Belgium’s gambling revenue falls for the first time since 2020
The Belgian Gambling Commission has reported a sudden shrink in the country’s regulated market. Following a massive 60 per cent growth spike between 2020 and 2023, the industry has finally hit a downward trend.
Total gross gaming revenue (GGR) dropped by 4.86 per cent to €1.61bn in 2024. Although online gambling still dominates the market with a 57.1 per cent share, it fell by 2.7 per cent. Meanwhile, land-based venues saw a sharper decline of 7.59 per cent.
- Casinos: A rare bright spot, as revenue climbed 7.32 per cent to €638.4m.
- Slot Machines: Overall revenue fell 11.95 per cent, largely due to a massive 23.8 per cent crash in online play.
- Sports Betting: This sector dipped 6.59 per cent to €364.3m, worsened by a reduction in retail betting shops.
- Low-Stakes Gaming: This niche declined by 21.71 per cent, with café bingo hit particularly hard.
The regulator blames this “about-turn” on strict legislative changes from 2023. Specifically, Belgium now bans operators from hosting multiple game types under a single website.
Consequently, sports betting sites had to remove their online slot offerings. This separation has directly suppressed player demand. Furthermore, a decrease in active retail licences and a slump in horse racing bets have contributed to the overall decline. Therefore, the market is currently adjusting to a much more restrictive legal landscape.
Wazdan has entered Austrian market via exclusive win2day deal
Wazdan has officially expanded its European reach by partnering with win2day. As a result, the developer will integrate its top-tier titles into the platform of Austria’s only licensed online casino operator.
Initially, players can access popular games. Furthermore, Wazdan will strengthen this selection by adding one new title every month.
Key Highlights of the Partnership:
- Market Growth: Wazdan now enters one of Europe’s last single-operator markets.
- Proven Success: The developer already holds major licences in the UK, Sweden, and Greece.
- Innovation: win2day chose Wazdan specifically for its unique mechanics and technical reliability.
Andrzej Hyla, CCO at Wazdan, called the move a “significant milestone.” He noted that the partnership allows the brand to deliver its signature user experience to a fresh audience.
Meanwhile, win2day Managing Director Georg Wawer highlighted that the deal combines “engaging gameplay with the highest levels of safety.” Consequently, Austrian players can expect high-quality entertainment within a fully compliant environment.
Earlier, Wazdan secured a new partnership with Admiral.hr, a major operator in Croatia.
Sweden moves to shut down unlicensed gambling sites
Spelinspektionen, the Swedish gambling regulator, has submitted a plan to the government to eliminate illegal betting. Currently, a legal loophole allows unlicensed firms to operate if they do not explicitly target Swedes with local language or currency. However, a new proposal aims to replace this with a strict “participant criterion.” Consequently, any site accessible from within Sweden would technically break the law.
To enforce this, the regulator demands that operators use technical barriers. Firms must implement advanced geo-blocking and display clear stop messages to local users. Furthermore, they should automatically reject registration attempts that involve Swedish addresses, postal codes, or +46 phone numbers. Companies also need to block any financial transactions linked to Swedish bank accounts or the Swedish e-ID system.
Crucially, the regulator argues that simple contract terms are not enough. Instead, operators must back their policies with active technology to prevent bypass attempts via VPNs. These measures must apply to both new and existing accounts immediately. By closing these gaps, Sweden intends to move all gambling activity into its own safely regulated and licensed market.
