Belgium’s regulated gambling market remained largely unchanged in 2025, with growth in online gaming offsetting declines across much of the land-based sector. Newly published figures (pdf) from the Belgian Gambling Commission (Kansspelcommissie, KSC) show total gross gaming revenue (GGR) of approximately €1.62 billion, representing a marginal year-on-year decrease of around 0.1%.

While the overall market showed little movement, the latest data highlights a continuing shift toward digital gambling. Online operators generated €964.4 million to €964.5 million in GGR during the year, an increase of 5.41% compared with 2024. Land-based gambling revenue moved in the opposite direction, declining 7.17% to €656.1 million.

As a result, online gambling accounted for nearly 60% of Belgium’s regulated gambling market in 2025.

The performance marked a return to growth for online gambling after a decline in 2024. Despite that earlier setback, the sector has expanded substantially in recent years, including strong growth between 2020 and 2023.

Online Casinos Lead Digital Expansion

Growth within Belgium’s online market was driven primarily by casino products. Online casino operators reported GGR of €554.1 million, an increase of almost 13% year-on-year. The segment represented roughly 58% of all online gambling revenue during the year.

Online betting also posted gains, with revenue rising 5.18% to €244.6 million. The figures show online betting remained the dominant channel within the betting sector, accounting for 66.5% of total betting revenue. Betting shops contributed 23.75%, while betting-enabled newsagents represented 9.64%.

Not all online products experienced growth. Revenue from online arcade-style games and slots declined for a second consecutive year, falling 13.66% to approximately €165.8 million.

Belgian players wagered €2.75 billion online during 2025, with 91.11% of stakes returned as winnings.

The online market’s expansion came despite a substantial reduction in the number of new customers entering the regulated sector. First-time registrations with licensed online operators dropped 43.1% year-on-year, falling from 193,342 in 2024 to 110,032 in 2025.

According to the KSC, part of this decline reflects legislative changes that raised the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21 on 1 September 2024.

Even with fewer new registrations, engagement among existing customers remained strong. Average daily active online players increased by 3% to 160,144. However, the total number of individuals who gambled online at least once during the year declined from 602,288 to 528,706.

Land-Based Sector Faces Continued Pressure

The land-based gambling market experienced a more difficult year overall.

Traditional casinos were the only offline segment to report growth. Casino venues generated €152.28 million in revenue, up 5.85% from the previous year.

Other categories recorded declines. Gaming halls and arcades produced €184.74 million, down 4.17%, while cafés and similar venues offering low-stakes gaming machines saw revenue fall 17.77% to €196 million. Betting shops, newspaper agents and racecourses collectively generated €123 million, representing a 6.60% decrease.

Average daily attendance at land-based gambling venues also declined significantly, falling from 36,470 visits in 2024 to 27,532 in 2025.

The betting sector’s breakdown showed varying trends across channels. Revenue from betting-enabled newsagents decreased 5.08% to €35.45 million, while betting shops generated €87.3 million, down 7%. Revenue attributed to bookmakers fell sharply compared with 2024, though the regulator noted that reporting differences between years affected comparisons.

The annual report comes as the introduction of a new regulatory framework governing betting activity in betting-enabled newsagents. Under the updated rules, Class F2 licensees may operate a maximum of four betting terminals or computer applications, accept wagers only between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m., and must ensure annual betting stakes do not exceed €250,000. Betting activity may also account for no more than 20% of a venue’s yearly turnover.

Illegal Gambling Concerns Gain Attention

Alongside market performance data, the KSC highlighted growing use of player protection tools and increasing concerns about unlicensed gambling activity.

Voluntary self-exclusions reached 66,998 by the end of 2025, up from 56,458 a year earlier. During the year, the regulator processed 16,358 self-exclusion requests, with 75.98% submitted through the digital identification platform itsme.

Since 1 May 2025, gambling operators have been required to verify all customers against Belgium’s Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS) before granting access. The regulator recorded 715,373 blocked access attempts during the year, including 690,074 online.

Industry association BAGO argued that the latest figures point to a growing migration of players toward unlicensed operators. The organization referenced a KSC survey conducted by DataSynergy among 1,000 individuals aged 18 to 30, which found that 28% had used an illegal gambling website and 53% had gambled recently.

“The fact that 28% of respondents aged 18 to 30 state they have already played on an illegal gambling site is an alarm signal that cannot be ignored,” BAGO declared, according to Global Gaming Insider. “The far-reaching restrictions imposed on licensed operators render legal and regulated gaming alternatives invisible, while the illegal and clandestine circuit continues its aggressive marketing efforts to attract players.”

BAGO called for stronger action against illegal operators and their financial networks while backing efforts to strengthen the regulator’s capabilities. KSC Chair Magali Clavie noted that the commission requested the removal of more than 8,500 advertisements on Meta platforms that used the branding, logos, or visual identity of licensed Belgian gambling operators without authorization.