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Belgium’s Online Gambling Market in 2025: Modest Revenue Growth, Sharp Drop in New Players, and Rising Illegal Market Concerns

By jili tutorial · September 19, 2026

Belgium’s Online Gambling Market in 2025: Modest Revenue Growth, Sharp Drop in New Players, and Rising Illegal Market Concerns

Overview: A Barely Growing Market with a Widening Online–Land-Based Divide

Belgium’s licensed gambling sector experienced near‑zero total growth in 2025, with overall gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €1.62 billion – a mere 0.07% decline year‑on‑year. However, beneath this flat headline lies a clear structural shift: online gambling continued to expand while land‑based venues lost ground. The online segment now accounts for 59.51% of the regulated market, up from around 57% the previous year.

The data comes from the Kansspelcommissie (KSC), Belgium’s gambling regulator, in its 2025 annual report. This article breaks down the key figures, explains the driving forces behind the trends, and examines the growing tension between licensed operators and the illegal market.

Total Market Breakdown: Online Gains Offset Land‑Based Declines

Segment2025 GGR (€ million)Year‑on‑Year Change
Online964.5+5.41%
Land‑based656.1–7.17%
Total1,620.6–0.07%

The online sector’s 5.41% growth was not enough to fully compensate for the 7.17% drop in bricks‑and‑mortar revenue. Land‑based venues collectively lost €50 million compared to 2024.

Land‑Based Segment: Casinos Gain, Cafés and Betting Shops Struggle

Casinos – The Only Offline Winner

Casino venues recorded €152.3 million in GGR, up 5.85%. This growth stands out in a shrinking offline landscape. The KSC notes that casino attendance benefited from high‑end table games and premium slot offerings, which appear to retain player interest despite the overall migration to digital channels.

Arcades – Second Consecutive Decline

Arcade licence holders generated €184.7 million, a fall of 4.17%. The decline aligns with a broader trend of younger players preferring online slots and live‑dealer games over physical arcade machines.

Cafés – The Sharpest Drop

Cafés, which host bingo terminals and low‑stake machines, took €196.0 million – a 17.77% plunge. Despite this, cafés remain the largest offline channel, representing 30% of all land‑based GGR. The drop may reflect stricter enforcement of age limits and reduced footfall in hospitality venues.

Betting Venues – Down 6.60%

Betting shops (including high‑street bookmakers) earned €123.0 million, a 6.60% decrease. The KSC attributes part of this to players shifting to online betting platforms, which now capture 66.5% of all betting revenue.

Key Context: The minimum gambling age was raised from 18 to 21 on 1 September 2024. This change likely accelerated the decline in land‑based betting, where younger patrons previously formed a significant customer base.

Online Growth Driven by Casino Sites, While Arcade Licences Falter

Online GGR reached €964.5 million (+5.41%), but performance varied sharply by licence type.

Licence Type2025 Online GGR (€ million)Year‑on‑Year ChangeShare of Online Revenue
Casino554.1+12.99%58%
Arcade165.8–13.66%17%
Betting244.6+5.18%25%

Online casinos powered the sector’s growth, with a 12.99% jump. These sites now command over half of all online revenue. The popularity of live‑dealer games, progressive jackpots, and mobile‑optimised platforms drove this increase.

Online arcades (virtual slots, bingo, etc.) suffered a second consecutive annual decline, falling 13.66%. This may reflect market saturation or tighter advertising restrictions that make it harder for arcade‑style games to attract new users.

Online betting grew a modest 5.18%, but its share of total betting revenue (online + shop + newsagent) rose to 66.5%, up from about 63% in 2024.

Betting Revenue by Channel (Table From KSC Report)

Location2024 (€)2025 (€)Change
Newsagents37,351,98935,452,973–5.08%
Betting shops93,875,00287,300,030–7.00%
Online betting232,562,707244,598,396+5.18%
Bookmakers (mobile/on‑course)329,188102,333–68.91%
Racecourses185,382193,776+4.53%
Total betting364,304,268367,647,508+0.92%

Note on the “Bookmakers” category: The KSC flagged that the 68.91% plunge is partly due to changes in the number of operators reporting data. In 2024 more suppliers submitted bookmaker data than in 2023; 2025 returned to a comparable number of respondents to 2023. Measured against 2023, the category fell only 5%, in line with other offline betting channels.

Player Activity: Fewer Newcomers, More Frequent Existing Players

Registered New Players Drop 43%

Only 110,032 individuals registered with a licensed online operator for the first time in 2025 – a 43.1% fall from 193,342 in 2024. The KSC explains that a small portion of this decline is attributable to the age‑limit increase (from 18 to 21) implemented in September 2024, which removed many 18‑ to 20‑year‑olds from the pool of potential registrants.

Other contributing factors include:

Average Daily Active Players Rise 3%

Despite fewer newcomers, the average number of daily active online players increased 3% to 160,144. This suggests that existing players are logging in more frequently, possibly drawn by loyalty programmes, cross‑selling from casinos to betting, or promotional campaigns.

Total Annual Players Decline

Across the full year, 528,706 people gambled online at least once, down from 602,288 in 2024 – a 12.2% reduction. This confirms that the drop in new registrations outweighed the increase in activity among existing players.

Land‑Based Visits Decline Sharply

Average daily visits to land‑based venues fell from 36,470 to 27,532 (–24.5%). The combined effect of the age‑limit rise, ongoing digital migration, and perhaps reduced disposable income hit physical locations hard.

Self‑Exclusions and Blocked Visits: A Growing Safety Net

Voluntary Self‑Exclusions Jump 18.7%

At the end of 2025, 66,998 people were voluntarily registered in the self‑exclusion system (EPIS), compared to 56,458 a year earlier. During the year, 16,358 new self‑exclusion applications were processed – 75.98% of which were submitted via itsme, the Belgian digital identity platform. This high share shows that frictionless online verification encourages take‑up.

Blocked Visits Exceed 715,000

Operators are required to check every player against EPIS before granting access – a rule enforced since 1 May 2025. In 2025, the KSC recorded 715,373 blocked visits nationwide. Of these, 690,074 were online, meaning the majority of attempts to gamble by excluded individuals were caught in the digital space. The remainder (25,299) occurred at physical venues.

Why this matters: The sharp rise in blocked visits demonstrates that the mandatory EPIS check is working. However, it also highlights the scale of problem‑gambling behaviour that remains within the regulated system – and the importance of continuous enforcement.

The Illegal Market: An “Alarm Signal” According to Operators

BAGO Voices Growing Concern

BAGO, the association representing Belgium’s five licensed online operators, responded forcefully to the KSC report. In a statement issued on 16 September 2025, BAGO argued that the regulator’s own figures prove consumers are “turning to the illegal market at an accelerating pace.”

The association cited a KSC‑commissioned survey of 1,000 people aged 18–30, conducted by DataSynergy. Key findings:

BAGO’s statement (translated from Dutch) warned: “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.”

KSC Chair Backs Stronger Enforcement

Magali Clavie, chair of the KSC, echoed the call for tougher action. She noted that the commission had asked Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) to remove more than 8,500 adverts placed by illegal operators using the names, logos, or visual identity of licensed Belgian brands. This points to a sophisticated pattern of impersonation and consumer deception.

Implications for the sector: If the illegal market captures a significant share of player spend, licensed operators face a double squeeze – lower revenue from legal channels plus higher compliance costs. BAGO has urged the Belgian government to prioritise disrupting illegal financial flows and to provide the KSC with additional resources.

Key Takeaways

  1. Online vs. land‑based gap widens – Online GGR now accounts for nearly 60% of the total regulated market. Land‑based venues must innovate to remain competitive.
  2. Casinos are the offline exception – Physical casinos grew 5.85%, likely driven by premium experiences that cannot be replicated online.
  3. New player acquisition is collapsing – The 43% drop in new registrations suggests the age‑limit change and market maturity are constraining growth. Operators may need to focus on retention rather than acquisition.
  4. Self‑exclusion tools are being used more than ever – The 18.7% rise in voluntary exclusions and the 715,000 blocked visits indicate that responsible‑gambling measures are gaining traction.
  5. Illegal market pressure is real – With 28% of young adults having used illegal sites, the licensed sector faces an existential challenge. Tougher enforcement and smarter regulation are urgently needed.

What This Means for the Future of Belgian Gambling

Belgium’s gambling market in 2025 can be summed up as a tale of two channels: online casinos thriving, land‑based venues wilting, and the illegal market nipping at the heels of licensed operators. The KSC’s report provides a comprehensive snapshot, but it also raises questions about sustainability. If new players continue to stay away from licensed sites while the illegal market grows, the regulator may need to reconsider its balance between harm reduction and market competitiveness. For now, the numbers tell a story of slow transformation – and of warning signs that cannot be ignored.