A brand new survey from gambling operator Entain has suggested that a majority of gamblers in the United Kingdom want more freedom over their gambling.
This week, Entain, the owner of Ladbrokes, Coral, and more, published the findings of a new survey that polled 2,000 Brits who enjoy betting on something other than The National Lottery once a month.
The survey, conducted by CT Group, found 94% of respondents believe they should be given the freedom to decide for themselves how much time and money they spend gambling, an increase from 79% in December 2020 before the last lockdown began.
What’s more, Entain’s survey found that 55% of respondents see betting and gaming as a social activity that they enjoy with friends, while an additional 25% said that they have made friends through betting and gambling.
In addition, almost 80% of respondents said they place a bet at least once a week and typically spend roughly half of what they might spend in bars, pubs, and restaurant each week.
Other key findings from the survey include that 90% of respondents were sports fans, 83% enjoy betting on the outcome of sports games and events, and 58% saw themselves as savers, with 84% of respondents having savings accounts.
Finally, Entain found that its survey challenged the traditional stereotypes that surround gambling as the majority of its respondents were working, with 40% holding a degree. What’s more, 28% of those who were polled were aged over 55, and 9% were aged 18-24.
The survey comes as the UK Government is in the midst of carrying out its review of the Gambling Act 2005. The review, which is being carried out by the Department of Digital Culture, Media and Sports, could introduce numerous changes to the gambling industry.
The National Lottery has already increased the minimum age to play its products to 18 as part of the review. What’s more, it’s thought that the Government’s review could see the implementation of a ban on sports betting sponsorships as well as various changes to the design and play of casino games.
Also this week, leading game developer Playtech has announced that it’s launched its casino and live casino content with gambling operator the ComeOn Group as part of a new content agreement.
Under the multi-year partnership, all of Playtech’s casino and live casino content has launched across all ComeOn Group brands, including ComeOn!, Sunmaker, Snabbare, and Mobilebet.
Customers registered at any of those sites will now be able to enjoy the Age Of The Gods slot franchise, all of Playtech’s table games, as well as the developer’s popular live casino titles such as Blackjack and Roulette.
Juergen Reutter, the Chief Executive Officer at ComeOn Group, said in a statement: “We are really excited about our new partnership with Playtech and the upside it will bring to our extensive portfolio of brands and markets.
“ComeOn Group is going through an exciting period and we have a strong position in the market where Playtech will play a key role in moving forward. ComeOn Group will continue driving product innovation on its proprietary Casino platform and we believe that this new collaboration will take things up a notch.”
He added: “As a leading operator our mission is to take the player experience to the next level and we are confident that partnering with Playtech will do just that.”
Shimon Akad, the Chief Operating Officer at Playtech, added: “We are very proud that ComeOn Group has chosen to partner with Playtech. ComeOn is at the forefront of innovation and having the opportunity to work alongside them in multiple markets is hugely exciting for us.
“With a continued focus on growth in existing and newly regulated markets, Playtech’s core strategy is to offer long-term sustainability for operators and a safe, enjoyable environment for players.”
They added: “This new partnership with ComeOn is a great example of Playtech’s commitment to partnering with the right companies to bring an entertainment-led experience to international audiences across key regulated markets.”
Finally, popular game developer Red Tiger Gaming has announced the launch of a new and third slot in the Pirates’ Plenty franchise; Pirates’ Plenty MegaWays.
The brand new slot is based on Big Time Gaming’s MegaWays engine and uses a 6×7 layout with up to 200,704 paylines and an RTP of 94.75%. Like other MegaWays slots, the number of symbols and paylines change with each spins for unpredictable gameplay.
Red Tiger’s Pirates’ Plenty MegaWays follows Lady Anne Wild and her crew as they embark on a search for treasure, and the aim of the slot is to sail the pirate ship across the map located above the reels.
According to Red Tiger Gaming, the slot’s symbols are all based on pirate-themed imagery, such as skulls and crossbones, pirate hats, cannons, pistols, and bottles of rum, and the game features an energetic maritime-themed soundtrack too.
Pirates’ Plenty MegaWays is jam-packed with special features, including the Lady Anne expanding wild symbol, multipliers of up to 8x, and a Wild Monkey that can appear at random to remove all low-paying symbols for bigger rewards.
In the statement, Todd Haushalter, the Chief Product Officer at Evolution which owns Red Tiger, said: “Pirates’ Plenty has been hugely popular with players over the last year and we’re sure the addition of MegaWays to this latest title will further build on the success of this game series.
“The combination of a proven mechanic with a popular game series is an irresistible one and we’re excited for Pirates’ Plenty MegaWays to be live!”
