Blask tracks iGaming player interest through AI-analyzed Google search data. In this report, the market split was clear. Colombia led the gainers with a 49.3% week-on-week increase, followed by the Netherlands at 25.0%. Illinois, South Korea, and Texas also moved higher.
The weakest markets were Thailand, Somalia, the Czech Republic, Nepal, and Spain. Some drops were tied to enforcement. Others looked more like a cooldown after short sporting peaks.
Colombia Had Two Drivers at Once
Colombia’s rise was not only a one-day spike. Two different developments, according to Blask, raised player interest in the country:
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Legal. The Colombian Constitutional Court ruled that DIAN (Colombia’s tax and customs authority) should return taxes collected under the repealed emergency decree. The estimated refund liability is around $6 million. Operators have returned to the regular 15% GGR taxation system, while a new gambling tax bill is once again in the political sphere.
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Demand for lotteries. On April 25th, three regional jackpots ran simultaneously, with total prizes amounting to more than $10 million. In addition, the Baloto lottery rolled over again, which pushed the sum of the Baloto and Baloto Revancha pools up to $13.5 million.
Dutch Market Data Raised Bigger Questions
The Netherlands posted the second-largest gain, up 25.0%. The trigger was the KSA’s 2025 annual report, published on April 21.
Blask’s summary points to several numbers. The legal market shrank 18.5% over the past year, while reports of illegal offerings rose 34% to 2,005 cases. Revenue channelisation also fell from 51% to 49%.
This means the unlicensed market out-earned licensed operators for the first time since online gambling was legalised in the Netherlands in 2021. In addition, the report mentioned a $12 million KSA budget shortfall and potential enforcement expansion toward payment providers and B2B firms.
NBA Playoffs Added US Momentum
The NBA playoffs contributed to growing player interest in the US. Illinois saw searches increase by 15.3% as Games 2, 3, and 4 created a steady playoff betting calendar. Although the Chicago Bulls did not take part in the games, the wider postseason was enough to move search activity.
Texas searches were up 14.6%, influenced by the NBA as well. However, unlike Illinois, there is no licensed online sports betting in Texas. This suggests that the increase points to search interest rather than activity inside a regulated local market.
Korean Lotto Result Drove a Local Rebound
South Korea gained 15.3% for a separate reason. Lotto draw 1221 produced 16 first-prize winners, each receiving about $1.3 million.
The result gave national media a clear weekend story. It also helped the market recover after the previous week’s enforcement-led decline.
Insights About Decliners
Thailand recorded the greatest drop, down 21.0%. Blask attributed it to enforcement campaigns during the week, including arrests in Pattaya and Bangkok.
The Nepalese drop of 17.7% marked a fourth consecutive weekly fall. As noted in the report, the country’s URL-blocking regime continues to expand.
On the other hand, Spain and the Czech Republic presented different trends. The declines seen there followed earlier football-related spikes. During the week covered in the report, no major replacement events took place there.
A similar case was experienced in Somalia. That market recorded a 20.8% drop.
Bottom Line
Blask’s report shows that weekly iGaming interest can move for very different reasons. Sports calendars are not the only demand driver. Court rulings, lottery cycles, and enforcement actions can all shape player interest within the same week.
