Belgium reports 16.7% rise in 2023 GGR despite tighter regulatory controls

Belgium gambling gross revenue total for 2023 was €1.7bn (£1.5bn/$1.9bn), a significant rise from the €1.5bn generated in 2022. Online grew by 18% to a GGR of €944.6m, while offline GGR also increased substantially, with €758m reflecting a 15.2% year-on-year rise.

Growth came despite the Belgian government ratcheting up restrictions on the sector. From 2022 operators had to enforce a €200 weekly loss limit, down from 2020’s €500 limit.

Midway through 2023 they were then forced to halt all advertising. After a last-ditch attempt from a consortium of Belgian sports teams and operators failed to halt the move, a ban on advertising came into force from 1 July 2023.

Restrictions? What restrictions? Belgian gambling market grows in 2023

Casino GGR increased 18.7% year-on-year to €594.9m, powered by a 20.2% rise in online GGR, which reached €455m. Brick-and-mortar casino GGR lagged behind but still grew 14.3% to €139.9m.

Of the nine land-based casinos in Belgium, only Casino Blankenberge – acquired by Kindred Group in 2020 – reported a year-on-year decline GGR. Casinos Austria International’s Grand Casino Brussels led the way with an offline GGR of €52.5m, considerably ahead of Circus Casino Resort Namur in second with €22.5m.

In regards to online GGR, just three casinos saw theirs decrease. One of those was notably Middelkerke Casino, which didn’t have an active online licence in 2023. However, in February this year Betsson-owned Betfirst announced it was launching online casino at Middelkerke Casino thanks to a deal with Groupe Partouche, the casino’s owner.

Meanwhile, slot arcades also reported strong growth as GGR increased 17.3% to €437m. Online again was an important factor, accounting for 57.7% of slot hall revenue with a rise of 19.4% to €252m. In-person GGR for automatic games rooms also grew, up 14.5% to €184.9m.

Is sports betting stagnating in Belgium?

The betting sector failed to match the growth of Belgium’s casinos in 2023, with GGR increasing at a slower rate of 8.4% to €390m.

Online continues to dominate the market however, accounting for 60.9% of betting GGR with a rise of 12.8% to €237.6m. Revenue from betting shops rose by 2.3% to €152.4m.

While the Belgian gambling regulator didn’t share individual licensees’ market share, it noted ten of the 24 licensed operators present in Belgium during 2023 were responsible for 96% of offline bets and 94% of online wagers. There are 30 licences available – after the government reduced the number available in 2022 – and only 24 were used during the year.

Football remains the most popular sport for betting, accounting for 77.1% of the sector’s total GGR across the year.

Betting at newsagents declines amid new restrictions

The government also introduced new restrictions for Belgium’s newsagents in 2022 and this was perhaps the only vertical where the impact of regulation is biting. Newsagents may only accept bets between 6am and 8pm, while each newsagent was only allowed to accept €250,000 in stakes each year.

The CJH attributed the 26.3% drop in newsagents’ GGR to those new measures. The changes led to 21 refusals of renewals for licences, 82 licence holders not requesting a renewal and 151 ceasing activities.

Only 1,484 newsagent licensees were active at the end of 2023, down from 1,580 at the conclusion of 2022.

Regulatory changes still coming

Belgium is continuing to make changes to its gambling regulations, after limiting player spend, banning advertising and reducing the number of licences available.

From 1 September, the legal gambling age will rise to 21 years old.

A report from Belgium-based operator Gaming1 in April warned that the ongoing changes will lead to worse channelisation towards legal markets.