The Gambling Commission has responded to official concerns over the accuracy and presentation of its new gambling harms statistics, insisting it is taking steps to improve clarity and confidence in the figures.

The regulator said it will improve how it communicates the risks and limitations of its flagship gambling harm survey, after the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) warned that the results could overstate the extent of problem gambling.

In a detailed response published today (24 July), the Commission defended the Gambling Survey for Great Britain (GSGB), describing it as “a timely, robust dataset on gambling behaviours in Great Britain” that provides vital evidence to inform policy.

However, it also acknowledged that more work is needed to address public confusion and inappropriate use of the figures.

The GSGB was launched as the UK’s official gambling statistics source in 2023.

But in May this year, the OSR said that “significantly more work is needed” to communicate the uncertainty of the survey’s estimates and to act on the recommendations of a critical independent review by Professor Patrick Sturgis.

In its response, the Commission said: “We are really pleased that the OSR recognised in their review the amount of work that has gone into the development of the GSGB and that we have some clear recommendations which will help us to continue to develop our new official statistics and further strengthen our adherence to the Code of Practice.”

Ben Haden, UKGC director of research and statistics, added: “Changing any baseline for official statistics is challenging, it needs care and takes time to bed in as all stakeholders get familiar with the new data source, what the data means and how to use it.

“This was always going to be the case in a sector where the derivation and use of statistics has historically been a contentious space.”

UKGC admits stats have been misused

The Commission admitted that some of the GSGB’s statistics had been misused by stakeholders, including MPs who cited problematic figures in parliamentary debates.

The regulator said: “[S]ome speakers in the parliamentary debate used the GSGB statistics incorrectly by grossing the problem gambling score to population level and used an inaccurate description of PGSI 8 and over scores.”

In response, it wrote directly to the individuals concerned and published a corrections log.

The OSR’s core criticism focused on the potential for bias in the GSGB, especially the possibility that self-reporting could inflate the apparent level of gambling harm.

The UKGC now plans to update every statistical release to include a statement that “there is a risk that the findings over estimate gambling harm.”

To validate the survey data, the regulator has commissioned experimental research from the National Centre for Social Research and academics at the London School of Economics.

It has also postponed the publication of its 2024 annual report to incorporate the results, which are due in August.

The UKGC said it would continue to triangulate GSGB data with other national and international studies, such as the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey and Ireland’s gambling prevalence research.

It added that GSGB had been used “widely… by researchers, policy makers, the media and politicians,” and cited examples of positive uptake including use in NICE guidelines and in reports from the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute.

Despite the OSR’s criticisms, the Commission reiterated its belief in the importance of the survey as a core part of its evidence base.

The 2024 GSGB annual report is now scheduled for release on 2 October.

AI is no longer the future. AI is here. In the iGaming world, machine learning has become the benchmark. Operators and affiliates are expected to use this technology to build efficient player conversion journeys. However, AI has had some interesting side effects on the iGaming industry, moving the emphasis away from data and statistics and back to the personal experience.

AI is the new baseline

Before the emergence of AI, affiliates spent significant time building a successful campaign through data analysis, campaign setup, and optimization. Something like 30% work in a campaign went into this phase. With AI, that can now be done in the blink of an eye.

That hasn’t removed 30% of the work for affiliates because everyone uses these machine learning tools. That 30% has become the new floor, the new standard for advertising. Companies now need to build another 100% from that floor, effectively providing 130% of what was possible before AI.

What makes a campaign stand out now is all the work done after AI. The baseline has changed, and everyone has to build from there.

The AI paradox

One interesting development seen with the emergence of AI in campaigns is that it’s pointed us to provide more personal campaigns rather than the robotic, data-driven campaigns you’d expect.

Affiliates and operators can stop focusing on data-driven approaches as machine learning can handle this, and spend more time adding the human touch to the customer journeys and digital marketing.

While this will only grow as time goes on, several campaigns have already been built around social connections and the human touch, thanks to AI freeing up that space.

Adding human stories to March Madness

During the last March Madness competition, AI was used to collate data, analyze results of each tournament day, and make predictions for the next day. With so many programs coming from across the US competition, making accurate predictions based on data was incredibly time-consuming. Now? Machine learning has it covered.

But something was missing from the campaign, and we could use that free time to add the human and personal stories of March Madness. The tournament is, after all, about college students thrust into the national spotlight, sometimes out of nowhere.

Those stories, backed by machine learning-provided data, are what captured attention. We noticed a huge increase in engagement on our platform from this campaign, and there is evidence that shows AI is adding the human touch back to marketing.

Testing casino sounds

Sounds are often an underappreciated element of game design, but one iGaming brand we worked with put it at the forefront of development. To improve its customer experience, we assisted the company in using AI through acquisition channels to track the engagement and preferences of users for soundtracks played through game sessions.

Using machine learning to track patterns of human preferences helped build a stronger product and created a more personalized product.

Enhancing the social side of fantasy sports

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) are all about the community and players competing with each other. However, it is also data and statistics-intensive. Until AI was introduced, many operators we worked with focused on campaigns emphasizing data, risk management, and statistics.

Now, our partners are working closely with us to learn how to add the human and social experience to campaigns for DFS. Rather than enhancing data tools, which machine learning can handle, we’re helping to build better social features and user engagement tools for these platforms. Campaigns are focused on that as well, rather than just the team-building mechanics and the data available to help with that.

Summary

When COVID-19 hit the world, technology evolved to bring us everything work-related through the virtual world. When the world reopened again, people still had Zoom calls and worked from home from time to time, but people flocked back to offices, in-person meetings, and trade shows. Humans are social creatures, and that shows in our technology.

AI proves that again, at least in the marketing world. Machine learning technology is taking away the data-driven and analytics approach to campaigns and bringing back the emphasis on the human touch.

Sam (Shmulik) Segal – founder/CEO. Sam has over 20 years of experience in the online gambling industry. Prior to founding MediaTroopers, Sam served in C-level roles in product, technical and performance management in several leading online gaming technology providers and marketing companies.  Previously, Sam has worked for several publicly traded online gambling companies, including Playtech, Playtika, NeoGames, Aspire Global, and iBus Media (now part of the Flutter Entertainment Company).

On 22 July, Michigan’s state Supreme Court unanimously ruled that state online gambling laws do not bar individuals from bringing gambling-related disputes to court.

The new decision allows a lawsuit concerning $3.3m in contested online casino winnings to move forward, with potential implications for the broader landscape of online gaming regulation and consumer rights.

The case centres on Jacqueline Davis, who in March 2021 played BetMGM’s promotional roulette-style game “Luck O’ The Roulette,” which was featured around St. Patrick’s Day.

Starting with a $4.50 bet, Davis quickly accumulated winnings over a five-day streak.

As her balance grew, she began placing the game’s $5,000 maximum wager on spins, eventually amassing nearly $3.3m in her BetMGM account, according to court filings.

Davis requested a withdrawal of $100,000, which BetMGM processed and acknowledged with a congratulatory email.

However, the following day, the casino suspended her account. BetMGM cited the “volume of play” and a presumed “error” in the game as the reason for the suspension.

A subsequent letter from the company’s attorney described the situation as a software glitch and invoked a policy that requires resetting a player’s account balance to its pre-error state in the event of such technical issues.

Davis responded by filing a lawsuit in Wayne County Circuit Court, accusing BetMGM of fraud, conversion, and breach of contract under common law.

In its defence, BetMGM contended that Davis’s claims were barred under the 2019 Lawful Internet Gaming Act (LIGA), arguing that the law conferred regulatory authority to the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) and left no room for private lawsuits.

While the MGCB does regulate online gambling in Michigan, it informed Davis that it lacked authority to determine the merits of her specific dispute.

Ruling sets potential new precedent

Despite this, a Wayne County judge granted BetMGM’s motion for summary disposition in June 2022, citing a lack of judicial jurisdiction.

The MGCB had previously cited BetMGM for failing to detect the game’s malfunction within 24 hours. This information was later discovered by Davis’s legal team via a Freedom of Information Act request, after it was not disclosed during the original court proceedings.

A subsequent motion for reconsideration in Wayne County was denied, and the decision was upheld in September 2023 by a split panel in the Michigan Court of Appeals.

The Michigan Supreme Court’s new ruling overturns that trajectory. Writing for the unanimous court, Justice Brian Zahra emphasised that the Lawful Internet Gaming Act (LIGA) was never intended to eliminate the ability to pursue common law claims in court.

Zahra wrote that while LIGA legalised online gambling, it did not abrogate preexisting rights to legal remedies under common law.

He stressed that the adaptability of common law makes it suitable for evolving scenarios stemming from new industries like online gaming, noting that Michigan’s legal paradigm must respond to these changes.

The ruling remands the case back to Wayne County Circuit Court for consideration of Davis’ original claims, a decision her attorney, David Steingold, described as a clear victory.

However, he also highlighted lingering concerns about transparency in how disputes between gamblers and online platforms are handled in Michigan.

Steingold criticised the MGCB’s lack of disclosure during the initial court proceedings.

He pointed out that Davis was neither notified of the MGCB’s violation finding nor invited to participate in the proceedings, raising questions about due process.

Las Vegas Sands’ (LVS) Q2 2025 results showed growth driven by Marina Bay Sands performance, alongside $800m in share repurchases.

The land-based gaming giant reported consolidated revenue of $3.18bn for the second quarter, representing a 15% increase from the prior-year period, while executing $800m in share repurchases under its buyback programme.

The integrated resort operator’s Marina Bay Sands property in Singapore generated adjusted property EBITDA of $768m, compared to $512m in the second quarter of 2024.

High hold on rolling play at the Singapore venue positively impacted EBITDA by $107m during the quarter.

Meanwhile, operations across Macau contributed adjusted property EBITDA of $566m, with high hold adding $7m to performance.

Net income for the quarter reached $519m, up from $424m in the second quarter of 2024, while consolidated adjusted property EBITDA increased to $1.33bn from $1.07bn in the prior year period.

Robert Goldstein, chairman and chief executive officer, said: “We remain enthusiastic about our opportunities to deliver industry-leading growth in both Macau and Singapore as we realise the benefits from our recently completed capital investment programmes in both markets.”

“In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands once again delivered record financial and operating performance. Our new suite product and elevated service offerings position us for additional growth as travel and tourism spending in Asia expands.”

Strong LVS casino performance drives Singapore gains

Marina Bay Sands’ casino revenue increased to $1.07bn from $706m in the prior year quarter, with rolling chip volume rising to $8.95bn from $6.08bn.

The property achieved a rolling chip win percentage of 5.3%, compared to 4.7% in the second quarter of 2024.

Across Macau, total net revenues for Sands China Ltd increased 2.5% to $1.79bn. The Londoner Macao reported revenue growth to $642m from $444m, while The Venetian Macao saw revenue decline to $663m from $686m.

The operator’s financial strength enabled significant capital returns, with Las Vegas Sands repurchasing approximately 20 million shares at a weighted average price of $39.59 during the quarter.

Since resuming its share repurchase programme in Q4 2023, the company has bought back 79 million shares for a total investment of $3.5bn.

Goldstein added: “Our financial strength and industry-leading cash flow continue to support our investment and capital expenditure programs in both Macau and Singapore, our pursuit of growth opportunities in new markets and our program to return excess capital to stockholders.”

The company maintained its quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share and reported unrestricted cash balances of $3.45bn as of 30 June 2025.

In May 2025, the American commercial gaming industry generated $6.73bn in total revenue, an increase of 10.9% year-on-year.

Taken from the American Gaming Association’s (AGA) Commercial Gaming Revenue Tracker, the figure includes revenue from traditional casino games, retail and online sports betting, and iGaming.

Year-to-date revenue through May reached $31.89bn, showing a 7.1% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

This steady growth underscores the resilience and expansion of both the land-based and online gaming sectors, despite regulatory fragmentation and competitive pressures across jurisdictions.

Of the 37 US commercial gaming markets that were active in May 2024 and reported complete data for May 2025, 35 posted year-on-year revenue gains.

Nevada and South Dakota were the only jurisdictions to see overall revenue declines, down 2.2% and 3.1%, respectively. Sports betting revenue for Arizona was not available at the time of reporting.

Land-based gaming, encompassing traditional casino activities and retail sports betting, posted combined May revenue of $4.53bn, up 4.8% year-over-year.

Retail sports betting revenue more than doubled with a 101.8% increase, while traditional casino games posted a modest 3.9% gain. Slot machine revenue rose 4.4% to $3.24bn, while table game revenue increased 3.3% to $894.1m.

These figures exclude Louisiana and Michigan, which report combined slot and table game revenue.

Online growth outpacing retail

Overall, online gaming channels demonstrated significantly faster growth than the land-based segment. Online gaming revenue reached $2.19bn in May, up 27.5% from May 2024.

iGaming accounted for $899.8m of that total, marking a 33% year-on-year increase.

Each of the seven active iGaming states reported annual growth, with Delaware, Rhode Island, and West Virginia more than doubling their iGaming revenue. Nationwide, online sports betting revenue rose by 21.4%.

State-level performance varied, but the overall trend leaned decisively upward. Of the 27 states with traditional casino slot machines or table games, only three saw May 2025 revenue declines versus the prior year.

Nevada experienced a 3.4% drop, South Dakota fell 2.7%, and Delaware declined 1%. Conversely, states with newly expanded markets fueled much of the national increase.

Nebraska posted a 149.8% gain, Virginia jumped 36.1%, and Illinois rose 22.7%.

West Virginia (+24.4%), New Jersey (+10.9%), and Maine (+10.4%) also contributed significantly to overall growth.

Cumulative slot and table game revenue for January through May 2025 reached $21.06bn, 1.8% higher than the same five-month period last year.

This moderate increase indicates that while land-based gaming remains a cornerstone of the industry, the strongest impetus for growth is now coming from digital segments.

Sports betting alone generated $1.37bn in commercial revenue in May, an increase of 24.3% year-over-year.

Total sports wagering handle for the month reached $12.10bn, with a national hold rate of 11.3%, up from 10.5% in May 2024.

Year-to-date commercial sportsbook revenue totaled $6.50bn through May, reflecting a 13.1% rise over the prior year.

Launching a marketing campaign at the wrong time can mean the difference between reaching thousands of engaged players or shouting into an empty digital space.

While many operators rely on general assumptions about “prime time,” player activity patterns vary dramatically across different countries, influenced by cultural habits, work schedules, and local events.

To illustrate these differences, the Blask team analysed real-time data from four high-activity markets, each representing different cultural backgrounds and time-based behaviour patterns:

• Vietnam (Asia)
• Italy (Europe)
• Brazil (Latin America)
• Nigeria (Africa)

This small-scale observation compared player behaviour during weekdays, weekends, national holidays, and major sporting events across a limited timeframe. While this analysis provides interesting initial insights, it represents just a snapshot rather than comprehensive market research. The goal is to demonstrate that timing patterns exist and prove that gut-driven approaches and one-size-fits-all strategies won’t work across different markets. For marketers seeking deeper insights, Blask provides hourly data across 80+ countries with just a few clicks.

How Blask measures player activity by the hour

To collect insights on real-time player activity, the Blask team used their own advanced analytics platform. At the core of this platform is Blask Index — a unique and industry-tailored metric inspired by the Share of Search approach which transforms the volume of search queries and online interest into a precise measure of how many people are actively seeking iGaming entertainment in any given market.

Blask Index is especially effective because of its fast and constant update cycle. The platform gathers and processes fresh brand search traffic data every hour, displaying it on interactive charts with true hourly granularity. It becomes simple to identify exact hours of increased activity, making Blask Index a useful tool for understanding daily rhythms and planning marketing actions or technical optimisations accordingly.

For this observation, the Blask team took special care in selecting each period for analysis:

• 5-11 May was chosen as a baseline to establish “normal” peak activity levels. No major sporting events or national holidays occurred in any selected countries during this period. These 7 days became the baseline for identifying Blask Index peaks.

• National holidays were selected following this logic: they occur in 2025, last more than 2 days (to better understand behavioral trend changes), and users are off work during these periods:
  • Vietnam: Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year) — the most significant Vietnamese holiday
  • Italy: Easter Week — a major religious celebration with extended time off
  • Brazil: Carnival — the country’s most important cultural celebration
  • Nigeria: Easter Weekend — a significant religious holiday period

• Major sporting events for 2025 were selected to ensure data availability while focusing on events that genuinely capture national attention:
  • Vietnam: ASEAN Championship Final Matches
  • Italy: UEFA Nations League A Quarter-Finals
  • Brazil: Copa do Brasil 2025
  • Nigeria: 2024–25 Nigeria Premier Football League

The team deliberately selected holidays and sports events that didn’t coincide with well-known weekly peaks to avoid confusing standard weekend activity with event-driven engagement.

This careful approach helps ensure that the observed patterns reflect genuine differences rather than routine fluctuations, though the limited sample size means these findings should be considered preliminary observations rather than definitive conclusions.

Vietnam’s late-night players and festive surges

Vietnamese players demonstrate a preference for late-night and early morning gaming sessions. During weekdays, peak activity consistently occurred between midnight and 3:00 AM local time.

Weekend activity remains relatively stable, with Saturday showing elevated engagement similar to holiday periods, while Sunday activity decreases as players prepare for the workweek.

The Lunar New Year celebration (Tết Nguyên Đán) created the strongest activity spikes of all measured periods, with peak values reaching 132K — significantly higher than typical weekday activity.

During ASEAN Championship matches, peak gaming activity occurred around 2:00 AM — well after 8:00 PM kickoffs ended. This suggests Vietnamese players place bets during matches but continue gaming activities long into the night.

Italy’s consistent late-night engagement

A meticulous examination of gaming activity hours in Italy.

Italian players exhibited remarkably stable gaming patterns regardless of day type or special events. The 1:00 AM time slot dominated activity across nearly all measured periods, creating a predictable rhythm.

Weekend behaviour follows typical weekday patterns, with minimal variation in timing or volume compared to regular workdays.

Easter Week brought higher overall activity levels but maintained consistent 1:00 AM peak timing. Only the final holiday days shifted slightly to 2:00-3:00 AM.

UEFA Nations League Quarter-Finals revealed that peak gaming activity occurred between midnight and 2:00 AM — after 8:45 PM match conclusions, suggesting Italian players engage with other gaming activities following live betting.

Brazil’s dominant and sustained activity

Brazilian players, like Italians, demonstrate extraordinary consistency in their gaming patterns. Whether it’s weekdays or weekends, their peak activity occurs at 2:00 AM. The activity level is slightly higher on Saturdays, but not dramatically so.

Even Carnival — one of Brazil’s most important festivals — doesn’t disrupt this established routine. Blask Index values don’t drop during the celebration, and peak activity timing remains within the familiar 1-2 AM window, staying well within the typical 300-400K range observed across all other periods.

Sporting events also fail to influence these patterns. During Copa do Brasil, matches started in the evening hours, but they had no impact on users’ peak activity times. Despite games scheduled throughout vastly different parts of the day — from 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM — peak gaming activity consistently occurred at 1:00-2:00 AM, completely disconnected from actual match schedules.

Brazilian players maintain Blask Index values between 300-400K regardless of external circumstances, generating the highest overall activity levels while maintaining remarkable temporal predictability — a combination that suggests a deeply established gaming culture that remains largely unaffected by holidays, sports events, or day-of-week variations.

Nigeria’s evening engagement and notable weekend spikes.

Nigerian players demonstrate unique patterns compared to other markets. Regular weekday activity peaks occur at 6:00-7:00 PM, aligning with post-work hours rather than late-night entertainment.

Weekend behaviour sets Nigeria apart dramatically. Players show significantly higher engagement on weekends, with activity levels exceeding both regular weekdays and holiday periods. Weekend peaks also occur earlier in the day compared to weekday evening patterns.

During Easter Weekend, activity patterns varied significantly from day to day, with peak times shifting from usual evening hours to earlier afternoon slots, suggesting holiday schedules alter gaming routines more than in other countries.

Nigerian Premier Football League matches created direct correlations between game times and peak activity. When matches occurred at 2:00-5:00 PM, peak gaming activity happened during the same hours or shortly after.

There is no single “safe” window for engagement with players

This limited analysis by the Blask team reveals that peak iGaming activity patterns appear to vary significantly across the observed markets:

• By country: Daily routines and cultural habits shape distinct peak times — late night hours in Vietnam, Italy, and Brazil, whereas in Nigeria, the busiest periods are in the early evening.
• By day type: Weekends don’t universally equate to higher activity in the observed data. While Nigeria and Vietnam experienced a notable weekend surge, other countries showed different patterns.
• By event: While some markets show minimal response to external events, others like Vietnam experience notable activity increases during celebrations and sporting occasions compared to regular workdays. These variations suggest that cultural attitudes toward gaming during special events differ substantially across markets.

These observed patterns suggest that operators and affiliates might benefit from market-specific timing strategies rather than one-size-fits-all approaches, though these observations represent only a small sample and would require much more extensive data analysis to validate as consistent trends.

About Blask: Founded by visionaries Dmitry Belianin and Max Tesla, Blask is changing the landscape of iGaming analytics. Blask’s mission is to provide cutting-edge, data-driven solutions so market leaders can make quick, informed decisions.

1spin4win reports an impressive first half of 2025. Over the last six months, the company has experienced significant growth across key performance metrics. Compared to H2 2024, the GGR has surged by 30.3%, bet count has risen by 21%, and bet volume has increased by 20.7%.

For 1spin4win, this has also been a period of exploring fresh creative forms and exciting experiences for players. The studio has launched a brand-new themed game format – a four-part slot collection inspired by Japanese culture and traditions. Each new release in the series builds on the previous one, both visually and narratively, taking the shared storyline further and introducing new characters. 

So far, the studio has released three games from the collection, including the standout opening chapter – Tiger’s Steps Hold and Win. The game has become an absolute fun-favorite, ranking among the top five Q2 2025 releases by bet count and topping the April 2025 charts by number of bets.

H1 2025 has also marked a wave of new collaborations. 1spin4win has signed over 300 new deals, significantly extending its distribution network. The studio’s partner portfolio now includes such casinos as Pin-Up, 1xBet, GGBet, BitStarz, and PlayAmo, as well as leading aggregators like SoftSwiss, Alea, Digitain, BetConstruct, and SoftGamings.

This impressive success has not gone unnoticed. Over the past six months alone, 1spin4win has received four nominations across major industry awards. The most recent one was in the Slot Supplier – Under 5 Years category at the EGR B2B Awards 2025. Being recognized by market leaders serves as a significant acknowledgement of 1spin4win’s rapid growth, solid expertise, and trustworthiness in the iGaming sector. 

Olga Hlukhovskaya, business development director at 1spin4win, shared, “We are excited and proud to see such strong growth in the first half of 2025. This progress reflects the dedication of our team and the trust our partners and players place in us. We look forward to building on this momentum and strengthening our position in the industry.”

About 1spin4win

1spin4win is a fast-growing game provider founded in May 2021 by ambitious developers with over 15 years of experience in the gambling industry. Since its inception, the company has expanded its portfolio to include over 150 classic online slots, all characterized by quality mathematics, transparent mechanics, and well-balanced gameplay — key factors that drive strong player retention. The studio aims to release an average of four new games each month in 2025 and offers effective promotional tools for casino operators to help them enhance player loyalty.

Swedish iLottery and iBingo specialist Random State has announced it secured a significant funding round co-led by FDJ United Ventures and Germany’s Zeal Network SE, establishing a strategic partnership focused on lottery sector innovation.

The investment will support Random State’s development of new games and expansion of its sales and marketing efforts. FDJ United Ventures operates as the investment arm of FDJ United, one of Europe’s leading lottery and gaming operators, while Zeal Network SE is Germany’s largest online lottery provider.

Random State provides a turnkey iLottery platform and develops digital instant lottery and bingo formats.

The Gothenburg-based company’s clients include Delta Bingo Online, the UAE’s first regulated lottery, and Swedish lottery company Miljonlotteriet.

Adam Fonsica, co-founder and COO of Random State, said: “We are incredibly proud to welcome FDJ United Ventures and Zeal as strategic investors. Their backing validates our approach to creating modern, user-centric lottery and bingo games characterised by creative game design.

“This collaboration is a perfect strategic fit, providing the resources to fast-track our game development and scale our commercial footprint into new territories, hand-in-hand with two of the most respected operators in the industry.”

FDJ cites innovation focus

The companies said the partnership centres on shared objectives to modernise lottery experiences for global audiences, with both investment firms highlighting Random State’s approach to game development.

Maxime Sbeghen, head of investments at FDJ, said: “Random State’s focus on innovation and creating engaging, user-centric games aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of the lottery.

“As an international group committed to expanding globally, we are excited to partner with them to bring fresh momentum to a modern and future-ready lottery landscape and support their growth in the industry.”

Juliane Gutsmiedl, investment manager at Zeal Ventures, added: “With Random State, we are investing into innovation in the iLottery sector. The team impresses with creative game design and a deep understanding of diverse user preferences — providing us with valuable impulses for the development of our own portfolio.”

Having completed its much-anticipated entry into the regulated UK market last summer, in-demand software provider Swintt has announced it has now signed a new partnership agreement with Midnite.com that will further strengthen its presence in the country.

With a company motto of “betting done better,” Midnite.com is a recently-launched London-based operation that offers both sports betting and online casino to its customers – and the platform has wasted little time in building one of the most complete game line-ups in the market.

Already featuring slots, table games, live casino options, game shows and bingo, the company will now be able to expand this impressive portfolio with the addition of Swintt’s content – most notably the cutting-edge slots in the brand’s innovative Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt range.

With these titles all combining elements of social, mobile and casino gaming to deliver a more engaging experience that’s ideally suited for the modern casino player, Elysium Studios games should tie in perfectly with Midnite.com’s promise to deliver the next generation of entertainment.

Offering standout titles such as the quirky, folk lore-inspired I Hate Fairytales and the brand-new release, Crystalium – which debuted the studio’s a never-before-seen Shifting Reels mechanic – these exciting additions will provide an even greater range of options for players at Midnite.com.

From Swintt’s perspective, meanwhile, aligning itself with one of the fastest-rising stars in UK casino gaming will certainly raise the profile of the brand in the region while also helping to ensure that its ever-growing catalogue of content can be enjoyed by new players throughout the market.

David Mann, chief executive officer at Swintt, said: “With further expansion in the UK market being one of Swintt’s top priorities for 2025, we’re delighted to officially announce our new partnership with Midnite.com. Undoubtedly one of the region’s most exciting up-and-coming online betting sites, we believe our Elysium Studios – Driven by Swintt line-up truly aligns with the brand’s vision to provide next generation entertainment and we can’t wait to see how these games are received.”

Chelsea Pinho, senior casino manager at Midnite.com, said: “At Midnite we’re dedicated to redefining the online casino experience for UK players. Partnering with Swintt allows us to bring even more innovative, mobile-friendly games to our community, starting with the highly anticipated Elysium Studios titles. We’re excited to see how our players respond to these next-gen slots and look forward to introducing more exclusive content in the months ahead.

PointsBet’s board has again rejected Betr’s takeover offer and unanimously recommended shareholders accept MIXI’s competing cash offer instead.

PointsBet unanimously rejected the unsolicited all-stock offer, with the board instead recommending shareholders accept a competing A$1.20 per share cash bid from Japanese company MIXI Australia.

The Australian sports betting operator announced yesterday (22 July) that it had turned down Betr’s offer of 3.81 Betr shares for every PointsBet share, describing the proposal as “materially inferior” to MIXI’s offer.

This is not the first time PointsBet has rejected a Betr purchase proposal, with the operator’s offers having now been repeatedly declined by the business.

In the latest rejection, PointsBet’s board cited several concerns about Betr’s business model and the conditional nature of its proposal, which requires shareholder approval and Ontario gaming regulatory clearance.

The board said: “The value of the Unsolicited Betr Scrip Offer will change over time (given it is an all-scrip proposal) and the cash value realisable by PointsBet shareholders (should they wish to sell any Betr shares issued to them) is uncertain given the low liquidity of Betr’s shares on ASX.”

PointsBet was particularly critical of Betr’s customer base, noting that the company “has a less valuable and volatile VIP-heavy customer base” with more than 50% of net win in January 2025 generated from just 20 customers.

The board added: “There are meaningful risks associated with a VIP-heavy customer base, including: the long-term sustainability of this revenue is open to question (particularly as Betr pays fees to third parties to manage some of these relationships).”

MIXI offer gains momentum

MIXI Australia’s takeover offer opened for acceptance on Monday, with the Japanese company having already secured pre-bid acceptance agreements covering 9.15% of PointsBet shares from institutional investors including Bennelong Long Short Equity Management and Pictet Asset Management.

Combined with the 8.02% stake held by PointsBet directors, who have indicated they will accept the MIXI offer, this gives the bidder control of 17.18% of shares ahead of the formal process.

MIXI Australia said: “MIXI Australia’s Takeover Offer provides superior all-cash certainty for PointsBet shareholders at a compelling premium that does not rely on scrip and synergy assumptions to deliver value to PointsBet shareholders.”

The A$1.20 per share offer represents a 44.6% premium to PointsBet’s closing price of A$0.83 on February 25, the last trading day before MIXI’s initial scheme proposal was announced.

MIXI Australia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo-listed MIXI Inc, has received regulatory approvals from gaming authorities in Australia and Canada. The takeover offer is open until 25 August unless extended, with a minimum acceptance condition of 50.1% of all PointsBet shares.