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Emotions test reveals: The online purchases making us 67% happier!

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4 years ago

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  • On average, online purchases are found to raise our positive feelings by 56%
  • Participants reported the biggest increase in happiness when purchasing houseplants – positive emotions soared by 67%
  • Gaming console purchases saw the second highest increase in positive feelings (+66%)
  • Trainers and fiction books are also among the purchases raising positive emotions most
  • Holidays abroad came in last; participants noted high levels of excitement but also reported an increase in concern due to its uncertainty

Thanks to ‘doom shopping’, it was revealed that the UK spends three times more when online shopping compared to the global average, costing the average person a whooping £1,382 per year! Clearly these purchases keep us coming back for more, but how do we enjoy splashing our cash the most?
Interested in online shopping, money.co.uk conducted an emotions test among 2,560 participants to discover which online purchases bring us the most joy!

Participants were asked to complete a variation* of the BMIS test (Brief Mood Intensity Scale) and record the intensity of 10 different emotions after making an online purchase. The intensity of each emotion was allocated a score based on its positivity, with a maximum score of 500 points per item – the higher the score, the better. Participants were also asked to complete the same test before making any purchases to uncover the percentage increase in positive emotions when shopping.

Which online purchases make us happiest?

Money.co.uk can reveal that a houseplant purchase increases our intensity of positive emotions more than any other transaction!
Collecting 478 points out of a potential 500, moods improved by 67% after making a plant purchase. Plants are proven to invoke feelings of vitality by improving the state of mind and lifting spirits – no wonder it scores highly!
With the PS5 still proving hard to get, purchasing a gaming console is the second online transaction that makes us happiest.

As many gamers are left on the edge of their seats waiting to snatch the latest console, it accumulated 475 points out of 500, and purchasing a console was found to raise positive feelings by 66% on average.
In third position are trainer purchases. With the demand for sneakers like Jordan 1s only increasing, those who purchased new trainers reported a 64% increase in happiness, and purchases racked up 472 points.
With bookworms reported to be happier than those who don’t read, the transaction that makes us fourth happiest is a fiction book, improving positive emotions by 64% and collecting 470 points.
Due to the huge surge in personal fitness and wellbeing during lockdown, home gym equipment purchases are found to make us fifth happiest! This transaction led to a 63% increase in positive emotions and scored a healthy 468 points.

To complete the top 10 purchases that increase our intensity of positive emotions:
6. Video game: 466 points, +62%
7. Eyeshadow palette: 465 points, +62%
8. Scented candle: 463 points, +61%
9. Exercise clothing: 461 points, +61%
10. Fashion jewellery: 459, +60%

Coming in last is a holiday abroad with 393 points out of 500 (+37%). Those who plan on jet-setting this year reported high levels of excitement and happiness but were pushed down the table as feelings of worry and nerves due to its current uncertainty.
Interested in the reasons behind our vast improvement in positive feelings, money.co.uk spoke exclusively to Lee Chambers, psychologist and wellbeing consultant, to uncover why shopping makes us happy.
“Online shopping has the ability to make us happy through several different mechanisms. Firstly, even in a world of plenty, we are still evolutionarily designed to consider scarcity. Because of this, acquiring new items, especially when discounted or limited, tends to make us happy, the feeling we have satisfied a need and potentially averted a future threat.

Shopping is also an exercise in control. We select from millions of items precisely what we want, and especially in the uncertain times we live in, we know we will get exactly what we have purchased, and it will be delivered straight to us. This control of selection and guarantee of receipt is powerful, as it becomes a defined event. We also build a level of expectation and anticipation from the moment we press the purchase button, as we believe we now have ownership over the item but have a delay until it is with us physically.

From a cultural perspective, we have been conditioned to see shopping as a reward, either an investment in ourselves or for the satisfaction of others. Shopping is likely to activate the nucleus accumbens in our brain, releasing dopamine and motivating us to repeat the behaviour. Buying printed media taps into our desire to better ourselves, gain knowledge, understand the world around us and provide stories and entertainment that can take us on a journey. And let’s not forget how lovely they look on your bookshelf on a video call, as books have become a decorative symbol over the past year.

And why do we keep buying? Our brain is adaptive, and shopping can relieve stress, provide entertainment when bored and give us a hit of dopamine. The rewarding feeling will keep us finding new things to purchase, especially since our excitement and anticipation fade once we’ve received the item.”

Catherine Hilley, mobiles expert at money.co.uk, said: “Our research reveals how small purchases can increase customers’ emotions in a positive way, something we all need after the past 12 months. With an average 63% increase in positive emotions noted across all top 10 purchases, it seems that shopping online for items such as houseplants, trainers and candles are sparking a lot more joy at the moment, than booking a holiday, which comes with a lot of added uncertainty.”

For more information, please see the blog post for the full rankings and a breakdown by sex, and age: https://www.money.co.uk/mobiles/online-shopping-joy

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Gambling in the USA

Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 9-15

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5 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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Welcome to our weekly roundup of American gambling news again! Here, we are going through the weekly highlights of the American gambling industry which include the latest news and new partnerships. Read on and get updated.

Latest News

BMM Innovation Group, a technology conglomerate focused on gaming product compliance testing, cybersecurity solutions and virtual training for the global gaming industry, announced that it is exhibiting at the Perú Gaming Show 2025, June 18–19 at the Centro de Exposiciones Jockey in Lima, Perú. BMM’s local experts will be available at Booth No. 31–32 to discuss the Company’s full suite of testing, certification, cybersecurity and virtual training services for Perú’s growing gaming industry. With a well-established land-based sector and a rapidly expanding online gaming market, Perú represents one of the most dynamic jurisdictions in Latin America. BMM has supported the Peruvian gaming industry for more than 18 years, with a dedicated office in Lima since 2007. The Company’s deep roots and compliance expertise make it uniquely positioned to serve the diverse needs of Perú’s casinos, sports betting operators, lottery providers and online gaming programmes.

Amusnet is set to make a powerful impression at the Peru Gaming Show 2025, taking place on June 18-19 in Lima, by presenting a comprehensive portfolio across its Online Casino, Live Casino, and Land-based verticals. As one of the most prominent and influential gaming exhibitions in Latin America, PGS brings together the industry’s leading providers, manufacturers and decision-makers for two days of impactful business exchange. Amusnet is also sponsoring the LMG Futbol Experience on June 17, held just before the exhibition, showcasing involvement in local events and its engagement in supporting industry-wide collaboration.

International Game Technology PLC announced that its spectacular RISE55 cabinet is now live on casino floors across the US. With robust, performance-focused content roadmaps for the premium-leased and for-sale game segments, IGT’s RISE55 cabinet debuted with the highly entertaining Magic Treasures Gold game. The RISE55 cabinet features a 55-inch ultra-HD curved display that delivers crisp graphics, enhanced audio technology and remarkable player comfort. The RISE55 cabinet first hit casino floors in late May, with additional deployments planned through the summer. As the hardware’s Class III premium launch title, Magic Treasures Gold is a visually stunning multi-level progressive game with features that build upon the success of IGT’s award-winning Magic Treasures game, including a leveled-up version of the Money Ball feature.

Partnerships

Hard Rock Cafe, in partnership with international soccer icon Lionel Messi, launched new merchandise coinciding with one of the year’s most anticipated global soccer tournaments. The collection debuts as part of Hard Rock’s “WE PLAY TOGETHER” campaign, which unites soccer fans to celebrate the sport. The campaign will feature special experiences and exclusive offers, such as bundle deals combining themed Messi menu and retail items, for guests to watch each match and show support for their favourite teams. Lionel Messi announced the collection via an Instagram post, where he donned one of the custom tees now available for purchase.

PrizePicks, the largest daily fantasy sports operator in North America, announced that it has partnered with the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team’s Official DFS Partner. The partnership features several digital and in-stadium activations at Dodger Stadium as PrizePicks continues to strengthen its brand presence in baseball.

The post Gaming Americas Weekly Roundup – June 9-15 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Conferences

PIN-UP Global to Participate in IGB L!VE London

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7 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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International iGaming holding PIN-UP Global will participate in IGB L!VE, one of the industry’s premier events taking place July 2-3 in London. Booth K40, spanning 168 square meters, will feature two distinct zones – PIN-UP Global and PIN-UP Partners. The holding will create valuable networking opportunities for industry professionals.

Visitors to the PIN-UP Global booth will have the opportunity to meet with the holding’s teams to explore the B2B portfolio designed to boost operational performance and drive business growth in the iGaming sector. The holding’s team will focus on growing its partner network and demonstrating the company’s latest technological developments.

PIN-UP Global team will be on hand throughout the event to explore potential investment opportunities and discuss partnerships with promising startups. The holding continues to identify and support promising teams developing innovative solutions in MarTech, iGaming, FinTech, AI/ML, and analytics.

PIN-UP Partners is joining iGB Affiliate London with top-performing offers, exclusive merch, and proven partnership models. Recognized as the Best iGaming Affiliate Program by AW’2024, MAC’2024, and SiGMA’22, PIN-UP Partners team is ready to build strong, long-term partnerships.

For industry professionals seeking new career opportunities, HR representatives from PIN-UP Global will be present at the event. Interested candidates can book meetings to discuss current openings within the international holding.

With the holding growing rapidly — a remarkable 58% just over the past year — new opportunities and prospects are opening up every day, both for existing team members and for those looking to join. As a result, the holding is actively seeking strong specialists for managerial positions, as well as professionals in tech, marketing, media buying, and more. Visit our booth to become part of the PIN-UP Global team.

For convenient meeting scheduling with holding representatives, exhibition delegates can use the touchscreen booking system and conduct meetings in specially equipped meeting rooms.

PIN-UP Global welcomes all IGB L!VE London attendees – industry experts, potential partners, and talented professionals – to connect with their team during the event to discuss tech solutions, collaboration opportunities, and career prospects.

PIN-UP Global is an international iGaming holding company specialising in developing and implementing advanced technologies, B2B solutions, and innovative products for the iGaming industry.

The post PIN-UP Global to Participate in IGB L!VE London appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Latest News

Nolimit City boards a wild ride at 35,000 feet in Flight Mode

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7 hours ago

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June 17, 2025

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Dear passengers, welcome aboard Flight NLC25! Flight Mode is cleared for takeoff and let’s just say, it’s not a typical family trip to Hawaii. After delivering signature slots like Tombstone Slaughter: El Gordo’s Revenge and Duck Hunters, Nolimit City is now taking it to the skies with Flight Mode and definitely not in a boring way.

Imagine having a crying baby as your only soundtrack, permanent turbulence and a seatmate who thinks deodorant is optional. The Bud Jet airline might not get you from A to B but it’ll drop you into a feature-packed slot and the kind of excitement you can always expect when playing a Nolimit City slot.

In Flight Mode, winning combinations will explode, making room for new symbols to drop in. With every win, the next multiplier value climbs by +1 and applies to new symbols that fall in.

Wild Symbol: The regular Wild symbol that can land on any reel and substitute for any regular symbol.

Multiplier Increaser: Triggered when they land and add its value to the next multiplier value. Multiplier values of symbols are 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x and 10x.

Golden Multiplier Increaser: Triggered when it lands and doubles the value of the next multiplier.

Explosive items are strictly prohib… well, not on this aircraft. The Bomb symbol clears all regular paying symbols on its reel and row when there are no winning combinations. Only Scatter and Wild symbols are saved from the explosions.

Apologies dear passengers, the lavatory is currently occupied! The signature xHole™ is back in Flight Mode, this time disguised as a toilet. All symbols from the main reels are flushed down and then spat out to random positions with the next multiplier value. Just to add an extra twist to it, xHole™ then transforms itself into a Wild symbol that also gets the next multiplier value. Not so hygienic…

 

Flee Spins

This is the captain speaking – we’re going down! Prepare your life jacket and be ready for a spontaneous meet-up with the sharks during Flee Spins! Land 3, 4, or 5 Scatter Symbols to trigger 6, 9, or 12 Flee Spins, respectively.

Upgrade your seat to Bud Jet’s nice price class when purchasing one of these Nolimit Boosters:

-Print Spins: guarantees a spin that starts off with a 30x multiplier on each paying symbol.

-Printier Spins: guarantees a spin that starts off with a 268x multiplier on each paying symbol.
-Printiest Spins: guarantees a spin that starts off with a 911x multiplier on each paying symbol.

No legroom, no peanuts – but you do get Extra Spins. After a round ends, players may get the option to purchase an additional spin, maintaining the current multiplier state of all previously landed symbols.

The special xGod™ mechanic is locked away disguised as passports on the bottom row, secured behind bulletproof glass and a seatbelt that actually works. Each Bomb explosion breaks the panel of its respective reel, bringing you one step closer to landing a Max Win.

The maximum payout of Flight Mode is 5,051x the base bet. Flight Mode is rated as “Extremely Volatile” delivering the thrilling high-stakes gameplay that Nolimit City fans know and love.

Per Lindheimer, Head of Product at Nolimit City, said: “This isn’t your standard trip from A to B. Flight Mode is what happens when you let a slot company rewrite the in-flight safety manual, handing out dynamite instead of peanuts.”

‘Flight Mode’ will be available to all Nolimit City partners on June 17th, 2025.

The post Nolimit City boards a wild ride at 35,000 feet in Flight Mode appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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