Xmas Lightning

What is Xmas Lightning?

Top non-lottery activities during the period included scratchcards (13%), betting (10%) and online instant win games (8%). 

Betting skewed male, with 16% of men gambling on betting compared to 4% of women. Age-wise, overall gambling participation peaked among 45- to 64-year-olds (56%-59%), when excluding lotteries the highest participation was among 35- to 44-year-olds (35%). 

Respondents cited motivations predominantly as seeking large winnings and entertainment, while 42% reported positive feelings about their most recent gambling expenditure. 

What is Xmas Lightning?

The group highlighted potential risks posed by Google’s organic search features beyond paid advertising, which include autocomplete and suggested queries. 

Using data collected primarily through Chrome’s incognito mode to exclude personalised search histories, the KVA identified several autocomplete and pre-fill search queries that directly suggested illegal gambling platforms to users.

Examples included phrases like “online casino zonder Cruks” (online casino without CRUKS, the Dutch self-exclusion registry for problem gamblers) and “beste online casino buitenland” (best online casino abroad).

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Since April 1, VGW has made 36 political contributions across Alabama.

Sweepstakes casino platforms like VGW have ramped up their lobbying efforts in state capitals after suffering numerous operational setbacks in recent years.

Through the passing of laws banning dual-currency sweepstakes games or by cease-and-desist orders, VGW has exited numerous states and limited where sweeps coins, which can be bought and gambled for real money, are available.