Scratch

What is Scratch?

Arjan Blok, CEO of Nederlandse Loterij, emphasised the importance of player protection in a statement this week.

“Skyhills uses devious advertising, including on TikTok, explicitly targeting Dutch players, especially young people. Players there gamble without any safeguards and face all associated risks,” he said. 

“This is unacceptable. It is encouraging to see Skyhills go offline immediately after our initial action.”

How to play Scratch

The news value here is less about the individual game than about what it signals. REEVO is continuing to lean on one of the most heavily worked themes in online slots. The studio is packaging a familiar setting alongside a mix of mechanics rather than a single standout engine.

Thunder Walker has a 5×5 reel layout with 50 paylines and a range of themed features. With a medium volatility profile, a reported RTP of 95.72% and a maximum win of 2,358x the bet, the game sits toward the more measured end of the market. This is not one of the high-ceiling, high-variance releases that dominate headlines.

That positioning matters. It points to a title built for broad operator placement and steady session play rather than a chase-the-max spectacle, which fits how volume-driven studios tend to structure their mid-tier output.

What is Scratch?

Anyone residing in Cyprus, with income not high enough to support their basic needs, is eligible for the benefit.

Cyprus is not the first market to consider whether to block its welfare recipients from using their benefits to gamble, Brazil introduced a similar ban in 2025.

During a session of the House Audit Committee last Thursday, members of parliament (MPs), the Data Protection Commissioner and representatives from the Welfare Benefits Administration Service (WBAS), the Gaming & Casino Supervision Commission and the National Betting Authority (NBA) convened to discuss ways to identify and restrict gambling activity among GMI beneficiaries, as reported by Cyprus Mail.