FDJ and Kindred, Casino Guru Awards 2024 wraps up, slot limits in focus

What a week it has been – and I know, I tend to write about each week as if it was the strangest and most event-ridden one in living memory. Well, the past five days have been indeed eventful.

For starters, La Française des Jeux (FDJ) has put its finalized offer for the acquisition of Kindred Group, offering to buy out the embattled gaming giant for the sum total of €2.6bn, up from the previously proposed amount earlier this year.

This doesn’t change much from the original proposal in January, but it offers a slight premium on the share price offered by FDJ and without any other competitors emerging over the past weeks, the likelihood of Kindred Group agreeing to sell is increasing.

Meanwhile, FanDuel has moved in with the acquisition of BeyondPlay, a startup that focuses on best-in-class products based on real money gaming, and particularly looking to help strengthen engagement and retention.

FanDuel, which is also adding ballast to its efforts to maintain a strong position in the United States iGaming market, has found it reasonable to acquire BeyondPlay as it seeks to prepare itself for what could soon be a much wider online casino market in the country.

Casino Guru Awards 2024 Ceremony wraps up!

Casino Guru News is also very happy to report that Casino Guru Awards 2024 has concluded with winners announced across all categories. Hosted by Šimon Vincze, Casino Guru's Head of Sustainable and Safer Gambling, the ceremony saw an unprecedented level of interest, and has quickly outstripped expected targets.

Winners were announced across eight categories, one of which was decided by players, and the entire process of the awards has been a case in point as to how such events may have a deep, meaningful, and long-lasting impact on the industry.

Casino Guru Awards is one of the few formats where experts with a particular bend on safer and responsible gambling come together in a physical location to determine who the shortlists and winners ought to be. To find out more about the Casino Guru Awards 2024 ceremony and what lies ahead, check out our recap of the event.

Rumors and a clearer view of problem gambling

Meanwhile, rumors began to swirl – mostly due to an article by The Guardian, a media outlet which has been known for its rather strong opinions on the gambling industry – that the government is going to introduce a £2 online slot machine limit for individuals under the age of 25.

This measure, if true, will have a profound impact on the gambling industry and will put to a test whether companies in the sector can actually weather the storm, and whether claims of falling revenue, and job losses are well founded. The idea behind the measure is to significantly restrict gambling harm in the country.

The government and independent observers have both confirmed that a significant minority of gamblers are suffering disproportionately from gambling harm, leading to serious ramifications for their personal lives, from indebtedness to suicidality thoughts, which needs to be addressed.

The measure applying to under-25s is cleverly designed as this age group is considered to be more at risk of developing gambling habits. According to The Guardian, the government is also preparing to introduce the same measure for over 25-year-olds, which will be limited to betting £5 per round of slot.

In the meantime, the Gambling Survey for Great Britain or GSGB has received endorsement from Professor Patrick Sturgis from the London School of Economics, with the academic hailing the mechanism "as exemplary in all respects."

Another relevant matter that has to do with a better understanding of problem gambling and gambling harm comes from a study conducted at the Queen Mary University of London, which has hailed the success of blocking tools in reducing gambling harm, but which similarly addressed an underlying issue, nevertheless.

Although these blocking tools, used by financial institutions, are indeed effective, the way they are used may be disparate, with the researchers calling for a more standardized framework as to how to apply them.

Suppliers on the move

Across the Atlantic Ocean, the United States has reported its strongest year to date for its gambling industry, with commercial gaming revenue hitting $66.5bn in 2023. This is the third consecutive year in which commercial gaming revenue has grown, setting a new record, and it comes despite a COVID-19 pandemic and extended shutdowns that ate into footfall on gaming floors.

Meanwhile, 3 Oaks Gaming has been able to secure a license from the UK Gambling Commission, helping the operator establish itself in the country for the first time. Speaking of suppliers, both Nailed It! Games and Thunderkick had fresh releases to introduce this week with Cosmic Moon and Beat the Beast: Dragon’s Wrath respectively.

Evolution Gaming and Bragg Gaming Group have both expanded in the North American market over the week as well, with the companies pushing actively in the local market, and banking on the prospects of the United States expanding its iGaming framework to feature more than the current number of states.

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