The Médiateur des jeux’s 2024 report highlights a year marked by a large number of disputes, particularly in sports betting, but also by better cooperation from operators, with 47% of proposals accepted.
You have probably seen them passing by: blackjack, roulette or a slot machine with flashing lights. Casino games have been wildly popular for years, and nowadays you play them on your phone at home just as easily as in a real casino.
Roel Veltmeijer, the entrepreneur behind Gamestate, is expanding his family-friendly arcade empire to Denmark with the opening of his fiftieth arcade at the new Center Parcs Nordborg Resort. This marks Gamestate’s first venture in Denmark, making it the eighth country the Veltmeijer Group operates in.
A former UK school is the victim of a new phenomenon: Parasite SEO with the aim of directing users to offshore gambling platforms that are not included in the country’s self-exclusion system.
European roulette is a popular casino game, known for its simplicity and favourable odds, with a wheel of 37 squares numbered from 0 to 36. Unlike the American version, it has only one zero, which reduces the casino’s advantage to around 2.7%.
BAGO is warning about the growing number of illegal casinos in Belgium, where 60% of online gambling traffic comes from unauthorised platforms. A study reveals that 20% of Belgian players are taking part, putting consumers and the national economy at risk.
The Netherlands is considering gradually raising the legal gambling age to better protect young adults and combat the black market. During a parliamentary session, Secretary of State Teun Struycken proposed a phased implementation to prevent players from turning to illegal platforms.
Glitnor Services, operator of LuckyCasino, has been fined SEK 28 million (€2.7 million) by the Swedish Gaming Authority for breaches of responsible gaming. The investigation revealed that several players were not sufficiently protected despite risky behaviour such as excessive betting and quick losses.
n 2024, the Netherlands raised a record €1 billion in gambling taxes, mainly thanks to the boom in online gambling since its legalisation in 2021. This rapid growth has been accompanied by a gradual increase in tax rates, reaching 34.2% this year and forecast to rise to 37.8% in 2025.
European football is increasingly dependent on sports betting for its funding, with many clubs sponsored by gambling companies. These partnerships provide vital revenue for clubs, but raise ethical concerns about the integrity of the sport and the risks of addiction, particularly among young fans.
Lucky 7 Casino was recently criticised by the Ksa for serious breaches of its duty of care, including a customer service that was unavailable in Dutch and flaws in the protection of self-excluded players. After being warned, the operator quickly corrected certain problems, but remains under scrutiny.
The UK Gambling Commission has announced new regulations coming into force in December 2025 to strengthen player protection. These measures include banning bonus offers that combine several types of games and capping wagering requirements at 10 times the amount of the bonus, against sometimes abusive practices.
Holland Casino Online has announced the appointment of Jan Paul van Heemskerck van Beest as its new director from 1ᵉʳ April 2025, succeeding Jeroen Verkroost, whose position has been axed as part of a restructuring.
Five men have been arrested for cheating as part of an organised gang at the Pasino in La Grande-Motte, causing a loss of €76,000. Thanks to CCTV footage, the management discovered that they were using an iron rod inserted into the roulette wheel to manipulate the trajectory of the ball and distort the results.
Volatility in online casino games determines the frequency and size of winnings. Low-volatility games offer regular but modest winnings, while high-volatility games offer larger but rarer winnings.
The JOA Casino in Le Tréport, located in Seine-Maritime, has become one of the first gaming establishments in France to accept payments in cryptocurrencies. The move, made possible through a partnership with fintech LYZI, allows players to convert their cryptos into euros securely and seamlessly.
Japan has stepped up its fight against illegal online casinos with strict new measures aimed at limiting access to these unauthorised platforms. The government has stepped up controls on online payments, advertising, and affiliates of offshore gambling sites, while running awareness campaigns to inform the public of the risks associated with these practices.
