Industry News
Barrière Group consolidates its position as leading casino company in France with six casinos in the Top 10
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.
blask
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
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.
Fast Track
Fast Track Introduces “Tournaments” Feature
Fast Track has expanded its AI-driven gamification platform, Rewards, with the launch of “Tournaments”. This new feature provides operators with a powerful tool to strengthen player retention. By leveraging real-time leaderboards, Tournaments allow players to compete directly for prizes—a proven strategy for increasing session length and frequency of play.
Tournaments integrate with the company’s Singularity Model, allowing operators to match players to competitions based on how they play. A player who chases big wins can be entered into a multiplier-based competition. A volume player competes on turnover. The result is tournaments that feel personal and perform better.
For operators managing multiple brands, the feature removes duplication. A single tournament setup can be applied across all brands and languages through Player Origins, Fast Track’s multi-brand management layer.
“Operators have either built tournaments in-house or used tools disconnected from their CRM, both creating friction at scale. Tournaments in Rewards solves that, but the real value is in relevance. Connected to the Singularity Model, operators aren’t just running competitions – they’re running the right competition for each player,” Simon Lidzén, CEO of Fast Track, said.
The post Fast Track Introduces “Tournaments” Feature appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Booming Games6 days agoBooming Games and Live Play Mobile Launch “LivePlay™ Slots” with Exclusive Modo Debut
-
Arizona7 days agoArizona Department of Gaming Reports $44.9 Million in Tribal Gaming Contributions for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026
-
Affiliate Events6 days agoTaking Off with N1 Partners at iGB Affiliate 2026 in Barcelona: Grand Final and a Helicopter for the N1 Puzzle Promo Winner
-
Affiliate Management6 days agoN1 Faces: Daria Maichuk — “Communication as the Key to Strong, Effective Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing”
-
Affiliate Management6 days agoN1 Faces: Daria Maichuk — “Communication as the Key to Strong, Effective Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing”
-
Affiliate Events6 days agoTaking Off with N1 Partners at iGB Affiliate 2026 in Barcelona: Grand Final and a Helicopter for the N1 Puzzle Promo Winner
-
Global Expansion6 days agoProgressPlay Unveils Dual-Engine Strategy for 2026: Empowering Partners via Standalone and Sweepstakes Solutions
-
Carl Gatt Baldacchino Head of Account Management SlotMatrix3 days agoSlotMatrix revives classic slot action with Crazy 777 U.S launch



