Many new players make these mistakes without realising it.
You can no longer ignore the influence that crypto casinos have. Crypto casinos are online casinos where you can deposit and get paid out in crypto, most often in bitcoins.
On 24 April 2025, the Gaming Commission (GC) updated its blacklist of illegal online casinos, adding 8 new platforms. The move is aimed at strengthening the security of Belgian players in the face of the risks associated with unauthorised sites.
Unauthorised online casinos have been using the OnlyFans name to illegally promote their services by running misleading adverts via news sites and influencers. This practice, denounced by the Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa), aimed to exploit the popularity of the platform to attract players, often vulnerable, to unregulated gambling offers.
Online casino operator Videoslots Ltd has been fined 12 million kronor (approximately €1.05 million) by the Swedish gaming authority, Spelinspektionen, for failing to take effective measures against excessive gambling. The investigation revealed that a number of players, including some under the age of 25, were able to deposit and bet large sums of money without appropriate intervention by the company. Despite automatic detection systems, Videoslots’ responses were deemed late and insufficient. The company cites legal ambiguities, but the authority considers that the legislation was clear and that the risks for vulnerable players were neglected.
The online gambling black market is thriving in Europe despite the efforts of regulators, taking advantage of legislative delays, fragmented regulation and players’ attraction to more permissive platforms.
Journalists from Sky News have fallen victim to deepfakes used to promote illegal online casinos, hidden behind applications presented as games for children on the App Store. Once downloaded, these applications redirect users to unauthorised gambling sites, putting their personal and financial data at risk. Corporate identities have also been stolen to legitimise these scams.
Starscream Limited has been fined by the Dutch Gaming Authority for illegally offering online gambling to Dutch players via several sites. The company faces a fine of €280,000 per week, up to a maximum of €840,000, if it does not cease its activities. This measure is intended to protect consumers and remind operators of the importance of complying with local legislation.
With a contribution of no less than 4,8 million euros (4 844 775 euros ), the Dutch Lottery supports amateur football so that even more people can find their way to the football field. This donation gives these organizations the opportunity to expand further.
Following the death of Pope Francis at age 88 on April 21, 2025, betting markets quickly mobilized to speculate on his successor. International bookmakers are now offering detailed odds on the frontrunners to become the 267th Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church.
An investigation has been launched in Belgium against Casino Middelkerke over potential social fraud and possible human trafficking. The case stems from the complaint of a former Filipino employee, hired without a valid work permit and dismissed without proper procedure. A case that shakes the image of a once-respected establishment.
From 1 May 2025, Belgian players will have to verify their identity before they can deposit money or play at an online casino. This new measure, imposed by the Gaming Commission, aims to strengthen security, prevent fraud and encourage more responsible gambling.
The ANJ has launched an innovative e-learning module to train casino and gaming club professionals to identify and support excessive or pathological gamblers. This interactive tool, inspired by a guide published in January 2024, offers realistic 3D immersion and has already enabled more than 1,000 certificates to be issued in just a few months.
Brazil is strengthening its legislation against illegal online gambling advertising, with a bill introduced by MP Kim Kataguiri providing for penalties of up to eight years’ imprisonment, particularly where minors or vulnerable people are targeted.
The black market in UK gambling is growing at an alarming rate, with around £4.3 billion wagered each year on unregulated platforms. This parallel economy represents around 3% of the total gambling market and exposes 1.5 million gamblers, mainly young adults, to financial and addiction risks.
The Kansspelautoriteit (Ksa) has fined Gamusoft LP for illegally offering games of chance to Dutch players via the csgofast.com website, without a licence and without geographical restrictions. A penalty payment of €280,000 per week, capped at €840,000, was imposed to force the company to cease its activities. This decision is part of the Ksa’s strategy to strictly regulate the online gaming market and protect consumers from the risks associated with unlicensed operators.
In the Netherlands, a winning lottery ticket worth €3.2 million sparked a violent family dispute between a man from Rijswijk and his 80-year-old father-in-law. After buying several tickets and discovering that he had the winning number, the complainant claimed that his father-in-law had discreetly stolen the precious ticket from him.
