Press Releases
Jamie Shea Urges United States Betting Brands to Embrace Player Education
Strive Gaming Chief Marketing Officer tells Xtremepush podcast Experts in the Room in-play betting has the potential to take off as it has in Europe
Sportsbooks in the United States must focus on educating bettors about the availability and benefits of in-play betting for a profitable future, according to Strive Gaming’s Chief Marketing Officer, Jamie Shea (pictured).
Speaking as a guest on a forthcoming edition of Xtremepush’s podcast series Experts in the Room, the industry leader and former VP of Sportsbook at DraftKings stressed that live betting has so far only reached a fraction of its potential in the country.
That’s despite it being more than five years since the first legal online bets in the United States outside of Nevada were placed with DraftKings in New Jersey.
Also key to profitability is a concerted push to retain expensively acquired players, Shea argues, with increased personalisation favored above expensive blanket bonusing.
“The education of the player is the best retention tool as it teaches them how to play,” said Shea, speaking to Xtremepush’s New Business Account Executive and podcast host, Will Hansen. “A lot of the time, customers just don’t even realize that certain bets exist. One of the things that’s driving me crazy right now in the United States industry is in-play. Why is that not bigger? Seventy per cent of bets should be in-play, as they are in Europe, because it’s fun and provides instant gratification.
“I would love to see that happen in the United States. We need to educate the players on how it works and where they can find it in an app and that’s where push notifications come in. Brands should be doing all they can to let the customer know that hey, there is this wager available and it’s a lot of fun. Every time that I’ve sat down with people and taught them how it works, they love it and it becomes their go-to.”
Shea also stressed that United States operators’ acquisition budgets need to be more in line with player lifetime values, a trend which is already in motion.
“After the first bet on August 1st, 2018, in New Jersey, it was a free-for-all,” she added. “Nobody knew what should be done or how it should be done, just that they wanted as many active customers as possible. And so it was a bonus here, a bonus there.
“Unfortunately, as everybody came to realize, this set the customer up with an expectation that isn’t realistic, because those offers can’t last forever. It also created a lot of promiscuity within the different brands through ‘promo hunters’ and it started to become a race to the bottom. Nobody was profitable.
“Having Strive Gaming and Xtremepush in the United States market allows for so much more targeted marketing, so that bonuses aren’t just thrown at everyone. It allows us to look at what resonates with certain player types as a targeted and measured approach.”
In line with the data-led approach to personalized offerings, Shea also stressed that detecting problematic player behavior is of paramount importance for United States-focused platform provider Strive Gaming.
“For me, it’s a very personal topic,” she said. “I grew up with my dad losing his business and that’s because gaming was not regulated. Nobody was texting him and asking him how he was doing back in 1984. One of the great things about having all of this data available is you can look to see, has someone changed their behavior dramatically?
“I’m very cognizant of player interactions with us. Our customer service team is extremely well-trained to notice when certain trigger words, for example, suggest a person might be having a problem. We can’t be their therapist. We can’t know everything they are thinking. But what we can do is provide the right tools to enable people to keep enjoying sports betting and iGaming, in a very responsible manner that isn’t going to affect their lives.”
South Africa is once again positioning itself as a leader in ethical gambling practices, with the upcoming Responsible Gambling Summit 2025 set to take place on 13–14 November 2025 at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park, Gauteng. This landmark event will gather international experts, regulators, and industry professionals to address the most pressing challenges in responsible gambling across Africa.
Hosted by the South African Responsible Gambling Foundation (SARGF) in collaboration with major regulatory bodies such as the National Gambling Board, Eastern Cape Gambling Board, and Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board, the summit aims to drive forward an evidence-based, solutions-focused agenda that ensures gambling growth does not come at the cost of public well-being.
As South Africa continues to see rising participation in both land-based and gambling online, the summit is timely. It will tackle issues ranging from technological safeguards and public health integration, to policy harmonisation and vulnerable population protection.
Advocating for Safer Online Gambling
As South Africa strengthens its role in setting responsible gambling standards, SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za remains at the forefront of this effort in the online casino space. Our portal is more than a online casino listing site — it is a trusted source of expert advice, consumer guidance, and responsible gambling advocacy.
Since our inception, we have maintained a clear policy: we only recommend licensed, regulated casinos in south africa that adhere to strict player protection measures. These include transparent terms, fair bonus practices, and built-in tools such as deposit limits, time-outs, and self-exclusion options.
“The online gambling landscape in South Africa is growing rapidly,” says a spokesperson for SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za. “But with growth comes responsibility. Our mission is to ensure players have access to safe, ethical gambling environments. We support the goals of the Responsible Gambling Summit and encourage every operator to prioritise the welfare of their players.”
Practical Frameworks for Change
The Responsible Gambling Summit 2025 will focus on seven key thematic areas:
- Understanding gambling behaviour and disorders through science-led approaches.
- Overcoming barriers to effective policy implementation, including gaps in education and enforcement.
- Leveraging technology, such as AI-driven risk detection and real-time player monitoring.
- Adopting global regulatory best practices tailored to South African realities.
- Protecting at-risk individuals and communities, especially youth and those in lower-income brackets.
- Educating the public on the risks of gambling and how to stay safe.
- Building international networks to ensure future readiness and consistency across borders.
Each session is designed to lead to real-world outcomes, with progress monitored and reported biennially. This commitment to transparency aligns with broader calls for industry-wide accountability.
How Players Can Gamble Responsibly
Whether you’re new to online casinos or an experienced player, here are some essential responsible gambling tips:
- Treat gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money.
- Set a time limit before you start and stick to it.
- Only gamble with money you can afford to lose.
- Avoid playing when you are upset, stressed, or intoxicated.
- Use built-in responsible gaming tools provided by licensed operators.
- Keep track of your play history and regularly review your habits.
- Seek help if gambling is no longer fun, or if it begins to impact your personal life.
At SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za, we make these practices easier by highlighting casinos that offer responsible gambling features as part of our review process. Each recommended site undergoes a thorough evaluation based on licensing, fairness, transparency, and player protection standards.
Our Commitment to the South African Gambling Community
With a growing base of South African users, SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za plays an important educational role in the online gambling space. Our platform offers in-depth guides, news updates, free bonus casinos, free spins casinos and strategy articles designed to help players make informed decisions.
We actively follow developments in gambling regulation and work to ensure our listings are in line with the latest responsible gambling initiatives. As the conversation around ethical gambling evolves, so does our content — reflecting the high standards that South African players deserve.
South Africa’s leadership in responsible gambling sets a high standard not just for the continent, but for the global industry. By playing at casinos that are transparent, regulated, and committed to safety — such as those featured on SouthAfricanCasinos.co.za — players can enjoy the entertainment of gambling while staying in control.
Leading sportsbook provider grows US sports offering with addition of in-play Bet Builders and expanded prop betting
Altenar has expanded its portfolio of US sports by adding more Major League Baseball (MLB) content for the 2025 season.
As part of the enhancement, Altenar has added in-play Bet Builders to allow live betting during MLB games, offering operators the chance to benefit from a surge in the bet type’s popularity. There is also an expanded range of prop betting available on both pre-match and live games, with a vast range of odds now offered on player, team and game props.
Altenar already offers fast markets and micro-betting options, along with same-game parlays, player specials and pitcher lines for the popular league.
An official distributor of MLB data since 2019, Swish Analytics delivers rich, reliable and fast information that enables the development of highly engaging user markets, which are now available to Altenar’s operator partners.
These additions reinforce Altenar’s commitment to delivering relevant and tailored content for US-facing partners, while continually striving for excellence as a sportsbook provider.
Antonis Karakousis, Director of Operations at Altenar, said: “Altenar is driving innovation in US sports by pushing the boundaries of what is possible with our offering. We will continue to grow our presence in this vertical and ensure that our full suite of pre-match, in-play, and at-bat betting products defines the next generation of engagement for our operators’ MLB fans.
“In addition to the above, the development of our MLB Live Bet Builder is another strong statement that reflects our commitment to listening to users’ needs. Enhancing the Bet Builder experience remains a key focus and a central part of our product strategy.”
Altenar will showcase its enhanced terminal at SBC Summit Americas 2025 from May 13–15. Attendees can visit the stand or book a demo to explore the terminal’s new capabilities first-hand here.
Canada
AGCO issues penalties of $151,000 against Great Canadian Entertainment for alleged age verification failures
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has issued $151,000 in penalties to Great Canadian Entertainment for allegedly failing to prevent minors from accessing gambling on multiple occasions at three Toronto-area casinos.
As part of its investigation, the AGCO reviewed four separate incidents in which minors allegedly gained access to the casino floors and in which some of these minors participated in gambling activities – two cases at Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, and one at each of Casino Ajax and Pickering Casino Resort.
The AGCO is committed to ensuring casinos meet Ontario’s high standards of harm reduction and responsible gambling. The AGCO’s Standards require operators to ensure only eligible individuals are permitted into a gambling site and strictly prohibit access to anyone under 19 years of age (except in the course of employment). The Standards also mandate that casino employees have the necessary competence, skills, experience and training to effectively carry out their duties, including age verification.
This enforcement action underscores the AGCO’s dedication to protecting youth and other vulnerable individuals.
A casino operator served with an Order of Monetary Penalty by the AGCO Registrar has the right to appeal the Registrar’s decision to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.
“Ontario casino operators have an obligation to ensure minors are not able to access casino floors or activities such as slot machines or table games. The AGCO will continue to monitor and hold all casino operators accountable for fulfilling this important role.” – Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO.
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