Belgium Authorities Investigate Eden Hazard Over Stake Gambling Role

Key Points

• Belgian authorities have got their eyes on Eden Hazard after he stepped up as a global ambassador for online casino Stake, which is still a problem for the Belgian gaming scene.
• Stake has the unfortunate distinction of being on Belgium’s blacklist & although they operate in many countries they’re not here, no license to offer gambling services to locals.
• Authorities could instruct Hazard to end cooperation with the company and may consider sanctions if he refuses the instruction.

Belgian authorities now investigate Eden Hazard after he accepted a role as global ambassador promoting online casino platform Stake, which officials consider an illegal operator in his home country. Earlier this week the retired footballer revealed the partnership through a promotional video on his social media platforms and introduced the brand connection to millions of followers online. Hazard also shared another short video where he wore a Stake kit and added the caption “Get ready for a new game” to confirm the new ambassador position. Soon after the announcement many concerns appeared because Stake sits on the blacklist maintained by the Belgian Gaming Commission and the operator has no licence to operate in the country. Belgian law bans advertising gambling services, and authorities started checking whether promotional activity linked with Hazard targets audiences located in the Belgian market.

The Belgian Gaming Commission has already opened an investigation in order to determine if Hazard’s involvement with Stake breaks national rules related to betting advertising. Officials will now review his promotional work and also analyse whether the advertising campaign reaches people living in Belgium. Stefaan Savenberg, spokesman for the Commission, explained that regulators plan a detailed analysis to determine whether the promotion reaches the Belgian market. “We will examine whether the advertising by Eden Hazard is targeting the Belgian market,” he said while presenting the main direction of the investigation. He also explained that Belgian law prohibits advertising gambling services and regulators enforce these rules through strong supervision across the sector. If investigators decide Hazard’s advertising activities target audiences in Belgium, authorities will deliver a formal notice ordering him to end cooperation with Stake.

Savenberg indicated that ignoring such instructions may trigger further action from regulators responsible for gambling oversight in Belgium. “If this does not happen, a sanction could be considered,” he said while describing possible outcomes that could follow the ongoing investigation. Stake’s legal status inside Belgium stands at the centre of the investigation because the company does not possess the licence required to provide gambling services there. That missing authorisation explains why Stake appears on the official blacklist controlled by the Belgian Gaming Commission. In 2021 regulators expanded the blacklist and added around twenty more operators including Stake because they lacked the required licensing to operate legally. Belgian law treats companies listed on that blacklist as illegal operators within the country’s jurisdiction. Because of those restrictions any advertising connected with such operators directed at people in Belgium becomes prohibited under the law. If regulators conclude that Hazard promotion effectively advertises illegal gambling services to Belgian users, the ambassador agreement could place him in legal difficulty.

Hazard Role with Stake

Hazard’s role as Global Ambassador involves turning up to all the fanfare around Stake and getting the brand out to the masses through activations and campaigns. The announcement of him joining forces with Stake is right up there with one of the biggest public moves he’s made since calling it quits on his pro football career. Now while he kept a pretty low profile after stepping away from football, this new partnership has been making a big splash.

Stake previously worked with several football icons through ambassador partnerships connected with brand promotion. Former players Sergio Aguero, Iker Casillas and Patrice Evra all joined the platform through similar agreements. The company also served earlier as shirt sponsor for Everton in the Premier League competition. Despite that sponsorship arrangement the casino stopped operations in the United Kingdom last year. Hazard commented on the partnership through a statement released during the announcement and reflected on his playing career and interaction with supporters.

“Football has given me many memories, from lifting domestic and European trophies to representing my country as captain and making friends along the journey,” he said. He explained the new phase will allow interaction with supporters in different ways while he continues sharing his passion connected with the sport. “Now, in this next chapter, I cannot wait to engage with fans in ways that share insight, excitement and the joy of football together with Stake.” Another statement connected with the cooperation also showed he expects a connection with fans while sharing moments linked with football.

Career Path from Lille to Chelsea

The ambassador role of Hazard was acquired following a career that was characterised by tenures in various big clubs across Europe. It had been recognised initially when he spent his time at Lille and was the first non-French player to win the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Month twice. Later he assisted Lille in striking a league and cup double in 2011 prior to making a transfer move to Chelsea in 2012. He grew up to become one of the key attacking players in the competition of the premier league after seven seasons of his life in London. During these years he scored 110 goals and 92 assists contributing significantly to several wins of the club. During his time at Chelsea, he was described as having won two Premier League titles and two Europa Leagues, an English cup and a League Cup. Personal recognition was also awarded to Hazard such as the PFA Players, Player of the Month award in the 2015 season.

He scored 85 goals in the Premier League and appeared in over 350 games as the Chelsea team won six grand trophies. Recognition would later come again when he was inducted into the Premier League Hall of Fame in 2025. In 2019 Hazard made a transfer to Real Madrid in a deal that saw him change hands to the tune of 150 million Euros. But damages and forms of physical incapacity interrupted his playing in the days in Spain. The ankle fractures along with other problems with muscles limited him to 76 appearances and seven goals in four seasons with the club. Although he won eight trophies in Real Madrid (two La Liga championships and the 2022 Champions League), he had a minimal role. He also never played even a minute in the finals that brought those titles. On the international scene Hazard was the captain and the number one player in the Belgian Golden Generation team.

Belgium made history under his reign, its best ever showing at a World Cup when the team clawed its way to third place in 2018. Yet again his talent and determination stood out. 10th of October 2023 when we all got the news Eden Hazard had decided to hang up his boots. He had no qualms about calling it a day at such an early age at just 32. Post-retirement he has only been present on the pitch occasionally and has played as part of charity football matches. One such appearance occurred in January at the Match for Hope charity match. It was the third event to be hosted as part of the project, having previously been held with the inaugural one in 2024. The organisers believe that at least over 15 million dollars are being raised by those charity matches to help other disadvantaged children in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Hazard is still widely known as a great player in the history of Chelsea and a legendary winger during the times of the Premier League, even after his retirement. His recent business deal took him under review once again with the Belgian regulators considering the move to reach out to determine whether the advertisement is in violation of the gambling advertisement policies.