The sports season in Belgium was packed with major events, from the European Championship to the Paris Olympics. Despite this, a surprising report by the Commission des Jeux de Hasard (CJH) reveals that betting activity has waned rather than increased. The CJH reports a drop in both active players and the total number of bets placed. Data from the CJH indicates a striking drop in engagement, with fewer new players, fewer player accounts, and a decline in daily active participants. Compared to the numbers seen during the 2022 World Cup, the 2024 season marks a considerable downturn, even with prominent tournaments that typically boost betting activity.

A decline potentially linked to safer gambling practices

, Chair of BAGO, the association of Belgian gambling operators, these figures reflect a commitment by licensed operators to promoting responsible gaming. De Clercq notes that most players engaged in a recreational and controlled manner during the summer, without any surge in problematic gambling behaviour. He adds, “The number of players significantly dropped following the summer, indicating that betting activity was primarily recreational.” BAGO anticipates that this decline will continue, projecting an overall slowdown in the Belgium sports betting market for the remainder of the year.

Indeed, the CJH has ramped up its efforts in recent years to foster player protection, especially among vulnerable demographics. A recent awareness campaign targeted at younger and more susceptible bettors was targeting the risks of excessive gambling while promoting the EPIS (Excluded Persons Information System), a system designed to help at-risk players self-exclude or allow loved ones to intervene.

that players under 30 make up 40 percent of the online gambling demographic. As younger players predominantly enter the market during major tournaments like EURO 2024, the CJH deems these preventive measures essential for curbing problematic behaviours and providing ongoing support to those vulnerable to gambling addiction.

Increased wagers per ticket

While the number of players and tickets has fallen, CJH’s report reveals an interesting trend in online sports betting behaviour in Belgium. Players are placing higher wagers on individual bets, with total wager amounts reaching a record €266 million, a 23 percent increase from the previous season. Additionally, the average ticket size rose by 30 percent, which led to a 22 percent increase in player winnings and a 28 percent boost in gross gaming revenue (GGR) for operators.

The Belgian national team’s unexpected performance during the EURO 24 spurred betting activity, with nearly one-third of bets placed just before or on match days. This surge suggests that Belgium’s fervour for football remains high, with many bets tied to national pride. Nonetheless, the CJH cautions that these spikes demand further research to better understand the drivers of betting behaviour, particularly when significant national events are involved.

Illegal operators on the rise

CJH’s report also draws attention to the persistent and increasing issue of illegal gambling. The commission estimates that up to 60 percent of Belgium’s gambling market is occupied by unauthorised operators, many of whom rely on aggressive digital marketing to attract players, particularly younger demographics. These illegal entities often employ tactics that bypass traditional advertising safeguards, leveraging social media, influencers, and unlicensed brands to reach Belgian audiences.

Emmanuel Mewissen, Vice-Chair of BAGO, advocates for stricter controls and regulatory measures that would equip the CJH with the resources to take more robust actions against unlicensed operators, including a stronger focus on intercepting payment flows. The CJH has already escalated efforts to track and counter illegal gambling websites, targeting operators who exploit Belgium’s sports-loving public. During the 2024 sports season, the CJH identified and blacklisted 39 unauthorised websites, some of which repeatedly resurfaced under different URLs, circumventing local blocks. By cross-referencing user data from Similarweb, online complaints, and keyword research, the CJH aims to continuously monitor high-traffic illegal sites and prevent their access to Belgian players. However, limitations in data timeliness and classification on Similarweb present challenges, often delaying site identification until a month after peak traffic. 

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