The iGaming market saw notable shifts between August 17 and August 23, 2026, as trends were reversed from the previous week. Leading nations in the sector, particularly from the CIS and Baltic regions, experienced a significant decline. Russia recorded a 7.8% drop after a dramatic increase of 134% the week before, while Lithuania decreased by 9.1% following a 50.2% rise. Similarly, Tajikistan, Slovakia, and Latvia all underwent declines after previous upward movements.
Growth primarily stemmed from scheduled competitions. Switzerland emerged on top with a remarkable 40.3% increase, spurred by events from Super League Matchday 4. Meanwhile, Colombia returned to the Liga BetPlay after a disruption due to an earthquake, leading to a 27.9% rise. In contrast, Ukraine suffered a 12.8% decline amid ongoing scrutiny from Cosmobet.
### Top 5 Gainers of the Week
1. **Switzerland (+40.3%)**
Switzerland led the chart for growth this week, largely due to the excitement surrounding Super League Matchday 4 held on August 22-23. The match featuring Young Boys defeating Vaduz 4-2 drew significant attention to domestic events, enhancing betting interest as the club climbed to the top of the league table.
2. **Sierra Leone (+38.1%)**
Sierra Leone benefited from the broader restart of the European football season, which spurred various betting activities across West Africa. The notable increase in this week’s figures was influenced by a low performance the previous week, especially in a country where betting outlets are prevalent.
3. **Colombia (+27.9%)**
Following a week-long shutdown due to the earthquake on August 10, Liga BetPlay activities resumed with several critical matches on August 22-23, including Santa Fe vs. América de Cali. The return of football significantly boosted betting activity and positively impacted Colombia’s weekly performance.
4. **Senegal (+25.7%)**
The announcement of the schedule for the 2026-27 Ligue 1 season on August 22 coincided with the European football season restart, effectively raising betting interest within the West African market.
5. **Sweden (+24.7%)**
After last week’s decline of 11.4%, Sweden rebounded thanks to Allsvenskan Matchday 20 matches held on August 17-18, involving teams like Malmö FF and Hammarby.
### Top 5 Decliners of the Week
1. **Ukraine (-12.8%)**
Ukraine continued its downturn, which has been exacerbated by heightened scrutiny from Cosmobet regarding alleged connections to Russian ownership. The ongoing war-related gambling restrictions also posed additional challenges to the market.
2. **Uzbekistan (-11%)**
After an initial surge following the issuance of the first betting licenses to Olimpbet and Aurum Vale on July 31, Uzbekistan saw a correction in its market. The drop reflects a readjustment as players increasingly chose licensed operators over offshore betting.
3. **Lithuania (-9.1%)**
Lithuania's 9.1% drop came on the heels of over 50% growth the previous week. Despite positive fundamentals and a reported gross gaming revenue of EUR 153.6 million in the first half of 2026, this week's decline appears to represent a correction in momentum rather than a weakening market.
4. **Tajikistan (-8.6%)**
Tajikistan's market also corrected from a prior surge of 37.8%.
5. **Russia (-7.8%)**
Following a massive 134% spike, Russia’s decline of 7.8% suggests a return to average performance levels.
### Market Spotlight: Switzerland (+40.3%)
Switzerland achieved the highest growth rate last week with a 40.3% surge linked to Super League Matchday 4. Matches on August 22-23 saw Young Boys secure a 4-2 victory, placing them at the forefront of the standings with 10 points from four games. This spike in significant domestic matches has fueled heightened interest in betting as the 2026/27 season progresses.
The structured market encourages licensed operators to prioritize domestic sports betting while offshore gambling is accessible only via DNS blocking. Anticipation for the upcoming Young Boys vs. Basel match on August 29 is likely to sustain interest into the next month.
