete them. 

Complaints about progress bars being reset, regardless of proximity to completion, led to a consensus that change was necessary. The elimination of these challenges aims to establish a more transparent, fairer, and easily understandable program.

Under the new PokerStars Rewards Program, players can anticipate a more predictable and rewarding experience. Moving away from the all-or-nothing nature of the previous challenges, the program is now volume-based, allowing players to plan and achieve targets at their own pace. 

The minimum requirements for earning a Rewards Chest have been raised for regular players, but the base program now offers more substantial rewards, ranging from 25% to an impressive 40%, all provided as cash.

Acknowledging the disparities in playing habits, PokerStars ensures that recreational players, falling within the Bronze and Blue Levels, are not left out. These players will now receive daily rewards, including a fixed $0.50 Power Path ticket, encouraging them to embark on PokerStars adventures. This inclusive approach aims to bridge the gap between casual and regular players, rectifying the shortcomings of the previous system.

PokerStars Unveils Exclusive Tiers for High Rollers

Introducing a touch of luxury for their high-volume players, PokerStars has launched exclusive tiers called PokerStars Select and Select+. Players automatically qualify for these tiers based on the rake generated within a rolling one-year period. 

The perks include designated personal account managers, increased reward rates, and exclusive promotions, providing a first-class experience for the platform’s most dedicated players. The eligibility criteria for these exclusive levels are set at $/€50,000 and $/€100,000 in rake, respectively, over a one-year period.

With the new changes, PokerStars aims to create a more transparent, rewarding, and inclusive experience for its diverse player base. The revamped Rewards Program promises increased generosity, with up to 40% in Rakeback for the majority and an impressive 60% for the top-tier players.

In other news, PokerStars entered into a significant partnership with Playson, a prominent digital entertainment supplier. The agreement allows Playson to supply PokerStars with popular games, starting with Solar King, and expanding to include hits like 3 Pots Riches: Hold and Win, Coin Strike: Hold and Win, and Royal Coins 2: Hold and Win. The collaboration aims to enhance PokerStars’ gaming offerings, initially in the United Kingdom and Malta, with potential expansion to Spain and Ontario in the future.

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Crown Melbourne has declared its commitment to becoming the world’s safest casino with the help of a groundbreaking initiative that comes in the form of a new carded play system.

Crown Melbourne Mandates Swipe Cards for Player Limits

The casino, once embroiled in controversy following the 2021 Finkelstein royal commission, has announced that poker machine players will now be required to use swipe cards to establish binding limits on both losses and time spent gambling. 

Crown Resorts chief executive, Ciaran Carruthers, expressed the casino’s ambition to operate the safest casinos globally, emphasizing the transformative nature of this pioneering shift, reported the Australian media outlet The Age.

Effective immediately, patrons utilizing Crown Melbourne’s 2500 poker machines will need to employ a swipe card to determine their maximum allowable losses and set time constraints. This innovative approach aims to promote responsible gambling and empower players to manage their gaming activities more conscientiously.

Additionally, players will receive detailed player activity statements, providing insights into their ongoing spending and playing habits. This move is part of Crown Melbourne’s commitment to fostering an environment of transparency and responsibility.

Crown Resorts Unveils Ambitious Plans for Statewide Gaming Reform

The new system is not limited to Crown Melbourne alone. Plans are underway to extend it to the state’s other 26,380 poker machines in pubs, clubs, and RSLs. 

This development coincides with a challenging period for the casino, as recent reports indicate an investigation into allegations that CEO Ciaran Carruthers intervened to permit blocked patrons to gamble.

Crown Resorts, having faced a substantial $100 million fine last year for allowing prolonged gambling at its Southbank complex, remains under scrutiny for past practices. This year, Crown Resorts also got slapped with a substantial AUD450 million ($309.8 million) fine by the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC) for significant lapses in anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism measures at Crown Perth and Crown Melbourne. 

This move towards heightened player protection aligns with broader industry reforms. Former premier Daniel Andrews previously announced stringent gambling and anti-money laundering measures in August, affecting all pubs and clubs. 

Back in September, Crown Resorts introduced a Premium Player Program at its Crown Melbourne and Crown Sydney casinos, excluding Crown Perth, in a strategic move to rebuild its. The program, directly overseen by Crown Resorts, enforced strict eligibility criteria, collaborating with regulators to ensure compliance with post-inquiry regulations, reflecting the company’s commitment to responsible gaming and ethical practices under the leadership of CEO Ciaran Carruthers.

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BetMakers Technology Group, a leading wagering technology and data partner, has unveiled OneWatch, its new terminal monitoring solution. The innovative tool will allow companies to easily manage thousands of terminals.

BetMakers described OneWatch as a wagering terminal monitoring and analytics tool that has been designed to revolutionize wagering terminal operations from manual and reactive to smart and proactive.

According to the announcement, OneWatch will reinforce BetMakers and its Global Tote division with a robust tool for terminal maintenance and support services. OneWatch notably includes centralized monitoring of the entire wagering terminal estate with a single, consolidated dashboard. In addition to that, the tool provides real-time status indicators, alerts and general health reports.

Another thing OneWatch excels in is the analysis of historical data and its data-driven decision-making. Finally, BetMakers’ new solution offers dashboard integration with third-party automation tools.

Global Tote’s operation teams, for example, will leverage the solution to manage the company’s thousands of BetLine Series wagering terminals across the US. Global Tote clients will also be provided with insights into their BetLine terminals, a centralized dashboard and historical data.

In addition, clients who acquire BetLine terminals can also leverage OneWatch to gain visibility into their machines’ performance and secure access to tools they can use to improve customer satisfaction.

BetMakers Wants to Drive Innovation

BetMakers Technology Group’s chief technology officer, Karl Begg, commented on the launch, highlighting BetMakers’ goal to simplify betting. According to Begg, the company’s BetLine Series of wagering terminals seeks to ensure that all key elements of betting terminal service can be analyzed and monitored.

Whether deployed for our North American clients or by a client that owns their own BetLine terminals, OneWatch will give support teams comprehensive oversight of critical wagering terminal systems, ensuring that nothing escapes attention.

Karl Begg, CTO, BetMakers Technology Group

Begg added that BetMakers continues its mission to transform the global racing industry by enhancing the overall wagering experience. The BetLine Series and the OneWatch solution are just two of the ways in which BetMakers has supported the sector.

OneWatch will officially launch for clients in Q1 2024. In the meantime, the solution is being rolled out to BetMakers’ Global Tote operations.

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Groove Technologies announced that its new product manager, Shay Kababia, has created a new Recommender tool that has the potential to revolutionize the online casino experience. Kababia has been working on this project for over a year, leveraging the company’s experienced developer team.

The new tool was described as a user-centric data-driven recommendation system that can provide casino players with content tailored to their needs. The system allows companies to level up their personalization capabilities and engage their audiences with content that is specifically selected for them.

The new system provides gambling operators with a four-tiered display that recommends content based on players’ gaming behavior. The tool allows players to discover many new games that might interest them, greatly improving operators’ profitability.

As mentioned, Kababia’s new Recommender system recommends games based on players’ preferences. In addition to suggestions, the system also recommends titles that players are likely to enjoy because of similar mechanics or themes. Furthermore, the new system also keeps gamblers updated on the latest games on the market and keeps them informed about upcoming releases.

The new system allows players to explore a rich selection of content from a variety of suppliers, including GrooveStudio.

Groove Seeks to Remain Ahead of the Curve

According to Groove, the new Recommender tool embodies the company’s “forward-thinking ethos” and follows the company’s recent transformative rebrand. Groove’s core solutions are currently backed by an experienced team of industry professionals such as Kababia.

Speaking of Kababia, the product manager commented on the new tool, saying that it is the result of his team’s hard work.

This cutting-edge tool ensures operators managing multiple brands have a distinct lobby tailored to pivotal metrics. Our team’s unyielding efforts have positioned Groove at the forefront with this launch. Its influence is palpable among our operator circle.

Shay Kababia, product manager, Groove Technologies

Groove’s chief operating officer, Yahale Meltzer, also shared his thoughts on the release, praising Kababia and his unit for their contributions to the company and its operator partners. The Recommender tool is another product that will help Groove redefine the industry, Meltzer added.

Our state-of-the-art “Recommender” tool is setting new benchmarks, redefining how operators and casino brands engage with their audiences.

Yahale Meltzer, COO, Groove Technologies

In the meantime, Groove continues to create new links with gaming companies, developers and tech and AI specialists. In May, the company teamed up with Spribe, the name behind the biggest crash game in the world, Aviator.

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