In Biganos, France, a 26-year-old man with no history of drug trafficking was convicted for selling several kilos of drugs… to finance his fierce gambling addiction.
A few days ago, the website casinoreviews.nl, renowned for its reviews of legal casinos, was completely duplicated by a clone hosted on an expired domain (t‑meeting.nl). This clone reproduced the entire content, design, internal links and meta data word for word. This replica, hosted on a reliable previous domain, appeared older to Google, giving it precedence in search results.
In October 2024, FDJ acquired Kindred for approximately €2.5 billion. With this transaction, FDJ United became a major player in online gaming in Europe, with iconic brands such as Unibet, Maria Casino and 32Red. Among the subsidiaries acquired was Trannel International Limited, based in Malta, Unibet’s long-standing operator for several European countries.
In the hushed halls of casinos, where the subdued lighting contrasts with the intensity of the stakes, there is one intriguing practice: card counting. A formidable mathematical technique, it transforms some players into veritable strategists capable of defying the casino’s advantage. But can you really beat the bank by playing fair?
After a break from gambling streams, Adin Ross decided to return to playing blackjack on the Stake platform. Motivated by the recent successes of his colleagues, he bet £10,000 on a hand he thought was a winner. The streamer indicated that he wanted to stand when his hand was worth 19, facing a 7 from the dealer.
Since 16 July 2025, a change has been taking place in the way poker chips are handled in Las Vegas. Several of the Strip’s giants have put an end to the long-standing practice of accepting chips from other establishments and cashing them in at their own casinos. From now on, chips are only valid where they were earned.
In Belgium, the itsme app has become the digital passport for more than 7 million users. Whether you use it to access your bank, manage your administrative documents or connect to an approved online casino, its promise is simple: easy identification, reliable authentication.
Las Vegas, 16 July 2025. After eleven days of breathless suspense, the World Series of Poker Main Event is drawing to a close. Belgian Kenny Hallaert, one of the great stories of this XXL tournament, finished in fourth place.
Beneath the familiar appearance of coloured chips, a discreet but formidably effective technology is gradually transforming the gaming industry: RFID, or radio frequency identification. Invisible to the naked eye, these electronic chips inserted into each chip enable gaming establishments to track every bet, every move and every win in real time. It’s a silent signal, invisible to players, but formidably powerful for managers.
The 2025 World Series of Poker Main Event in Las Vegas saw an unexpected face emerge among the four finalists: Kenny Hallaert, a Belgian professional from Hansbeke. A performance that confirms his status as a poker icon in Belgium.
The Netherlands has just delivered a damning report: despite clear guidelines on consumer protection in the face of video game monetisation practices, the majority of publishers continue to flout the regulations. A new university study reveals that 90% of popular iPhone games do not comply with legal obligations regarding loot boxes. And the most worrying thing? It’s often the biggest companies that break the rules with impunity.
A discreet but far-reaching change has crept into the One Big Beautiful Bill, Donald Trump’s ambitious tax reform plan: from 2026, punters will no longer be able to deduct all their losses, but only 90%. In practical terms, many gamblers will find themselves taxed on ‘phantom income’. This measure, designed to replenish the State’s coffers, is provoking anger, concern and counter-attacks.
While Meta has just announced a tightening of its advertising policy against illegal gambling, fraudulent sponsored adverts have emerged on Facebook, exploiting PepperMill Casino’s image without authorisation.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, announced a major change in its gambling advertising policy at the beginning of July 2025. Until now, many advertisements from poorly regulated operators circulated freely, without any real control. Meta now acknowledges that it must remedy this situation, under pressure from regulators and civil society.
Ireland’s Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), supported by the Gambling Regulatory Authority of Ireland (GRAI), has conducted a groundbreaking study. It is based on a random online experiment involving 622 men under the age of 40, all regular punters. The aim? Observing the impact of incentives (free bets, money-back guarantees) on real gambling behaviour, highlighted by the intense atmosphere of European football matches.
In July 2025, Hasbro took a major step forward in its ‘Playing to Win’ strategy: not just reviving its iconic brands, but bringing them to life in the form of adult casino games. Earlier this week, the company announced four licensing agreements, in collaboration with Aristocrat, Evolution, Galaxy Gaming and Bally’s. These will enable the creation of games based on Monopoly, Yahtzee, Battleship and even Dungeons & Dragons from January 2026.
On the campus of the Université Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) in Woluwé, a laboratory is conducting a novel experiment. Its aim: to understand how regular gamblers make their decisions: those who, every week, indulge in sports betting, scratch cards or casino games. A study shared by the Gaming Commission.
