Press Releases
UK’s BGC calls for Online Harms Bill to crackdown on black-market unregulated gambling operators endangering children
Standards body BGC Calls for government to use Online Harms Bill to crackdown on unregulated gambling operators
Analysis conducted for the new standards body, the Betting and Gaming Council which represents UK regulated operators, reveals consumers are exposed to large numbers of unlicensed operators (38%) through search results for key gambling terms on major search engines.
- 4 in 10 search results for key gambling terms on major search engines are unlicensed black-market operators
- Danger that children are accessing illegal websites with no strict ID and age verification measures unlike U.K. licensed operators.
- 27 million visits from UK IP addresses to black—market gambling sites
- Estimated 200,000 people in U.K. have used illegal gambling sites in past 12 months
The BGC calls on the government to ensure that the Online Harms Bill, soon to be introduced in parliament, includes action to crack down on platforms who profit from unregulated, black market gambling operators.
There is a particular danger that children are accessing these websites where there are no strict ID and age verification measures deployed by U.K. licensed operators. New strict age verification procedures introduced in May 2019 for UK licensed operators require full verification of name, age and address before anyone can open an online account or place a bet.
The regulatory Advisory Board for Safer Gambling (formerly RGSB) warned in 2018 that internet service providers, app stores, search engine companies, and other relevant providers should be vigilant to the possibility of third party use of their products to provide illegal gambling to children and young people, and should be proactive in preventing it.
The sizeable proportion of gamblers using unlicensed operators reveals that the size of the active ‘black market’ in the UK today is worth around £1.4bn in stakes.
Web traffic statistics suggest that there are 27 million visits from UK IP addresses. Some unlicensed websites block customers from the U.K. but many of those can be circumvented using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks).
Michael Dugher, Chief Executive of the BGC, said: “Search platforms are promoting black-market gambling operators for profit, putting the British consumers, including children, at risk. None of the UK’s strict licensed safeguards are in place on these illegal sites.
“Regulated bookies and online operators have a strict zero tolerance approach to underage gambling, yet unlicensed operators are free to prey on vulnerable consumers.
“We welcome the Government’s Online Harms Bill. But it also provides the Government with a chance to clamp down on the black-market and help protect punters who want a flutter in a safe environment.”
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.
Conferences
EvenBet Gaming to unveil One-Click Poker at ICE Barcelona 2026
EvenBet Gaming, a leading developer of online gaming software and solutions, is set to strengthen its player engagement suite with the debut of One-Click Poker at ICE Barcelona 2026, a new product designed to remove traditional barriers for both players and operators.
Showcased for the first time at the conference, One-Click Poker introduces a no-lobby, cash-game-only format, allowing players to enter a multiplayer poker table instantly with a single click.
By stripping away complex lobbies, tournaments and long onboarding flows, the product delivers a poker experience as intuitive as a slot or table game but with real players, retaining the player-versus-player structure, which has proven a more effective engagement format than player-versus-casino.
The new solution builds on EvenBet’s wider strategy of simplifying poker without sacrificing its social and competitive core. Following the launch of Spins Poker in November 2025, which blended poker mechanics with fast-paced casino-style gameplay, One-Click Poker represents the next evolution: bringing multiplayer cash poker directly into the casino environment in a frictionless format.
Designed specifically for casino operators, One-Click Poker offers simplified management tools, reduced fraud risk through the absence of tournaments, and the ability to share liquidity across networked cash tables from day one.
For players, particularly beginners, the experience removes the need to understand formats, stakes or table selection, creating a more accessible entry point to poker.
At ICE, EvenBet will demonstrate Texas Hold’em in the One-Click Poker format, with plans to convert the majority of its 40+ game portfolio throughout 2026.
Dmitry Starostenkov, CEO at EvenBet Gaming, said: “Poker has always struggled with accessibility, particularly in casino environments where players expect to click and play. Spins Poker showed that multiplayer poker can thrive when it adopts the pace and simplicity of casino games, and One-Click Poker takes that philosophy even further.
“This is about removing friction for players who may be curious about poker but put off by its complexity, and for operators who want a ready-made, low-maintenance solution with immediate liquidity. ICE Barcelona is the perfect place to introduce this next step.”
The post EvenBet Gaming to unveil One-Click Poker at ICE Barcelona 2026 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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