Industry News

Call for Ireland to Ban Credit Cards in Online Gambling

Published

6 years ago

January 17, 2020

A betting industry lobby group has called for the Government to follow the UK and ban credit cards in online gambling.

Problem Gambling Ireland said the introduction of such a ban here could have a significant impact in tackling gambling debt.

“Having a facility for people to gamble with money they don’t have is extremely dangerous,” Barry Grant, chief executive of Problem Gambling Ireland, said.

However, Mr. Grant said such a ban is unlikely to be introduced in Ireland until the country’s long-awaited independent gambling industry regulator is in place.

The UK Gambling Commission has said that, as of April 14, British-based punters will not be able to use credit cards to make bets or deposit money into online betting accounts.

The UK ban will apply to all online and offline gambling products, with the sole exception of over-the-counter lottery tickets.

Before Christmas, Mr. Grant described as “absolutely shocking” industry figures showing Irish punters gambled close to €10bn — including more than €800m on lottery and scratch card products — last year, making Ireland the seventh-highest gambling country in the world.

“As a nation, we are developing an increasingly dysfunctional relationship with gambling,” he said at the time. Research by the UK’s betting regulator classes 22% of online gamblers, in the country, who use credit cards as “problem gamblers”.

“The ban on credit card usage for UK gambling deposits likely represents a low single-digit percentage risk to related gaming revenues. The latest in a recent series of more onerous regulatory changes, it also acts as a further reminder that the UK opportunity is no longer what it once was,” Davy analyst Michael Mitchell said.

Balkans

CT Interactive Appoints Martin Dimitrov as its New Commercial Manager

Published

2 days ago

January 16, 2026

Wladimir P.

ct-interactive-appoints-martin-dimitrov-as-its-new-commercial-manager

CT Interactive has appointed Martin Dimitrov as its new Commercial Manager. Martin brings over eight years of experience in sales, client management and business development, with the past two years dedicated to the dynamic iGaming industry.

Throughout his career, Martin has managed a diverse portfolio of clients and partners, successfully developing and strengthening long-term commercial relationships. His active participation in key industry events has enabled him to build an extensive professional network and maintain a strong, up-to-date understanding of market trends and dynamics.

Martin’s strong leadership and strategic thinking allow him to identify new business opportunities, drive sustainable growth and support partners with tailored commercial solutions. His collaborative approach and results-driven mindset make him a trusted point of contact for clients and colleagues alike.

With his deep understanding of the iGaming landscape and proven commercial expertise, Martin Dimitrov is a valuable addition to the CT Interactive team.

The post CT Interactive Appoints Martin Dimitrov as its New Commercial Manager appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

blask

Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained

Published

3 days ago

January 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

greece-led-europe’s-igaming-growth-in-2025-—-now-the-drivers-are-fully-explained

In the second half of 2025, Greece emerged as Europe’s fastest-growing iGaming market. While several major jurisdictions slowed or declined, Greek market demand rose by more than 50% between June and December, standing out as one of the year’s clearest growth stories.

According to data from Blask, the surge was not the result of a single tournament or seasonal spike. Instead, it reflected a structural shift driven by a combination of sports momentum, regulatory reform and casino market dynamics — factors that can now be traced in detail through Blask’s newly released Market Explanation feature.

Continuous sports momentum without demand gaps

Greece’s growth was underpinned by a tightly stacked sports calendar that sustained engagement across multiple months. EuroBasket 2025 in late August, the kickoff of the Stoiximan Super League, UEFA Champions League matchdays under the new league-phase format, and the EuroLeague season featuring Greek clubs created a continuous rhythm of high-interest betting cycles throughout autumn.

Rather than short-lived peaks followed by sharp declines, demand remained elevated well beyond individual events. This is a pattern clearly visible on the Blask Index trend line.

Casino reform reshaped demand behavior

One of the most significant contributors came from the casino segment. Greece’s decision to raise RNG stake limits from €2 to €20 altered the mechanics of the market, allowing online casinos to absorb demand during sports off-peak periods.

As sports-led acquisition increasingly converted into casino play, operators reported double-digit iGaming growth. Market Explanation analysis shows that this effect persisted over time, confirming the shift as structural rather than seasonal.

Enforcement redirected demand to licensed operators

Regulatory action further reinforced the upward trend. In December, Greek authorities blocked approximately 11,000 illegal gambling domains. Instead of suppressing demand, the move redirected player interest toward licensed platforms, strengthening regulated market performance.

The impact was amplified by the adoption of IRIS instant payments, which reduced deposit friction and improved conversion from interest to activity.

From tracking trends to understanding causes

To surface these drivers, Blask has introduced Market Explanation — an AI-powered layer within the Blask Index that allows users to click on any country’s trend line and instantly see a sourced breakdown of the forces behind the movement. Sports calendars, regulatory changes, casino dynamics and macro factors are analyzed together, turning raw demand signals into actionable market context.

Greece’s 2025 performance illustrates how this approach changes market analysis. Rather than simply observing that demand is rising, operators, suppliers and investors can now see why it is happening — and which levers are shaping the trajectory of a market in real time.

The post Greece Led Europe’s iGaming Growth in 2025 — Now the Drivers Are Fully Explained appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Crypto Turnkey

GR8 Tech Delivers 1.6× Higher Deposit Conversion and 3× Reduction in Transaction Costs for Crypto Turnkey Clients

Published

3 days ago

January 15, 2026

Wladimir P.

gr8-tech-delivers-1.6×-higher-deposit-conversion-and-3×-reduction-in-transaction-costs-for-crypto-turnkey-clients

Initial performance metrics from providers utilizing GR8 Tech’s Crypto Turnkey solution indicate notable enhancements in player conversion and operational efficiency within months of transitioning to cryptocurrency payments.

Operators utilizing Crypto Turnkey are indicating:

● 1.6 times greater conversion for initial and subsequent deposits

● Cost per transaction can be as much as 3 times lower than conventional payment methods.

● Withdrawal processing up to 2.5 times quicker

“The conversion improvements and cost reductions we see would take much longer to achieve through payment optimization alone,” said Denys Parkhomenko, GR8 Tech CPO. “Crypto Turnkey unlocks access to the fastest-growing and highly valuable player demographic in iGaming. When over half of your target audience is already using crypto for investments, offering it as a payment method is a must—numbers prove it.”

The findings confirm the business rationale presented at Crypto Turnkey’s inception: cryptocurrency eliminates reliance on payment providers and draws higher-value participants who deposit larger amounts and wager more often. With settlement finishing within minutes rather than days, operators are experiencing enhanced margins and clearly superior player satisfaction.

Crypto Turnkey is now accessible worldwide and can be implemented as a new option or transitioned from Hyper Turnkey.

Unlock Your Crypto Advantage at ICE Barcelona 2026

The post GR8 Tech Delivers 1.6× Higher Deposit Conversion and 3× Reduction in Transaction Costs for Crypto Turnkey Clients appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.