The iGN editorial team, in collaboration with Denis from Wager 3.0, has investigated markets showing a significant increase in offshore shares by 2026. They tested the hypothesis that stringent regulatory restrictions drive players to gray platforms. The data sources included Blask and Google Trends. The hypothesis was confirmed in the top five markets with regulatory contexts and the fastest-growing brands. Here are the key findings:
Greece: Offshore share increased from 3.6% to 15.2% between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026. In February 2026, the government introduced an anti-offshore bill imposing fines for advertising gray operators, automatic blocking of their websites, and criminal liability for the operators themselves. In March, NV Casino entered the market with an aggressive campaign, leading to an offshore share rise to 36%.
Fastest-growing brands (February-March 2026): NV Casino 1.15K%, Superbet 567%, BigClash 497%.
Turkey: Offshore share grew from 80.4% to 85.4%. The state monopoly IDDAA operates in the country, and online casinos and betting are prohibited. In November 2025, President Erdogan announced a crackdown on offshore gambling, resulting in the blocking of 239,000 domains, several criminal cases against PSP providers, and mandatory banking regulation, yet the gray market continues to grow.
Fastest-growing brands: OlayCasino 3.31K%, Go Bahis 1.61K%, Betorder 1.36K%.
Ukraine: Offshore share increased from 13.2% to 17.7%. The country is undergoing iGaming industry reforms, with the PlayCity regulator blocking 3,500 illegal sites and banning bonuses, cashback, and free spins. The regulator has also launched a test monitoring of operators' transactions and is considering a complete gambling ban for military personnel.
Fastest-growing brands: Marsbahis 234%, Gorilla 173%, Casino.uа 62%.
Sweden: Offshore share rose from 1.5% to 3.9%. One of the most strictly regulated markets in Europe, any bonuses except welcome ones are banned. From April 1, 2026, a complete ban on gambling with credit cards will be implemented, the first such practice in the EU. The growth of the gray market is again linked to NV Casino, with the brand's share rising from less than 1% in February to 7.8% in March 2026.
Fastest-growing brands: NV Casino 18K%, William Hill 741%, Bingo.cоm 331%.
Mexico: Offshore share increased from 7.1% to 9.0%. Gambling in the country has grown for four consecutive years, but in January 2026, authorities raised the GGR tax from 30% to 50%, leading to a 35% market contraction over two months. Onshore operators lost 34% of demand, while offshore operators only lost about 7%. This summer, the country will co-host the World Cup with the USA and Canada.
Fastest-growing brands: BetFury 153%, Marathonbet 141%, MelBet 133%.