Belgium’s Online Gambling Market Nearly Doubles Amid Strict Ad Restrictions

(AsiaGameHub) –   Online gambling in Belgium has surged since 2018, despite the implementation of strict advertising restrictions by licensed private operators.

Key Facts

• According to Sciensano, 14.8% of Belgians now gamble online, compared to 7.9% in 2018.
• 52.6% of Belgians continue to encounter gambling advertisements at least once a week.
• BAGO notes that both lottery advertising and illegal gambling sites are still able to reach players.

The Sciensano Health Interview Survey 2023-2024 reveals a discrepancy between government policy and actual player behavior. Although Belgium imposed significant ad restrictions on licensed private operators in 2023, online gambling participation has nearly doubled over the past five years.

The Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) is calling for more robust measures against unlicensed gambling platforms. The industry body argues that weekly exposure to gambling advertisements stems not only from regulated private companies but also from other sources beyond their control.

Lottery Ads And Illegal Sites Continue To Reach Players

Sciensano data shows that 31.9% of Belgians have engaged in gambling within the past year, while 8.0% do so on a weekly basis. Online gambling participation stands at 14.8% of the population, with the highest rate among individuals aged 25–34 at 20.2%. The survey also indicates that 2.6% of the overall population may be at risk of problem gambling using the short-form PGSI assessment; this figure rises to 7.7% among those who gambled within the last year.

Gambling advertisements remain highly visible across various media channels. Weekly ad exposure was reported by 51.1% of respondents via television, 47.3% through websites and apps, and 46.4% via social media. Additional exposure occurred through street ads, retail displays, newspapers, and magazines.

Licensed private gambling operators in Belgium are prohibited from placing ads on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, social media, email, postal mail, and SMS. Limited advertising opportunities persist through venue-based communications, operator websites, and certain search engine platforms. A ban on sports sponsorships took effect at the beginning of 2025.

The National Lottery operates largely outside the scope of the Gambling Act. Sciensano reports indicate it remains the most popular form of gambling, used by 29.5% of Belgians—representing approximately 92% of all gamblers in the country. Crucially, lottery advertisements are still permitted across television, radio, and social media channels.

BAGO emphasized that the 52.6% figure for weekly ad exposure “does not originate exclusively from licensed private operators.” The association explained that exposure is “also influenced by entities operating outside the regulatory framework, under transitional arrangements, or in violation of current rules.”

Belgium also faces challenges from offshore gambling operators. These unlicensed sites frequently target users through social media, affiliate networks, and influencers, circumventing essential consumer protections such as EPIS self-exclusion tools, weekly deposit limits, age verification processes, and broader player safeguards applicable in the licensed market.

This trend extends beyond Belgium’s borders. An analysis by the Italian Football Federation linked the 2018 Dignity Decree advertising ban to an estimated €25 billion annually in unregulated wagers. Similarly, a Dutch study published in 2024 found the size of the illegal gambling market grew from roughly 20% in 2021 to over 35% by late 2023 following stricter deposit and advertising regulations.

In contrast, the United Kingdom has adopted a different approach. The UK Gambling Commission recently created a senior position focused on combating illegal markets, while the government allocated £26 million to enforcement efforts after research by the Betting and Gaming Council projected the UK’s black market would reach £16.6 billion in 2025.