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New research shows students are borrowing money to gamble

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More than one in three university students who gamble are borrowing money to do so, new research has revealed.

A survey of 2,000 students across the UK found that 80% of them have gambled and 41% of this group admit that gambling has had a negative impact on their university experience, including missing lectures, assignment deadlines and social activities.

More than one third (35%) are using money either from their student loan, overdraft, have borrowed from friends or are taking out payday loans to help fund their gambling. Nearly one in five (19%) admit to using their student loan to gamble.

The independent research, conducted by Censuswide, was jointly commissioned by GAMSTOP, the national online self-exclusion scheme, and The Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM), a charity that educates and safeguards vulnerable people against gaming and gambling-related harms.

The mean gambling spend for students is £31.52 per week and almost one in five (18%) admit to spending more than £50 per week, although 45% say they spend no more than £10 a week. Nearly four in ten (38%) say they gamble at least once a week, with 63% gambling at least once a month.

More than one in four (28%) say they are gambling as often, or more often, than before the pandemic and 29% say they are spending as much or more than they did before the pandemic. The most popular gambling products during the pandemic have been the National Lottery (32%), online sports betting (25%) and online bingo (18%).

Almost half the students who gamble (46%) say that making money is a motivation – the most common reason given – and one in four (25%) say they enjoy the risk. More than half (52%) say that gambling makes them feel excited and one in three (33%) say it makes them happy, compared to one in five (21%) who describe feeling anxious.

Amongst students who gamble, more than one in three (36%) have invested in cryptocurrency in the last 12 months – compared to just 17% of students who do not gamble.

Students also revealed that their friends are the biggest influence on their gambling (34%) with nearly one in four (23%) most influenced by social media and 14% of students identifying gambling advertising as a key influence on their gambling.

The new research on student gambling is the first published since the pandemic and follows previous research commissioned by YGAM in 2019. The previous report produced by Red Brick Research found that 264,000 students in the UK were at some risk from gambling harm with around 88,000 already defined as problem gamblers.

Following the publication of the report, YGAM are joining forces with GAMSTOP and RecoverMe, an app that provides self-help tools to those suffering from a gambling problemto launch a campaign raising awareness of gambling harms amongst students and promoting support available to students who may be struggling. During the ‘Gambling Support University Tour’ the three organisations will visit university campuses throughout the UK to speak to students and university staff. YGAM will also be offering City & Guilds assured training to the university teams to better equip them to support their students. A ‘Gambling Support University Tour’ visit can be arranged by contacting [email protected]

Bray Ash, 29, is studying mental health nursing at King’s College London, having previously studied at Leeds University and has experienced gambling harms first-hand while in higher education. He told how easy it was to get caught up in gambling.

“When you go to university for the first time and you have student finance, money from your parents and other financial support you can be tempted to gamble recklessly. It took over my life – I wasn’t studying, I was just sitting in my halls gambling. At my second year of university, I ended up gambling away my student loan in the first 24 hours.

“It is important that students have access to organisations, such as YGAM, to educate them about gambling and provide support and that they are aware of essential tools such as self-exclusion if they are experiencing problems with their gambling. I know that it would have benefited me when I was at my lowest point”.

Daniel Bliss, Director of External Affairs at YGAM, said: “This research provides us with some valuable insights into the behaviours of students during the pandemic. We’re keen to build on this piece of work to better understand how our programmes can safeguard and support students. The findings reiterate the importance of educating our young people on the risks and harms associated with gambling. Education is a powerful tool to ensure students are equipped with the knowledge and understanding to help prevent harm.”

Fiona Palmer, CEO of GAMSTOP, said: “Gambling-related harm on our campuses is a subject that is rarely addressed, but for any students experiencing problems with their gambling, self-exclusion can give them valuable breathing space whilst they seek additional help. With online gambling increasingly prevalent during the pandemic, the research shows the importance of raising awareness of a free online self-exclusion service, which is accessible to all”.

Adil Nayeem, Co-founder of RecoverMe, said: “This research highlights how the student population can be a high-risk group for gambling-related harm. We created RecoverMe when one of our close friends at university struggled with a gambling addiction and did not know where to turn. RecoverMe gives students multiple strategies to manage acute urges and support those suffering from a gambling problem with a discreet, flexible and evidence-based programme”.

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BetHog Chooses Optimove as its Marketing Solution through Ignite+ Program to Jumpstart its Marketing

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Cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook startup harnesses Optimove’s Ignite+ Program to scale campaigns, gain predictive insights, and deliver personalized player journeys at scale

BetHog, a cryptocurrency casino and sportsbook from the creators of FanDuel, has chosen Optimove as its marketing solution through its Ignite+ program. Ignite+ gives BetHog access to enterprise-grade CRM and AI-driven marketing capabilities, enabling the company to accelerate campaign execution, gain predictive insights, and deliver more personalized player experiences at scale. Optimove is the creator of Positionless Marketing and the #1 Marketing Solution for iGaming and sports betting operators.

“Optimove has been an incredible platform and partner in speed-to-market from day one,” said Kyle Wachtel, Chief Marketing Officer at BetHog. “Their team didn’t just provide us with a platform. They became an extension of our marketing team, bringing expertise, predictive models, and industry knowledge that we simply couldn’t replicate in-house at this stage.”

Tomer Imber, Senior Director of Sales, US Gaming at Optimove, commented: “From the start, the BetHog team has shown incredible vision and drive, already boasting an innovative product and burgeoning brand, and we are excited to be part of their journey. BetHog is leveraging our platform to build lasting player relationships and accelerate growth.”

The partnership highlights BetHog’s rapid path from integration to execution. Within weeks, the company completed its IP warmup, validated data quality, and began sending campaigns. Optimove’s out-of-the-box predictive models and churn analytics now serve as a BI function for the startup, enabling it to focus on growth without the burden of building a large internal team.

“The Ignite+ Program was the perfect fit for us as a fast-growing startup,” Wachtel added. “It gave us access to enterprise-grade CRM capabilities and AI-driven insights without the overhead of building out a full BI and CRM function. From onboarding to campaign launch, Optimove executed at startup speed to get us live.”
With Optimove in place, BetHog is now poised to embrace Positionless Marketing, a breakthrough approach that frees marketers from traditional role constraints and gives them the ability to independently harness Data Power, Creative Power, and Optimization Power.

“We still have many opportunities to explore with Optimove, and we are confident that Positionless Marketing will help us move faster, personalize more deeply, and maximize every player interaction,” Wachtel said.

The Ignite+ Program has already supported the growth of dozens of iGaming and sportsbook operators. For BetHog, leveraging Ignite+ represents a key milestone in its journey to scale rapidly while building a foundation for personalized, AI-powered marketing.

 

The post BetHog Chooses Optimove as its Marketing Solution through Ignite+ Program to Jumpstart its Marketing appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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VSiN Launches Fall Programming Lineup, Giving Fans More of Their Favorite Sports Betting Shows and Hosts

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Sports Betting Network Adds Hour of Sharp Bettor Favorite “A Numbers Game,” Announces Hosts Mitch Moss & Pauly Howard Join Sunday Programming, Sees Return of Fantasy Sports “Guru” John Hansen

VSiN, The Sports Betting Network, announces its new programming lineup, delivering more of the network’s most popular sports betting shows and hosts. As the 2025 NFL season ramps up, VSiN’s new fall schedule launches to the largest audience in its history.

“With more viewers and listeners than we’ve ever had going into football season, we’re thrilled to launch VSiN’s new programming lineup as an answer to fans asking for more of the quality programming they want and need to inform their wagering and fantasy decisions,” said Steve Cohen, EVP of Talent and Programming at VSiN. “As our competitors across all media continue to pull back and even disappear, it’s that continued commitment to content that sets VSiN apart and fuels our continued growth.”

VSiN’s full live programming lineup launches today and can be viewed at VSiN.com. Highlights include:

  • VSiN adds one additional hour to “A Numbers Game” with Gill Alexander and producer Kelley Bydlon. The longest running show on VSiN now airs weekdays from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET. Each day, Alexander and his roster of expert guests take fans deep into the numbers of gambling, leveraging advanced metrics in his handicapping.
  • Hosts of VSiN’s popular weekday afternoon show “Follow the Money,” Mitch Moss and Pauly Howard, will add a sixth shift each week to anchor the live NFL pregame discussion on “VSiN’s Pro Football Tailgate Show” Sundays from 9 a.m. – noon ET. Analytics expert Warren Sharp and props analyst John Hansen will be among the regular guests. Having moved the show’s weekday timeslot from mornings to afternoons last fall, Moss and Howard return to mornings one day each week for the Sunday football action.
  • “The Guru” John Hansen returns as the host of “Prop Points,” bringing decades of fantasy expertise to weekdays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. Hansen has been an industry leader since 1995. He was the first individual to contribute to ESPN’s coverage of fantasy football online and on ESPN Radio and TV in 1996, before roles at Yahoo! Sports, “NFL Fantasy Live” on NFL.com, and as chief fantasy analyst for a ground-breaking “Fantasy Zone” channel on DirectTV.
  • The popular Circa Friday Football Invitational show, hosted by Matt Youmans, returns for a third season. Twenty-five pro bettors and handicappers compete in a weekly pro and college football pick’em contest for $30,000 in prizes. The show will be expanded by an hour, from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. ET.
  • VSiN’s own Dustin Swedelson takes the anchor desk permanently on “Cashing Out,” the network’s last live show and the final word on the day’s betting action. Each weeknight from 11 p.m. – 2 a.m. ET, Swedelson savors the wins, analyzes the losses and sets the board for tomorrow’s betting menu.
  • “VSiN by the Books” has moved its home base to VSiN’s new studio in Circa Sports sportsbook located at The Mint Gaming Hall Kentucky Downs in Franklin. The morning show and some Saturday programming will broadcast live from the recently launched retail sportsbook, which is the largest in the state of Kentucky.
  • Beginning on Saturday, Aug. 30, VSiN’s weekend programming will start an hour earlier at 9 a.m. ET to deliver all the news, analysis and insights sports fans and betting enthusiasts need on gameday.

Broadcasting 24/7 from the entertainment capital of the world in Las Vegas, VSiN empowers sports fans and bettors with the news, analysis, and insights they need to make informed wagering decisions, including 18+ hours of daily live linear sports content. Featuring some of the industry’s most knowledgeable sports betting and fantasy experts, as well as legendary book makers, VSiN’s goal is to inform and entertain the growing number of Americans betting on sports – whether they are sharp bettors or brand new to sports betting. VSiN’s exclusive content sets the stage for the day’s biggest sports betting events and includes expert tips and predictions on college and pro football, college and pro basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, tennis, NASCAR, and more.

Fans can access VSiN content on YouTube TV, SiriusXM (158), Rogers’ Sportsnet, NESN, Marquee Sports Network, MASN, Spectrum SportsNet LA, SportsNet Pittsburgh, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, more than 350 terrestrial radio stations throughout the U.S., VSiN.com, and the VSiN Watch app.

VSiN’s newsroom studio is located in the sportsbook at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

 

The post VSiN Launches Fall Programming Lineup, Giving Fans More of Their Favorite Sports Betting Shows and Hosts appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM

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Fast Track will unveil its new AI-driven natural language platform on 2 September during its annual Fast Track House event in Malta. The launch will also be streamed live online from 4 PM CEST, giving the iGaming industry an exclusive first look at the future of player engagement.

For the past decade, Fast Track has pioneered real-time data integration, the Singularity Model, the only Gameplay Risk Engine, and Rewards, the first AI-ready gamification system. Each innovation has moved the company closer to its vision: to digitalise the iGaming industry and deliver the first self-learning engagement platform.

Fast Track AI is trained on over 10 years of iGaming expertise and designed to transform how CRM teams work. It can perform technical analysis on terabytes of real-time data, deliver advanced insights into CRM performance and player behaviour, and uniquely take direct action on those insights across the platform.

“This isn’t just AI added to CRM. This is CRM re-engineered for the natural language era,” said Simon Lidzén, CEO and Co-Founder of Fast Track.

“Even your wildest imagination can only take you so far; minds have been bound by constraints for so long that it is hard to picture the full power of Fast Track AI. You simply need to see it to believe it. This is why I am organising a live session to unveil it; to showcase what a native iGaming CRM, built on the most comprehensive real-time data infrastructure together with the Singularity Model, is capable of. I urge the whole industry to sign up.” Lidzén added.

The big reveal will take place during the Fast Track House event in Malta and will be streamed live online. The broadcast begins at 4:00 PM CEST on 2 September. 

Registration is now open: https://app.livestorm.co/fast-track/fast-track-ai-in-action

 

The post Fast Track AI to change the face of iGaming CRM appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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