The Belgian Authority on Gaming recently published its findings on the nation’s wagering landscape for 2022, highlighting notable patterns. The key observation? Although the total market expanded considerably compared to 2021, it was a story of contrasting segments.
Brick-and-mortar gambling experienced a resurgence, witnessing a 65.7% surge in earnings. This upswing was primarily attributed to the relaxation of pandemic limitations that had previously forced closures. Essentially, they reverted to pre-pandemic levels of operation.
Conversely, internet gambling encountered significantly slower expansion at a mere 2.6%. This implies that the digital realm had already capitalized on the shift in customer habits during lockdowns, and its expansion has now plateaued.
In aggregate, the Belgian wagering market generated upwards of €14.5 billion (equivalent to $15.8 billion) in 2022. Internet gambling constituted the majority of these earnings at 54.9%, while physical gambling comprised the remaining 45.1%.
Within the land-based segment, casinos, gaming establishments, and cafes emerged as the top earners. Notably, low-value games, particularly bingo terminals located in cafes, played a substantial part, contributing 33% to the overall brick-and-mortar revenue. Wagering shops, while exhibiting some growth, have not fully recovered to their pre-pandemic figures.
In the online sphere, casino platforms prevailed, generating 47.3% of all internet gambling revenue. Automated gaming websites followed closely at 26.4%, and online wagering completed the top three at 26.3%. This distribution remained largely consistent with 2021.
During the year 2022, physical casinos situated in Belgium experienced a significant resurgence. Their collective earnings, referred to as Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) within the sector, increased twofold in comparison to 2021, even exceeding figures observed before the pandemic. A group of nine casinos successfully generated in excess of half a billion Euros, establishing a new benchmark.
Each individual casino witnessed its revenue ascend to levels surpassing those achieved back in 2019. The gambling establishment in Brussels emerged as the frontrunner, securing over 40% of the overall market share.
The realm of internet gambling presented a somewhat contrasting narrative. Although the nine authorized platforms did experience a 16% rise in GGR, with Spa Casino’s digital presence leading the way, Middelkerke Casino’s online earnings actually declined, potentially attributed to certain adjustments in licensing regulations.
A current study conducted in September 2023 by the Belgian Gaming Commission unveiled some noteworthy observations regarding gambling behaviors: a concerning 13% of individuals confessed to engaging in gambling on a daily basis, and a worrisome 36% were unable to differentiate between a legitimate and an illegitimate gambling website.