Game Lounge CEO sounds the alarm about failing gambling policy and growing illegal market
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17 May 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes Richard Dennys, CEO of Game Lounge, speaks out clearly about the current approach to the gambling market. He sees that the policy does not match the behavior of players. Instead of stopping, they opt for illegal sites as soon as the rules become too strict.
He cites an example of a recognized provider that suddenly lost all its VIP customers. The reason was simple: new deposit limits. Players did not disappear, but moved to unregulated providers abroad.
According to Dennys, this is not an exception. It happens more often and it undermines the goal of the policy. Players who do not stop, but do disappear to riskier environments.
Young gamblers circumvent restrictions and opt more often for crypto casinos
The CEO also points to the younger generation of players. They grow up with crypto coins, anonymous networks and online freedom. For them, restrictions are not obstacles, but reasons to look for alternatives.
Dennys sees that these players switch to crypto casinos without any difficulty. There are no limits, no supervision and no checks. They gamble undisturbed, out of reach of regulators.
According to him, this increases the gap between policymakers and real players. What works on paper fails in practice if you do not understand who you are trying to protect.
Affiliates such as Game Lounge are not influencers but watchdogs
In his criticism, Dennys also points to the attitude towards affiliates. Many regulators see them as fast guys with smooth talk. But according to him, that image is wrong.
He calls affiliates a line of defense. Game Lounge points out risks to players, warns them of scammers and refers them to safe alternatives. If you remove that voice from the market, players lose their guide.
According to him, affiliates are not a problem, but part of the solution. Especially if they work together with providers and regulators.
According to Game Lounge, smart cooperation is the only way out
For Dennys, the message is clear. More rules do not solve the problem. Tighter strings push people in the wrong direction.
He advocates consultation. Supervisors, providers, affiliates and players need to talk to each other, not about each other. Only then will there be a policy that works and offers protection.
If that does not happen, the player will increasingly opt for the Wild West of the gambling world. And then not only the legal market loses, but everyone who takes responsible gaming seriously.