Latest News
EU Ranked: The Sports Betting Capitals of Europe
- Recent +2,850% surge worldwide in people asking, “new sports betting sites…”
- Google searches like “sports betting” currently highest in MALTA
- Ireland, Cyprus and Romania among TOP countries in Europe for sports betting
- Slovakia, Germany and Poland among BOTTOM countries in Europe for sports betting
- Google searches for sports betting online are highest in Sweden and Ireland
There has been a recent +2,850% surge in searches for “new sports betting sites Hungary”, according to Google Trends. Which led TopRatedCasinos.co.uk to ask, what European countries are most interested in sports betting?
To find the sports betting capitals of Europe, TopRatedCasinos inputted several keyword variations into the keyword analytics section of SEMrush. 27 EU countries were inputted and analysed individually and searches per capita were considered, before final results were listed, to make findings more accurate*.
Interestingly, TopRatedCasinos’ research found that although Google Trends shows an increase in sports betting in Hungary, Hungarians are among the least interested in placing a bet on sporting events, ranking 20th overall for interest around the sports betting topic, with only 0.43 searches on average per 1,000 population.
The Results
TopRatedCasinos found average monthly searches like “sports betting” are currently highest per capita in Malta. In fact, in the last 30 days, there have been 2,420 individual searches around the topic, which equates to 5.48 searches on average per 1,000 population.
This is followed by high search results per capita in Ireland and Cyprus, with 16,610 and 3,470 sports betting searches on average per month, respectively.
At the other end of the scale, we find countries like Slovakia, Germany, and Poland.
In Slovakia, there are 1,690 searches (0.31 searches per 1,000 population) a month containing keywords like “sports betting.”
While in Germany and Poland, we find interest around the sports betting topic to be seemingly very low in accordance with population size. Germany for instance only had 0.29 searches on average per 1,000 population.
Methodology
To find out the sports betting capitals of Europe, TopRatedCasinos inputted several keyword variations into the keyword analytics section of online visibility and marketing tool SEMrush. The variations included: “sports betting”, “sports gambling”, “bet on sports”, “online sport bet” and “online sports gambling”. Results for all 27 EU countries were inputted and analysed individually before final results were listed. All 27 EU countries were ranked in accordance with searches per capita, to make findings more accurate.
https://www.worldometers.info/ was used to get the estimated population size of all 27 EU countries considered.
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Booming Games
Booming Games Releases “Diamond Forge: Link & Loot”
Booming Games has released its latest slot “Diamond Forge: Link & Loot”. Boasting a 5×3 grid with 10 fixed paylines, the game offers players a maximum win potential of 10,000x. Set on a classic, diamond background, two explosive bonus features provide the ultimate experience for those seeking entertaining gameplay.
Every Diamond collected charges the Diamond Boost, which can be triggered in either the base game or from free spins. Boasting the ability to erupt at any moment, it can award up to 8 extra Diamonds onto the reels to instantly trigger the powerful Link & Loot feature. Players who collect 6 or more Diamonds are awarded 5 Link & Loot spins, where adjacent diamond symbols land and merge to create bigger symbols.
Players can create Colossal symbols of 2×2 and above to award a Colossal spin, where they can win higher value prizes or even the Mini, Minor, Major or Grand Prizes. This culminates in the ultimate Colossal of 5×3 Diamonds capable of unleashing the biggest rewards.
Elsewhere, players who find 3 or more Scatters are awarded with 8 Free Spins and a boosted chance of triggering the Link & Loot feature again as they deploy colossal Diamonds toward the 10,000x maximum win.
Craig Asling, Director of Games at Booming Games, said: “Diamonds are a player’s best friend! Diamond Forge: Link & Loot is a modern twist on a classic theme, which we’re confident will be as popular as previous iterations of the Link & Look series. Innovative bonus features set on a familiar 5×3 grid combine to create an ultimate gameplay experience with significant win potential. Play Diamond Forge: Link & Loot now!”
The post Booming Games Releases “Diamond Forge: Link & Loot” appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Compliance Updates
Incentive Games wins interim Pennsylvania gaming licence
Incentive Games has been granted an interim gaming licence in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, effective immediately. The approval allows the B2B supplier to offer its real-money gaming products to licensed operators in the state.
The Pennsylvania approval follows Incentive Games’ licensing in Michigan in 2025, as the company continues to expand across regulated North American markets.
Incentive Games said the Pennsylvania licence gives it access to one of the most established and competitive US iGaming markets, where compliance and player protection requirements are tightly enforced.
Ahmed Baker, Chief Commercial Officer at Incentive Games, said, “Being granted an interim licence in Pennsylvania is a huge achievement for our business and a strong endorsement of our regulatory approach. It strengthens our position in North America and supports our ambition to grow through trusted partnerships in regulated markets. We look forward to working with operators in Pennsylvania to deliver high-quality real-money gaming experiences to their players.”
The post Incentive Games wins interim Pennsylvania gaming licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
blackjack
Avanti Studios lands exclusive rights for live Sweet 16 Blackjack side bet
Avanti Studios has secured an exclusivity agreement with HITSqwad Interactive Gaming to offer Sweet 16 Blackjack as a live casino product worldwide.
Sweet 16 Blackjack is already available in a digital format with operators including BetMGM, Caesars, DraftKings, OLG, BCLC and FanDuel, according to the companies. The land-based version is active across South Africa and is in the process of a broader rollout.
The companies pointed to third-party rankings for the title’s performance. Sweet 16 Blackjack ranked as a Top 10 Table Game in the Eilers & Krejcik U.S. Online Game Performance Report in September 2024 and April 2026, and was nominated for Top Performing New Online Table Game at the EKG Slot Awards in 2024 and 2025.
In gameplay terms, Sweet 16 Blackjack adds an optional side bet to standard blackjack. If a player’s first two cards total 16, the side bet wins, with payouts varying based on suits, colours and values.
Jonas Delin, Co-Founder at Avanti Studios, said: “The statistics show that Sweet 16 Blackjack is one of the iGaming industry’s top-performing table games, so we’re delighted to have reached an agreement with HITSqwad to exclusively offer the format to live casino audiences worldwide.
“Sweet 16 Blackjack’s innovative side bet mechanic coupled with the flawless presentation, deep customisation and infinite scalability that only Avanti can provide will ensure that the game will go on to become a staple part of our offering for operators in all regulated markets that we serve.”
Charl Geyser, CEO of HITSqwad Interactive Gaming, said, “Sweet 16 is an incredible game that has already built a massive player following across both online and retail environments. We are delighted to partner with Avanti to take it into the Live Casino market for the next step in its journey as one of the world’s top Blackjack Side-Bets.”
The post Avanti Studios lands exclusive rights for live Sweet 16 Blackjack side bet appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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