Eden Hazard's Stake Sponsorship Under Investigation in Belgium

Former Chelsea star Eden Hazard faces an investigation by the Belgian Gaming Commission over his sponsorship deal with Stake in his home country of Belgium. Under a Belgian royal decree dated 2023, content from influencers promoting products or services aimed at adults must apply age verification. Hazard's social media posts promoting Stake do not include these restrictions.

Hazard's followers are spread across the world, but a significant portion live in Belgium. Authorities are trying to determine whether these promotions were specifically aimed at Belgian consumers, given that they reach around 27 million followers. Shortly after Stake announced Hazard as a brand ambassador in March, warnings began to emerge that the partnership could cause problems.

Hazard retired from professional football in 2023 but remains one of Belgium's most popular and influential figures. There is currently no claim that Hazard committed any violation. However, he may have been drawn into an venture through bad advice, which could later turn out to have breached Belgian betting regulations. The investigation is ongoing.

In a separate report from Belgium, it was reported that Gaming Corps launched in the country together with Starcasino, following an earlier partnership.