Figures from the Danish Gambling Authority’s latest monthly statistics show that the Danes gambling spend increased in November 2025 compared with November 2024. Especially betting and online casino saw a large increase in spending.

The total gambling market in November 2025 increased by 17.1% compared to November 2024. Especially online casino and betting contributed to the rise with increases of 27% and 14%, respectively. Gaming machines saw a minor fall of 1.4% and land-based casino saw a fall of 3.4% compared to the same month in 2024.

The monthly statistics also includes figures describing the Danish Gambling Authority’s Register of self-excluded players (ROFUS) and the helpline StopSpillet.

The post Danes Spent More on Online Casino and Betting in November 2025 appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

NBA betting is hitting new heights in Europe. New data from Entain shows that the 2025–26 European tour sparked a massive wave of activity, with games in Berlin, Paris, and London serving as the primary catalysts for customer growth.

The NBA has made no secret of its ambition to deepen its presence in Europe through international games and significant spikes in betting activity around these games suggest that their strategy is gaining real traction.

“Conversations around long-term expansion, including the possibility of placing full-time NBA franchises in European cities, continue to resurface whenever engagement surges in major markets like Germany and France. As a result, this data not only measures betting interest, but also acts as an indicator of where the NBA’s brand is resonating most strongly – and where the fans are,” Rene Simanovic, Entain’s Head of European Basketball.

Paris kicks off in style

The NBA’s Paris stop in 2025 was a sign of the strong performance to come, particularly in the host market. France recorded one of the most impressive uplifts in stakes across the entire tour. Compared with a typical NBA week:

France: +241%

Italy: +119%

Germany: +72%

Berlin: record-breaking momentum

The Berlin game on 15th January 2026 delivered the most dramatic uplift of the tour, providing further indication of the NBA’s growing influence across continental Europe:

Germany: +274%

Italy: +110%

Greece: +68%

A major driver of local excitement came from the appearance of Berlin-born brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner, whose homecoming with Orlando Magic added cultural significance to the fixture.

London: strong continental interest, modest UK growth

The London NBA game on 18th January 2026 again generated significant interest across Europe, though the UK continued to trail other major markets:

France: +35%

Germany: +28%

UK: +19%

“This surge in engagement underscores a significant and accelerating shift in customer behaviour. These fixtures are clearly resonating with audiences across our markets, and we are witnessing basketball establish itself as a major growth driver within the sports betting ecosystem. By contrast, the UK’s more subdued response highlights a key opportunity for future growth,” Rene Simanovic said.

The post NBA 2025–26 European Tour Drives Record Betting Surge, Entain Data Shows appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

The Merkur Group fully lived up to its ICE motto “Spin with Power. Shine in Color.” With a booth more colourful, vibrant and eye-catching than ever before, powerful new products that consistently attracted large crowds, and an entertainment programme that truly captivated visitors, the company made a strong statement at ICE 2026. From 19 to 21 January 2026, the Merkur Group once again showcased its credentials at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via during the world’s leading trade show for the international gaming industry – reaffirming its position as one of the largest exhibitors and a leading global player. Across approximately 2500 square metres, the German-based gaming specialist presented a diverse and highly innovative product portfolio to more than 65,000 trade visitors from around the globe, once again underlining its role as a full-service gaming provider with a strong international footprint.

“The transformation taking place within the Merkur Games business division is clearly visible – and it was consistently reflected both in our ICE presence and in our product lineup. We presented ourselves as more colourful, modern and progressive than ever before, bringing even greater vibrancy to the Merkur brand. Our objective for ICE 2026 was to usher in a new era – and we achieved that goal across the board. A completely reimagined booth concept that truly appealed to visitors, combined with a product portfolio that generated tangible excitement on site, stands as a testament to the dedication and commitment of our entire team, our uncompromising quality standards and, ultimately, the strength of the Merkur brand,” said Dominik Raasch, Management Board Member for Merkur Games at Merkur.com AG.

The Merkur World once again impressed with a strong presence of Merkur subsidiaries and a correspondingly broad gaming portfolio that resonated strongly with customers. The undisputed highlight from the Group’s international sales and development brand Merkur Gaming was the new six-level jackpot system Dimension Link – prominently presented on an impressive stage. Taking players on a mystical journey to ancient Egypt, complete with thrilling sticky spins and engaging bonus features, the system proved to be a powerful crowd-puller. The high-energy titles from Gaming Arts also attracted significant attention, including Glory of Giza and Eternal Riches. Another key highlight was Merkur Gaming’s new Prime Line multigame package, combining numerous proven top-performing titles with 14 brand-new games and delivering them in an even more modern and visually striking presentation. Providing the perfect showcase for Merkur’s content creations was, among others, the modular premium cabinet Mod Ex Xtended – an enhanced version of the Mod Ex featuring an electrically extendable console designed to deliver additional comfort and flexibility.

In addition to Merkur Gaming, ten further subsidiaries travelled to Barcelona as part of the Group’s traditional strong showing, presenting their respective product and service portfolios within the impressive and high-energy Merkur World. adp Merkur offered insights into the German land-based market, while Blueprint Operations and Blueprint Gaming showcased their premium solutions for the UK and online market. Merkur Dosniha represented the Group’s offerings for the Spanish gaming sector. The breadth and depth of the Merkur portfolio were further enhanced by the Group’s subsidiaries GeWeTe, showcasing durable, high-quality and highly reliable cash handling and payment solutions; Bede Gaming, underlining its technological leadership with powerful online platform technology; and Spintec, rounding off the offering with an extensive range of cutting-edge ETG and live gaming solutions.

The Group’s product innovations were showcased to particularly strong effect thanks to a completely reimagined booth design. Vibrant colours, large-scale LED walls and a striking lighting concept sparked visitors’ curiosity, while a varied entertainment programme – featuring interactive live magic, dynamic cheerleader performances and atmospheric DJ sets during happy hour – ensured continuous and intense visitor traffic throughout the Merkur World. Spacious visitor lounges and a two-level hospitality area offering Spanish and Slovenian culinary specialities provided the ideal setting for in-depth discussions in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.

Marcel Heutmekers, Senior Vice President Merkur Games International, said: “ICE 2026 delivered on its promise in every respect. We are still overwhelmed by the exceptionally high visitor numbers at our booth throughout all three days of the show. Equally pleasing, however, was the opportunity to welcome a large number of our customers from Europe, the United States and Latin America to the Merkur World. The many intensive, insightful and extremely positive discussions we held leave the entire Merkur team looking ahead to the future with great confidence.”

The post Merkur Group Dominates ICE 2026 with Bold New Booth and Product Innovations appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.