In 2025, Belgium experienced a rise in online gambling revenue within its licensed sector, despite a significant drop in the number of consumers participating in these activities. The decline in land-based gambling also raised concerns regarding illegal gambling practices. According to Belgium’s gambling regulator, Kansspelcommissie (KSC), the gross gaming revenue (GGR) from online gambling reached €965 million, marking a 5.4% increase over 2024. Online gaming comprises 59% of the official market revenue.
Conversely, revenue from land-based gambling declined by 7% to €656.09 million, even with a 5.85% increase in revenues from casinos, which totaled €152 million. Gaming arcades saw their revenue decrease by 4.17%, while bingo and other gambling services from cafes plummeted by 17.77% to €196 million.
KSC's latest figures revealed enhanced data collection processes following compliance and audit changes instituted in 2024. Licensed operators are now required to submit their financial information digitally on a quarterly basis, and an expanded workforce has improved the processing of this data.
In a notable trend, the number of first-time online gamblers plunged to 110,032 in 2025, a staggering decrease of 43.1% from the 193,342 reported in 2024. Despite this drop in new entrants, the average daily online player count rose by 3% to 160,144, and the overall number of online gamblers for the year reached 528,706.
The Belgian Gambling Operators Association (BAGO) highlighted a troubling statistic: 28% of young respondents aged 18 to 30 admitted to using illegal gambling sites. They warned that the stringent regulations placed on licensed operators are making legal alternatives less visible, while illegal gambling sites continue to aggressively market to potential players.
By the end of 2025, the count of self-exclusion cases in Belgium's Excluded Individuals Information System (EPIS) reached 66,998, up from 56,458 the previous year. As of May 2025, operators of real money gaming are required to verify each player through EPIS. During the year, the system documented 715,373 gambling visits that were blocked.
BAGO criticized the limitations placed on licensed providers, arguing that such constraints make their games less visible while non-licensed operators maintain access to marketing opportunities. The association called for stronger measures against unregulated providers and emphasized the benefits of regulated markets, including EPIS verification, stake limits, and oversight by the Kansspelcommissie.
