Industry News

Barrière Group consolidates its position as leading casino company in France with six casinos in the Top 10

Published

6 years ago

February 12, 2020

Following The Issue Of French Casino Ratings For Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), The Barrière Group, A Leading Player In The Casino Sector In France And Europe, Has Consolidated Its Position With Six Of Its 27 French Casinos In The Top 10 (Casinos Barrière Enghien-les-bains, Blotzheim, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Deauville And Lille) And Has Seen A Significant Increase In Visitor Numbers. Casinos Barrière Are The Group’s Number One Business Area For Turnover (75.5% For The 2019 Tax Year Ending 31st October).

These figures are the result of a proactive Group strategy, with increased investment in gaming. Despite complex social and economic conditions (the increase in the CSG social security contribution 2 years ago), Barrière – headed by Dominique Desseigne – has redoubled its initiatives and innovations, including the regular diversification of its slot machines and electronic games, new game testing, an increasingly proactive targeted marketing strategy and an ever-changing programme of lively events.

The new “Carré VIP” loyalty programme is a clear success and the roll-out continues: over 50% of turnover is now achieved through cardholders, enjoying numerous benefits offered by the Group to thank them for their loyalty.

In order to attract new clients, especially a younger clientele, Barrière organises and hosts the Barrière Esport Tour, fun and innovative shows that attract the biggest digital influencers in France.

For 18 years in a row, Casino Barrière Enghien-les-Bains has held its position at the top of the ratings, achieving GGR of over 160 million euros. For the coming year, it plans to continue investing in new concepts, including the creation of a high-end gaming table room.

Casino Barrière Blotzheim maintains its number 2 position for the second consecutive year, with a GGR in excess of 50 million euros.

To maintain their advance and continue offering a quality client experience, four Casinos Barrière – located in Toulouse, Blotzheim, Saint-Raphaël and Carry-le-Rouet – will be carrying out renovation and expansion work in 2020. This investment is a reflection of the Group’s desire to beef up its offering, in terms of both gaming (new slot machines and electronic games) and catering (new bars and restaurants, terraces and smoking areas etc.).

“At a time when there have never been as many options for entertainment on offer, it is gratifying to see that casinos are still really popular with the French. Our family-owned and managed Group saw over 9.5 million visits to our Casinos in 2019. This level of popularity clearly shows that, more than ever, casinos are places that bring different generations together: fun and friendly places, with over 3,500 shows and events on offer every year,” said Dominique Desseigne, CEO of Barrière.

Finally, Barrière celebrated the 1oth anniversary of Responsible Gaming in 2019 – its innovative national programme devoted to information and preventing the risks of excessive gambling for its casinos in France. Responsible Gaming mainly consists of a network of experts and a unique system: VLA or Voluntary Limited Access. This allows clients to choose a maximum number of visits over a set period across all of the Group’s casinos. The system consolidates the initiatives that the Group has been trialling for over 10 years.

Up Next

GCT Announces New Strategic Partnership with Context Networks to Deliver Context-Rich Advertising Platform for Casino Operators

Don't Miss

Atari® and Wonder Join Forces on Cross-Platform Gaming

blask

Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand

Published

18 minutes ago

April 14, 2026

Wladimir P.

blask-data:-lottery-drives-78%-of-france’s-gambling-search-demand

New category-level analysis breaks down non-branded iGaming demand by vertical across France, Brazil, India, Italy and Switzerland.

Blask says lottery-related queries account for around 78% of total gambling search demand in France, outweighing online casino (~10%) and live dealer, betting and poker (each ~4%). The company positions the data as evidence that sports betting is not the primary driver of gambling demand in every market.

Blask said the figures come from non-branded search data and are part of a new category-level analysis feature designed to break down demand across verticals and subcategories within each market. The tool is intended to help operators compare player intent across jurisdictions, including “lottery in France, football betting in Brazil, or culturally driven formats in India.”

Outside France, Blask’s data shows Brazil is more betting-led, with online betting at ~52% of demand, which the company attributes largely to football. Lottery represents ~25%, fantasy sports ~11%, while casino (~6%) and live dealer (~2%) remain smaller segments.

India is described as more evenly distributed, with lottery at ~35% and live dealer at ~29%, and online casino, betting and fantasy each at roughly 10%. In Europe, Italy’s demand is reported as seasonally influenced by football, with fantasy sports leading at ~37%, while Switzerland is presented as casino-first, with online casino at ~38%.

Across the markets analysed, Blask said two themes recur: older categories often remain the biggest, and regulation heavily shapes demand. Where certain verticals are restricted, the company said interest tends to shift into adjacent or offshore segments rather than disappearing.

The post Blask data: lottery drives 78% of France’s gambling search demand appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Continent 8 Technologies

Continent 8 appoints Cris Kuehl as Chief Data, Information & AI Officer

Published

5 days ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

continent-8-appoints-cris-kuehl-as-chief-data,-information-&-ai-officer

Continent 8 Technologies, a leading provider of managed IT solutions for the global iGaming and online sports betting industry, has appointed Cris Kuehl as its Chief Data, Information & AI Officer.

Cris brings over 20 years of expertise in AI, analytics, and data strategy, with senior roles including VP of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science at Akkodis and Global Head, CX Analytics & AI at Foundever. His career focuses on helping regulated organisations adopt secure, scalable, and practical AI capabilities.

At Continent 8, Cris will oversee the company’s global data, AI, and information strategy, driving innovation in analytics, automation, cybersecurity, and customer-centric intelligence. He will also shape AI-enabled product development, champion responsible AI practices, and strengthen data governance for the iGaming, tribal, and enterprise sectors.

Michael Tobin, CEO and Founder of Continent 8, said:
“Cris’ expertise across data, AI, and regulated environments is a perfect fit for our organisation. His leadership will help us provide secure, high-performance solutions that deliver measurable value to customers.”

Cris Kuehl added:
“I’m thrilled to join Continent 8 at such a pivotal moment. AI is transforming how organisations operate, collaborate, and protect their data. Continent 8 is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation in the iGaming and online sports betting sector, and I’m excited to drive the next chapter of innovation.”

The post Continent 8 appoints Cris Kuehl as Chief Data, Information & AI Officer appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

iGaming

PRAGMATIC PLAY BRINGS LEGENDARY SLOTS IP TO LIVE CASINO WITH GATES OF OLYMPUS ROULETTE

Published

5 days ago

April 9, 2026

Wladimir P.

pragmatic-play-brings-legendary-slots-ip-to-live-casino-with-gates-of-olympus-roulette

Pragmatic Play, a leading iGaming content supplier, has launched Gates of Olympus Roulette, a live casino experience that merges classic roulette with thrilling slot-action, delivering a game show truly fit for the gods.

Set in a temple-inspired studio with a marble-encased roulette wheel at its centre, the game immerses players in a Grecian fantasy world, complete with striking visuals, dramatic sounds, and charismatic presenters.

Each spin offers the chance to hit a Bonus Number and up to seven Lucky Numbers, carrying multipliers of 50x–250x to boost straight-up bets. The Super Booster feature further amplifies wins by multiplying the Bonus and selected Lucky Numbers 2x–10x, enabling potential payouts of up to 2,500x in the base game and 10,000x in the bonus round.

Landing the Bonus Number triggers the Gates of Olympus bonus game, where Zeus presides over a 6×5 slots grid. Starting with 15 spins, players win whenever 8–12+ matching symbols appear anywhere on the reels. Multipliers up to 500x can strike randomly on any spin or tumble, and three or more scatters award five additional spins.

Following the success of Sweet Bonanza CandyLand, which brought the iconic Sweet Bonanza slot to live casino audiences, Gates of Olympus Roulette underscores Pragmatic Play’s expertise in transforming beloved slot IPs into cross-vertical live experiences. The launch complements recent game show hits like Money Time and Mega Roulette 3000.

Sharon McHugh, Director of Public Relations at Pragmatic Play, said:
“Gates of Olympus Roulette is a spectacular addition to our portfolio, bringing one of our most celebrated IPs into the live casino spotlight. The epic studio design, dynamic roulette-slot fusion, and immersive Grecian theme showcase Pragmatic Play’s commitment to creating truly standout player experiences.”

The post PRAGMATIC PLAY BRINGS LEGENDARY SLOTS IP TO LIVE CASINO WITH GATES OF OLYMPUS ROULETTE appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.