Irish Gold

About Irish Gold

Another claim made by Black Cube’s report was that Evolution had accepted wagers in virtual currencies and cash. Spectrum confirms that wagers were made by end users using crypto currencies, however it was the operator, and not Evolution accepting these bets.

After assessing part of a 75-page PDF spreadsheet of transactions provided by Evolution, Spectrum found crypto wagers had been placed on Evolution games provided by Hub88, as alleged by Black Cube.

Up to 1,124 occurrences of virtual currencies being used were discovered by Spectrum, which added up to 11.5% of the sessions included in the spreadsheet provided by Evolution.

What is Irish Gold?

KVA expressed concern over the potential manipulation of Google’s autocomplete function by unauthorised operators and websites primarily set up to redirect Dutch consumers to illegal gambling offers.

While acknowledging Google’s cooperation in removing paid advertisements promoting illegal casinos, the KVA emphasised the need for the company to take more comprehensive measures addressing organic search results.

Dutch MPs have raised similar concerns before. In December 2025, CDA MP Straatman asked the state secretary whether websites advertising as “Beste casino’s zonder Cruks” should be taken offline immediately. 

About Irish Gold

What the president does not acknowledge is that the government relies on revenue from the sector. In just the first seven months of 2026, BRL8.747 billion generated by sports betting has already flowed into public coffers. The Federal Revenue Service estimates the total could reach BRL16 billion by the end of the year. In 2025, nearly BRL9 billion was collected from sportsbooks.

The burning question is where such funds will come from if Lula shuts down the betting industry. Yet, no one points out to him that players will simply migrate to the illegal market. Betting will continue to exist, but without formal tax revenue, oversight or player protections.

It will be up to the government to effectively curb the illegal market so the regulated sector continues to generate taxes and jobs while upholding responsible gambling practices. By riding the wave of criticism against betting companies, the government is diverting attention from the true cause of household indebtedness.