Euro sports and scandals send online activity soaring across Europe

A hockey championship, basketball playoffs, and a gambling scandal reshaped Europe's digital landscape. See which countries led the surge—and why one fell.

, and Administrator

2026 May 20 . 5:02 AM

1 min read

The image shows a book with a cover page featuring a variety of pictures and text related to the... — The image shows a book with a cover page featuring a variety of pictures and text related to the Olympic Games in Europe. The cover page is filled with vibrant colors and intricate designs, showcasing the various Olympic symbols and designs associated with the games. The text on the cover page reads "Sporting Europe" in bold, white lettering, emphasizing the importance of the event.

Euro sports and scandals send online activity soaring across Europe

Several European countries saw sharp rises in online activity last week. The increases came from major sporting events, investigations, and cultural competitions. Finland, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic recorded some of the highest jumps.

The IIHF World Championship drove much of the growth from May 15. Finland’s activity climbed by 8.6%, boosted by the tournament and the Eurovision Grand Final. Slovakia followed with a 16.4% rise after its national team won two opening matches. The Czech Republic experienced the largest increase at 19.8%, partly due to hosting the 2026 edition of the championship.

In Lithuania, basketball took centre stage. Zalgiris Kaunas’ EuroLeague playoff series pushed online engagement up by 10.7%. The team’s progress kept fans actively following updates. Turkey’s surge came from a different source. The Paymix-3 investigation uncovered 3.17 million users linked to illegal betting. This revelation kept gambling-related discussions high, leading to an 18.6% rise in activity. Meanwhile, Singapore moved in the opposite direction. After a lottery jackpot win caused a spike the previous week, activity dropped by 28.5%. The decline reflected a return to normal levels after the earlier surge.

The presence of national teams in Finland, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic helped sustain interest in the IIHF tournament. Lithuania’s basketball success and Turkey’s investigation also played key roles in shaping last week’s online trends. These events highlight how sports, culture, and legal developments can drive digital engagement.