Ex-Chelsea Star Eden Hazard in Potential Trouble Over Stake.com Sponsorship

Eden Hazard was one of the most popular players on the Chelsea soccer team, but he might be in trouble in his native Belgium, as he is under investigation by the Belgian Gaming Commission for his sponsorship deal with the online gambling site Stake. Why Is the Player Under Investigation? According to a Belgian royal decree from 2023, influencers promoting products or services that are restricted to adults must ensure their content is age-gated. However, Hazard’s social media posts promoting the online gambling platform Stake do not include such restrictions. Although his followers are based around the world, a significant proportion are located in his home country. Hazard’s social media promotions for Stake have reportedly prompted scrutiny over whether the relevant requirements have been met. Belgian authorities are particularly concerned with establishing whether his promotional content, which reaches an estimated 27 million followers worldwide, is specifically directed at consumers in Belgium. While Hazard left professional soccer in 2023, he remains one of the most popular and influential players from Belgium. Stake added Hazard as a brand ambassador in March this year, and it wasn’t long before some started raising concerns that his involvement with Stake might land him in hot water. Currently, there is no suggestion that Hazard has acted improperly, although he may have received poor advice in becoming involved in a venture that could ultimately be found to have breached Belgian gambling regulations. The investigation remains ongoing. Can Hazard Prevent Younger Players from Making His Mistakes? One of Chelsea’s rising young stars is Hazard’s fellow Belgian Roméo Lavia, who recently played a full 90-minute match for the team for the first time. The 22-year-old debuted in the Premier League in 2021, playing for Manchester City, and has since caught the eye of many teams, including Chelsea, who bought him in 2023 for GBP 53 million (about $70 million). Hazard has maintained regular contact with Lavia throughout his time at Chelsea and was also present to show his support at the latest game Lavia played in. The youngster revealed that the pair speak frequently and described Hazard as an important figure in his life. He added that seeing Hazard’s happiness and pride in his progress provided him with extra motivation. With Lavia climbing in skill and popularity so quickly, it might not be long before some gambling company, be it Stake or otherwise, approaches him for a sponsorship deal. However, considering the regulatory complexities that Hazard is in, let’s hope that he gives Lavia proper advice should the young player be offered a gambling sponsorship. In other news from Belgium, Gaming Corps has launched in the country with Starcasino following a previous partnership between the companies.