In 2023, the gambling market in Belgium experienced impressive growth, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) surpassing €1.7 billion, divided between online gambling (55.48%) and offline gambling (44.52%). This increase represents an overall growth of 16.74% compared to the previous year.

The online gambling segment saw an increase of 18.03% compared to 2022, surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Online GGR is dominated by casino websites, which account for 48.17% of the total, followed by slots (26.68%) and online betting (25.15%). This distribution remains consistent with previous years.

On the other hand, offline gambling also showed progress, with GGR rising by 15.18% compared to 2022. Bingo machines and low-stakes games in cafes generated more than a third of offline GGR (35.75%), while slot rooms, betting, and casinos contributed 24.40%, 21.40%, and 18.46%, respectively. Betting, which had taken the top spot during the pandemic, has now fallen behind bingo and slot machines.

In 2023, Belgian casinos saw their GGR increase by 18.74% compared to 2022, with a particularly strong performance in online activities (+20.17%).
All physical casinos, except one, recorded an increase in their GGR. The Middelkerke casino experienced the most significant growth, while the Brussels casino remains the market leader with a 37.48% share.

The slot machines venues market also saw expansion in 2023, with a total GGR of €436.9 million, the highest ever recorded.
This 17.29% increase compared to the previous year reflects a recovery and continued growth in this segment, surpassing 2019 levels. The top ten largest slot machine venues represent 16% of offline GGR, with Brussels leading in revenue per venue.

Sports betting saw an overall increase of 8.43% in GGR in 2023, driven mainly by online betting (+12.79%).
Despite a slight increase in offline betting (+2.27%), bookstores and betting agencies continue to face challenges. Regulatory restrictions and the reduction in the number of licenses contributed to a significant decline in the number of player accounts, although GGR growth partly offset these losses.

As the Paris 2024 Olympic Games finish, Europe can proudly celebrate a series of remarkable performances. Athletes from across the continent demonstrated their prowess in a wide range of sports, bringing home an impressive total of 226 medals: 68 gold, 72 silver, and 86 bronze.

The continent's medal count is far surpassing that of other regions. Europe finished well ahead, winning 105 more medals than Asia and 111 more than the Americas.

The French Olympic team set a new record with 64 medals, surpassing their previous high of 43 from Beijing 2008. This included 16 gold medals, breaking their record of 15 golds from Atlanta 1996.

Yaroslava Maruchikh is an Ukrainian?high jumper. She holds the?world record in the event with a jump of 2.10 m (2024 Paris Diamond League). She added an Olympic gold medal to her impressive collection during Paris 2024.

Leon Marchand of France, whose outstanding performances in swimming saw him win four individual gold medals, a feat achieved by only a handful of swimmers in Olympic history, and the highest gold medal count of the Games.

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, the French bicycle racer who won the gold medal in the?cross-country mountain biking?in Elancourt, France.

Armand Duplantis of Sweden?captured the gold in the men's pole vault and extended his world record to 6.25 meters, setting a new standard in athletics.

Great Britain's synchronised 3m diving team, which clinched the first European medal of the Games, set the tone for the continent's success.

Great Britain's Katy Marchant, Sophie Capewell, and Emma Finucane set world records in the women’s team sprint cycling event.

Remco Evenepoel from Belgium won the first gold for Europe, with fellow European cyclists Filippo Ganna of Italy and Wout van Aert of Belgium claiming silver and bronze, respectively, marking a European podium sweep.

The triumph of European athletes at Paris 2024 is partly a result of the strong development pathways created by the European Olympic Committees (EOC). Events like the European Games and European Youth Olympic Festivals have played a crucial role in readying athletes for success on the world stage.

EOC President Spyros Capralos praised Paris 2024 for showcasing the best of Europe. Capralos declared: “We can say that the Olympic Games has shown the best of Paris, the best of France, and the best of Europe.”?

He concluded: “In stunning venues with packed crowds, we have seen athletes from across the world entertain fans and produce memories that will last a lifetime for all involved.”

The ANJ, the French gambling regulator predicted that betting during the Paris Olympic Games could reach €240 million, just in France, doubling the amount wagered during the Tokyo Games in 2021. 25% of French people interested in the Olympics considered placing bets.

Cambodia-based casino operator NagaCorp is bracing for a financial impact due to its stalled casino project in Vladivostok, Russia. The company anticipates recording an impairment charge between $85 million (€77 million) and $95 million (€86.9 million) for the first half of 2024, according to a filing with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. ??

This financial hit is expected to potentially swing the company’s earnings from a profit of $3.1 million (€2.8 million) to a net loss of $6.9 million (€6.3 million) for the period, a stark contrast to the $83 million (€75.9 million) profit reported a year ago.  

NagaCorp’s Vladivostok project, which began with ambitious plans to establish a major resort in Russia’s Primorye Economic Zone, has faced numerous setbacks. The project was indefinitely suspended in March 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine, as the company invoked a force majeure clause due to "various uncertainties." Although the company did not initially specify the reasons, it later acknowledged that the ongoing war and subsequent international sanctions had severely disrupted the development.??

According to reports, NagaCorp initially entered the Russian market with high hopes, targeting the Primorye Economic Zone due to its strategic location near China, South Korea, and Japan — regions where gambling was heavily restricted at the time. However, the landscape has drastically changed. Japan has since approved a casino project in Osaka, and the ongoing geopolitical tensions have further complicated the Vladivostok venture, leading to re-evaluation and the substantial impairment charge now expected.  

The financial difficulties linked to the Vladivostok project have had a notable effect on NagaCorp’s market performance. Shares of the Hong Kong-listed company fell by 12 percent following the announcement, contributing to a nearly 30 percent decline in value since mid-May. Despite these setbacks, NagaCorp maintains that its overall financial position remains stable, with the impairment being an unrealized loss that does not directly affect the company’s operational cash flow.??

SEOBROTHERS is committed to dominating the field through innovative SEO tactics and creative content strategies. Head of Sales Aleksandra Drigo told SiGMA News that their mission revolves around increasing internet presence, driving organic traffic, and maximising revenue for their projects. In this interview, Drigo discusses how SEOBROTHERS is redefining affiliate marketing by fostering meaningful partnerships and delivering user-centric content. ??

Our goal at SEOBROTHERS is to dominate the iGaming and digital marketing industry. We use cutting-edge SEO tactics and creative content marketing strategies to help our projects?experience substantial growth. Through consistent and deliberate work, our main objectives are to increase internet presence, increase organic traffic, and maximise revenue. We are dedicated to quality, and to stay ahead of the competition, we constantly adjust to the changing digital world.   

We concentrate on establishing solid, trustworthy bonds with our partners and audience to accomplish these goals. In order to guarantee that our clients and users receive accurate and useful information, we place a high priority on transparency and honesty in all our dealings. Furthermore, we work to positively influence the iGaming sector by encouraging safe gaming behaviours and offering gamers access to informative and empowering information. By fusing technological know-how with a thorough comprehension of the requirements and preferences of our audience, we hope to redefine affiliate marketing and, in the process, build a vibrant ecosystem that benefits all parties involved.    

We are working worldwide, but our main focus is Tier 1 countries. We have projects in Europe, Canada, Africa, and Latam.    

Pure SEO only. Our focus is on pure SEO traffic, we try to select SEO keywords qualitatively and bring our partner high-quality traffic. Also, now we have started developing streams, but it needs some time to grow.   

Traffic generation is crucial for our success at SEOBROTHERS. We employ a comprehensive SEO strategy focused on niche keywords with high-conversion potential. We began by redesigning our website with a user-first approach, creating new content, and revamping existing material to keep it fresh and relevant.   

Navigating the dynamic landscape of affiliate marketing requires us to stay ahead of trends and adapt to changes swiftly. As SEO algorithms evolve, we continuously refine our strategies to maintain visibility and attract organic traffic. Our commitment to delivering valuable, user-centric content ensures that we not only drive traffic but also engage and convert visitors effectively.   

Everything is simple here, nowadays there are many different ways to track the result, for SEO traffic we use GSС, then we can check the quality of traffic, the number of deposits, registrations, our commission, the player's country, and other things, in the affiliate program of our partner. 

It depends on the market, geo, partner product, and other factors, the average conversion for our top markets from registration to deposit is 35-50%. 

We look to our operators as crucial partners in achieving success. We value open communication, transparency, and a collaborative approach from them. Friendliness and fairness are equally important, as is the timely sharing of accurate information. This partnership enables us to align our efforts effectively, ensuring that our mutual goals are met and that our marketing strategies are finely tuned for optimal results.   

Maintaining a lively social media presence while being updated on industry developments is something we take great pride in. Staying up to date isn't enough; we also need to use these insights into our content strategies to deliver timely and pertinent updates that genuinely connect with our audience. This strategy maintains the interest and hunger of our community for more.   

Furthermore, our users are the focus of both our personalised marketing campaigns and loyalty programmes. These programmes aim to create a sense of loyalty and belonging in our community, not just transactions. It all comes down to fostering connections and making each exchange feel special and worthwhile.   

Bank transfer, of course, we are trying to be as white and transparent as possible, to show the industry that it is possible to work “clean”, to pay all the taxes, etc.  

For us, navigating the affiliate marketing scene in 2024 has been a trip full of possibilities and challenges. In order to keep our competitive edge, we've had to adapt our techniques quickly and proactively in response to the constant adjustments in SEO algorithms. Because of the intense competition in our field, we are always improving our strategy to make sure we stand out from the competition.   

Data privacy laws have created an additional level of complexity, so we now must give compliance priority while maintaining smooth customer experiences. Accepting technological developments has been crucial in motivating us to keep innovating in order to satisfy changing customer demands.   

Our dedication to strategic agility and data-driven decision-making has been essential throughout. We have not only overcome obstacles but also transformed them into chances for improvement by applying these ideas. In the future, we intend to keep improving our tactics to elevate our collaborations and produce significant outcomes in the dynamic field of affiliate marketing.?