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.
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.
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.
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.
The Gaming Commission updated its blacklist of illegal gambling sites on 27 March 2025, adding 30 new banned platforms, bringing the total to more than 600. Operating without a licence, these sites expose players to financial and legal risks, with no possibility of recourse in the event of a dispute.
Cybersecurity expert Lilith Wittmann has discovered a critical flaw in Merkur’s GraphQL interface, exposing the data of 800,000 players. This vulnerability allowed illegal casinos in Germany to exploit insecure software supplied by The Mill Adventure. After alerting the company, Wittmann found that it had cut off access to unregulated platforms, leading to the sudden closure of at least 12 gaming sites.
In 2024, the European gambling market reached a record 123.4 billion euros, driven by the growth of online gambling, which now accounts for 39% of the total.
Finland wants to ban affiliate marketing in their new online gambling legislation. According to the Finnish government, affiliate marketing carries risks. They cite misinformation, unclear boundaries between legal and illegal providers, and the lack of consumer protection. They also see tax avoidance as a problem because many affiliates are based outside Finland.
