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european gambling stocks rise as betsson and flutter post strong gains

European gaming shares surged despite a falling wider market while Brazilian licensing faced fresh uncertainty.

Written by the BettingEdgeHub desk, 26 October 2026

European gambling equities performed strongly over the week even as the wider market suffered losses. Eight of the nine tracked operators finished higher while economic conditions created hurdles for specific brands.

Market leaders and quarterly reports

Betsson led the sector with a solid gain after posting record revenue figures for the third quarter. Pareto Securities responded by upgrading the stock to a buy rating with a higher target price. Evolution also bounced back after reporting its first year on year revenue growth in five quarters, despite dealing with minor one off costs.

Restructuring and tax pressures

Flutter Entertainment saw its share price climb after announcing substantial job reductions across its UK and Ireland operations. Management tied the restructuring directly to previous tax increases, absorbing the restructuring expenses within existing financial guidance. Meanwhile, FDJ United struggled as the only major faller after lowering its targets for the year.

International regulatory updates

Regulatory pressures continued to impact operations outside of Europe, particularly in South America. Dozens of betting company licenses expired in Brazil during the presidential runoff, leaving operators waiting for formal judicial rulings on temporary suspensions.

Market outlook

Investors should monitor upcoming budget announcements and regulatory shifts closely because these political decisions continue to shape operator profitability across major European jurisdictions.