Belgium’s Gambling Market Sees First Decline Since Pandemic in 2024

(AsiaGameHub) –   In 2024, the regulated gambling sector in Belgium shrank, representing the first annual drop since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020.

Data published by the Belgian gambling authority on Tuesday showed that the combined gross gaming revenue (GGR) for licensed operators decreased by 4.86% compared to the previous year, totaling €1.61 billion.

The decrease was largely caused by a substantial fall in land-based gambling, even though the online sector—which remains the biggest—recorded only a minor dip.

The overall GGR for 2024 stood at €1.61 billion. The online portion reached €919.10 million, representing 57.1% of the total and falling 2.7% annually. Conversely, land-based GGR was €690.41 million (42.9% of the total), a decline of 7.59%.

The regulated industry is divided into four categories: casinos, arcade licenses, low-stakes gaming, and betting operators.

GGR for casinos increased by 7.32% to €638.45 million, with online platforms contributing three-quarters of that income.

Arcade licenses, however, dropped by 11.95% to €384.75 million. Specifically, online activity plummeted by 23.8%, whereas offline earnings grew by 4.24%.

In the low-stakes gaming sector, GGR fell significantly by 21.71% to €222 million, and café bingo also saw a 24.7% reduction.

Sports betting GGR decreased by 6.59% to €364.3 million. Offline betting dropped by 13.58%, while online betting saw a small decline of 2.11%.

Industry turns focus inward

Online gambling continued to dominate, generating more than half (57%) of the total GGR. This is a pattern that gained speed during the Covid pandemic.

The casino category experienced growth in both offline (+3.7%) and online (+8.7%) revenue streams.

Offline betting was hit hard, with betting shops and outlets seeing a 17.9% annual GGR drop, partly due to the number of licenses falling from 535 to 408 over two years.

Retail outlets noted slight sales drops, although online betting stayed relatively stable.

Sports betting GGR went up by 4%, whereas horse racing and other wagers suffered sharp falls of 32.8% and 44.7%, respectively.

Regulatory shifts affect market results

The Belgian gambling authority ascribed the drop to various regulatory rules implemented since 2023 that have impacted the legal market’s results.

These included a ban on cumulative sites. Operators cannot host products from different license types on one platform. This heavily affected arcade license holders. Some operators merged offerings onto casino or betting sites, causing revenue to move between license categories.

Other measures included raising the minimum gambling age from 18 to 21, prohibiting bonuses, enforcing stricter advertising regulations, and mandating ID/Epis checks.

Belgian regulators have focused heavily on advertising limits, as seen in recent probes into high-profile promotions featuring football star Eden Hazard.

While intended to bolster responsible gambling, these regulatory changes have dampened growth.

The regulator also warned that it is unclear if these rules have effectively enhanced player safeguards.

First total drop since 2020

Between 2020 and 2023, Belgium’s online GGR enjoyed strong growth, rising by roughly 60% in total and by 18% in 2023 specifically.

The regulator emphasized the necessity for immediate research to determine if players have moved to unregulated markets.

It also pointed out delays and summarized data in the 2024 report, caused by modifications in financial reporting procedures and a lack of staff in the financial control unit.

The 2025 market statistics are anticipated to be published without delay.