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National Council on Problem Gambling Awards Spring 2025 Agility Grants to Five Community Organizations

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National Council on Problem Gambling Awards Spring 2025 Agility Grants to Five Community Organizations

 

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has announced that it is awarding $192,000 in Agility Grant funding to five organizations as part of the Spring 2025 cycle. These grants, which are made possible with funding from the NFL Foundation and FanDuel, support the development and expansion of problem gambling prevention initiatives tailored to meet the specific needs of diverse communities.

Now in its seventh funding round since launching in 2022, the Agility Grants program is the first and only national initiative exclusively dedicated to funding problem gambling prevention. Since its inception, the program has awarded grants to organizations in 21 states, reaching more than 450,000 individuals in just three years. Designed to encourage innovation, Agility Grants provide seed funding for pilot projects and new ideas that promote early intervention, especially among youth ages 12–17 and young adults 18–24, where prevention efforts have the most significant long-term impact.

“Investing in community-driven programs is key to effective prevention. The projects supported by Agility Grant funding reflect a commitment to building practical, scalable solutions that resonate with the people they serve,” said NCPG Director of Programs Jaime Costello.

Spring 2025 Agility Grant funding will support the following programs:

Artreach, Inc.

In partnership with Connecticut State Community College campuses, Artreach will present BEYOND THE BET, a multimedia theatrical performance that shares the gambling stories of four individuals from diverse backgrounds, life stages, and experiences. The program uses live performance and facilitated discussion to raise awareness, explore the complexities of gambling harm, and engage audiences in meaningful conversations about problem gambling prevention. The distribution of educational materials will accompany performances to extend learning beyond the stage.

Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota

The Lao Assistance Center will expand its community education efforts by delivering six culturally grounded training sessions on mental health, addiction, and problem gambling in the Twin Cities’ Lao community. Each session will be followed by a multilingual community forum designed to reduce stigma, spark dialogue, and improve access to culturally appropriate problem gambling prevention resources and support services.

NICOS Chinese Health Coalition

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Building on its successful youth prevention model funded by a Spring 2024 Agility Grant, NICOS will expand its youth gambling prevention initiative for Asian American middle school students in San Francisco. The program will introduce a youth leadership component by training students as peer educators, equipping them to help implement a curriculum focused on gambling risks, financial literacy, and prevention strategies.

Ohio State University Foundation for the benefit of The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery

The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery, a program of The Ohio State University, will lead a national effort to expand problem gambling prevention across college campuses. The initiative will train campus leaders using a comprehensive, evidence-informed curriculum designed to reduce gambling harm among college students.

University of Nebraska

The University of Nebraska will expand its campus-based problem gambling prevention initiative to increase reach and impact across the university community. The program will integrate educational messaging into intramural sports through data-informed strategies, engaging culturally based student organizations with tailored lunch-and-learn sessions and relevant programming. A year-long calendar of events will reinforce awareness through ongoing education, digital outreach, and targeted support. This expansion builds on a pilot program launched in 2024 with support from a Spring Agility Grant.

The NCPG Agility Grants Program is supported by major partners, including a multi-year commitment from the NFL via the NFL Foundation. Additional funding from FanDuel enhances the program’s reach and sustainability.

“The NFL is proud to continue supporting the NCPG and the Agility Grants program, which provides critical funding to organizations leading innovative efforts aimed at preventing problem gambling. We are pleased to see both new and returning grantees advancing creative approaches to education and early intervention, particularly for youth and young adults,” said Anna Isaacson, NFL Senior Vice President of Social Responsibility.

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BMM TESTLABS PROMOTES SACHA MCLAUGHLIN TO VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL QUALITY ASSURANCE

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BMM TESTLABS PROMOTES SACHA MCLAUGHLIN TO VICE PRESIDENT OF GLOBAL QUALITY ASSURANCE

 

BMM Testlabs, the world’s original gaming test lab renowned for exceptional product compliance and certification services, today announced the promotion of Sacha McLaughlin to Vice President of Global Quality Assurance.

BMM’s President of Land-Based Gaming & Inspections, Kirk White, said, “Sacha has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, operational excellence, and a customer-first attitude. Her experience and passion will be critical as we continue to grow our QA services to meet the always-evolving needs of the global gaming industry.”

With over 18 years of experience in software implementation and seven years in the gaming industry, McLaughlin brings extensive knowledge of both agile and waterfall development methodologies, test planning, project management, and cross-regional team leadership. She is recognized for her ability to build and scale QA organizations that deliver quality, speed, and value to customers.

McLaughlin joined BMM in 2018 and has held roles of increasing responsibility within the Company, most recently serving as Senior Director of Quality Assurance. Throughout her tenure, she has been instrumental in expanding BMM’s QA capabilities and helping customers launch products into the global gaming market more quickly, with a focus on regulatory compliance, functionality, fairness, and security.

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Liftoff’s 2025 Mobile Ad Creative Index Reveals UGC Is a Key Differentiator for Top Apps

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Liftoff’s 2025 Mobile Ad Creative Index Reveals UGC Is a Key Differentiator for Top Apps

 

Major findings from the newly launched report include playable ads having the potential to deliver impression-to-install rates 16 times that of non-playable formats for emerging gaming apps and a 20% increase in spending on interactive ads year over year.

Liftoff, a leading AI-enabled growth platform for the mobile app economy, has published its seventh annual Mobile Ad Creative Index. The report explores top creative trends that are attracting and scaling in ad spend across consumer apps and games. It also highlights the expanding role of AI in creative production, testing, and optimization.

This year’s Mobile Ad Creative Index specifically analyzes creative concepts that have excelled in scale for Liftoff’s highest-spending advertisers over the past 12 to 48 months. It is based on findings from over 4.7 trillion impressions, 263 billion clicks, and 1.1 billion installs between 1 January 2023 and 31 May 2025.

 

Highlights from the report include:

Top consumer apps are investing in interactive ads to compete for engagement

In 2024, the share of spend on interactive ads for top apps increased by 20% year over year. The share of spend increased by 2% for spenders outside the top tier. Top-spending apps differentiate their campaigns by adding innovations to evergreen concepts such as social scrollers, carousels, and scratch-offs.

Playable ads deliver returns across ad budgets for mobile game advertisers

In 2024, the share of spend on playable ads for top games averaged 35% higher than other games. Across all ad budgets, however, playable ads delivered higher conversion rates. Impression-to-install rates were 8 times that of non-playable formats for top spenders and 16 times that of non-playable formats for other game advertisers.

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Tailoring “metaplay” elements to motivations can improve performance

“Metaplay” elements—gameplay that diverges from an app’s core design to appeal to a broader audience—are widespread, but top games gain an edge by tailoring their metaplay ads to the publisher audience. The report found that aligning “metaplay” creative with publisher audiences resulted in a 93% increase in installs-per-mille.

UGC is becoming a key differentiator in driving scale for consumer apps

The share of spend on user-generated content (UGC) increased 11% for top-spending apps, with social and utility apps seeing the most significant jump of nearly 30% between 2023 and 2024.

Widespread adoption of Gen AI leads to more customized ad experiences

Creative teams increasingly leverage AI to enhance top-performing assets with 3D and motion and to create and test variations. Top advertisers also use AI to recombine their assets in customized ad experiences that break away from standard video to playable formats.

Yann Zeller, Chief of Staff, Creative at Liftoff, said: “Today’s creative landscape is shaped by a single, powerful truth: attention is the commodity, and brands, games, and influencers are all vying for it. Great mobile ad experiences can earn attention by aligning context with behavior. As ad formats become richer and AI expands our ability to personalize and adapt creatives at scale, we’re able to unlock new insights into user behavior and motivation. We see users spend meaningful stretches with the right content, sometimes 60 to 90 seconds when the ad feels personal or prompts meaningful participation. This isn’t just a better way to advertise—it’s a better way to tell stories and the most exciting brief we’ve had in years.”

Soren Steelquist, Director of Creative Production, said: “The proof is in the data—more and more consumer apps are incorporating UGC into every stage of their marketing, and programmatic is no different. UGC works because it’s authentic and relatable, and users are more likely to be influenced by ad when it’s coming from a trustworthy source. To see higher impact from UGC creatives, work with a partner that can match the right creator with your brand and develop winning concepts that resonate with audiences.”

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Hasbro Strikes New Multi-Year Casino Licensing Partnerships

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Hasbro, a leading games, IP, and toy company, announced a new slate of multi-year licensing partnerships aimed at transforming and expanding its most popular brands across the casino category. After a comprehensive review and market evaluation, Hasbro has selected Aristocrat Technologies, Evolution, Galaxy Gaming, and Bally’s as its newest partners in casino licensing. The new partners join existing licensee Sciplay.

The announcement underscores Hasbro’s “Playing to Win” strategy, revealed in February 2025, which focuses on innovation, partnerships, and bringing beloved brands to life across more formats than ever.

“We’re all about play—and that means meeting our fans wherever they are, from the game table to the casino floor. These visionary new partners have the expertise and imagination to reimagine our brands in bold, exciting ways for adult audiences,” said Claire Hunter Gregson, Director of Gaming Relationships.

Hasbro has a nearly 30-year history of licensing its age-appropriate IP to the gambling sector. With this new lineup of partners, the company is expanding access to entertainment experiences that reimagine its brands for a growing base of adult fans and gamers.

Following is the list of partners:

• Aristocrat Technologies – B2B manufacturer land-based slot machines (MONOPOLY)

• Evolution – B2B developer for online slots and live casino (MONOPOLY, Hasbro Games)

• Galaxy Gaming – B2B developer and manufacturer for casino table games (MONOPOLY, YAHTZEE, BATTLESHIP)

• Bally’s – B2C Online casino operator (MONOPOLY)

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With new titles launching in January 2026, adult fans will see some of Hasbro’s beloved brands integrated into new and existing casino formats, including land-based gaming slots, online gaming slots, casino table games, and online casinos.

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