Belgium's licensed online gambling sector reported a significant revenue increase in 2025, despite a notable drop in the number of consumers participating in it. The country's brick-and-mortar gambling venues also experienced a downturn, raising further concerns about illegal gambling operations.
According to Belgium’s gambling regulatory authority, Kansspelcommissie (KSC), the gross gaming revenue from online gambling surged to €965 million in 2025, reflecting a 5.4% rise from the previous year. Online gaming accounted for 59% of the total market revenue.
In contrast, revenue from land-based gambling fell by 7%, totaling €656.09 million, although revenue from casinos increased by 5.85%, reaching €152 million. Gaming arcades experienced a decline of 4.17%, while bingo operations and other gambling services offered at cafes saw a significant drop of 17.77%, totaling €196 million.
KSC noted that improved data collection methods have been instrumental in reporting more accurate numbers. The changes, enacted in 2024, required licensees to submit financial information digitally on a quarterly basis. An enhanced workforce has also facilitated the processing of previously incomplete data.
In a surprising development, the number of first-time online gamblers plummeted to 110,032 in 2025, a 43.1% decrease from 193,342 in 2024. Despite this decline in newcomers, the average daily number of online players grew by 3%, hitting 160,144. The overall tally of online gamblers throughout the year reached 528,706.
BAGO, the association of Belgian gambling operators, expressed alarm over findings indicating that 28% of respondents aged 18 to 30 reported gambling on illegal sites. BAGO underscored that strict regulations on licensed operators are rendering legal gaming options less visible, while the illegal market aggressively targets potential players.
The number of individuals voluntarily seeking exclusion from gambling also rose significantly, with Belgium’s Excluded Individuals Information System (EPIS) recording 66,998 cases by the end of 2025, up from 56,458 in the prior year. As of May 2025, operators of real-money gaming sites were mandated to verify player identities through EPIS.
Throughout 2025, EPIS documented 715,373 instances of blocked gambling visits. BAGO contended that the visibility of gambling options restricted by regulations could push players towards illegal providers that still maintain active marketing schemes. The organization called for increased efforts to address the financial activities of non-regulated providers while highlighting the advantages provided by a regulated framework, including EPIS verification, stake limits, and oversight from KSC.
