This profile is being written
Modules appear as the analyst completes and publishes them. An empty module is never published.
1. Market overview
Where the market sits, who runs it and under what law.
Belgium operates under a strictly regulated gambling environment overseen by the Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC). Casinos are legally classified as "Class I" establishments, requiring a specific Class A license to operate.
1. Regulatory Framework
The legal landscape for Belgian gambling is governed by several key pieces of legislation and royal decrees:
-
Gambling Law: The primary legislation is the Gambling Law of May 7, 1999. This is complemented by the National Lottery Law of April 19, 2002.
-
Anti-Money Laundering (AML): Operators must adhere to the Anti-Money Laundering Law of September 18, 2017, which aligns with EU standards to prevent financial crimes.
-
Data Protection: Privacy is governed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Law of July 30, 2018.
-
Advertising: Marketing is strictly controlled by the Code of Economic Law (2013), the Royal Decree of October 25, 2018, and the Royal Decree of February 27, 2023, which introduced significant new restrictions on gambling advertisements.
2. Licensing and Market Entry
Under the Belgian Gambling Law, the market is highly restricted to prevent over-proliferation.
-
Quota Limits: The number of Class A licenses is legally capped at nine.
-
Geographic Distribution: These nine licenses are distributed across the country’s three regions:
-
Flanders (4): Blankenberge, Knokke, Middelkerke, and Ostend.
-
Wallonia (4): Chaudfontaine, Dinant, Namur, and Spa.
-
Brussels-Capital (1): One central casino.
-
-
Availability: Currently, all nine licenses are issued. The BGC is not accepting new applications until a current license expires or is revoked.
-
Validity: A Class A license is granted for a renewable period of 15 years.
Financial Requirements
-
Guarantee Fee: Applicants must pay a deposit/guarantee of $250,000 before obtaining a Class A license.
-
Annual Fee: Operators pay an annual fee for the BGC's operational costs. As of 2024, this fee is set at $22,085.
3. Permitted Games and Player Credit
Casinos are authorized to offer both table games and automatic (slot) machines.
-
Table Games: Includes Baccarat, Big Wheel, Blackjack, Poker, Chemin de Fer, Craps, Punto Banco, Roulette, Sic Bo, and Bingo.
-
Poker: Strictly limited to licensed land-based and online casinos (with exceptions for low-stake private card games).
-
Credit Restrictions: Under Article 58, it is prohibited to allow players any form of loan or credit for the purpose of paying for a stake or a loss. The use of standard debit and credit cards is permitted.
Minimum Age: As of September 1, 2024, the minimum age for all forms of gambling in Belgium, including land-based and online casinos, has been increased to 21 years.
4. Regional Taxation Framework
Casino taxes in Belgium are set at a regional level:
| Region | Tax Category | Rate / Structure |
| Flanders | General Casino Games | 33% on daily revenue below €865k; 44% above that. |
| Wallonia | Slot Machines | Between 20% and 50% of GGR. |
| Other Games | 33% on GGR up to €1.36m; 44% above that. | |
| Brussels | Wagers | 15% of the gross amount of all sums wagered. |
| Card/Dice/Domino | 11% of actual gross margin. | |
| Other Games | 33% on GGR up to €1.36m; 44% above that. |
Taxation of Winnings: Players' winnings are generally tax-exempt, unless the player is participating in a professional capacity (e.g., professional poker players).
5. Relevant Authorities and Contacts
Gambling Regulator
Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC)
-
Tel: (+32) 02 504 00 40
-
Email: info@gamingcommission.be (link to contact form)
AML Regulators
Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC)
-
Tel: (+32) 02 504 00 40
-
Email: info@gamingcommission.be
Financial Intelligence Processing Unit (CTIF-CFI)
-
Email: info@ctif.cfi.be
Data Protection Authority
Data Protection Authority (DPA)
-
Tel: (+32) 02 274 48 00
-
Email: contact@apd-gba.be
Advertising Authorities
Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC)
-
Email: info@gamingcommission.be
Jury for Ethical Advertising Practices (JEP)
-
Tel: (+32) 02 502 70 70
-
Email: info@jep.be
Note: For further information or to report inaccuracies, the European Casino Association can be reached at info@europeancasinoassociation.org.
- Region
- Europe
- Legal status of gambling
- Regulated
- National regulator
- Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC)
- Regulator website
- Under verification
- Key legislation
- Gambling Law of 7 May 1999 (primary); National Lottery Law of 19 April 2002; Anti-Money Laundering Law of 18 September 2017; Data Protection Law of 30 July 2018 and the GDPR; advertising is governed by the Code of Economic Law (2013) and Royal Decrees of 25 October 2018 and 27 February 2023.
- Minimum player age
- 21
2. Allowed verticals
What may be offered, and whether it needs a licence.
| Vertical | Status | Licence required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land-based casino | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Class A licence; capped at 9 nationally (Flanders 4, Wallonia 4, Brussels-Capital 1), all currently allocated. |
| Slots / gaming halls | Permitted with a licence | Yes | — |
| Poker | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Limited to licensed land-based and online casinos, with an exception for low-stake private games. |
| Bingo | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Listed among the permitted casino table games. |
| Online casino | Permitted with a licence | Yes | The source refers to poker being licensed for "land-based and online casinos" alongside the Class A regime; it does not detail a separate online licence class. |
| Lottery | Permitted with a licence | Yes | Governed separately by the National Lottery Law of 19 April 2002. |
3. Licensing framework
What a licence is, what it costs and what the holder must have in country.
- B2C licensing
- Under verification
- B2B licensing
- Under verification
- Licence term
- 15 years, renewable.
- Application fee
- A guarantee/deposit of $250,000, as published in the source.
- Annual fee
- $22,085 (2024), covering the BGC's operational costs.
- Local presence required
- Under verification
- Share capital required
- Under verification
| Licence | Type | Product | Authority | Duration | Fee | Key requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class A (casino) | Land-based | Casino table games, slots, poker, bingo | Belgian Gaming Commission | 15 years, renewable | $250,000 guarantee + $22,085 annual (2024) | Capped at 9 licences nationally; currently fully allocated and not open to new applications. |
4. Taxation and banking
What the state takes, and whether the money can move.
- Gaming tax (GGR)
- Set regionally and by game type rather than nationally — see the taxation table (roughly 33–44% of GGR in most categories; Brussels taxes wagers on some games at 15% of the amount staked).
- Corporate income tax
- Under verification
- Tax on player winnings
- Winnings are generally tax-exempt, unless the player is gambling in a professional capacity (e.g. professional poker players).
- Payments
- Under verification
- Banking and payments
- Under verification
| Tax | Rate | Base | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casino games tax (Flanders) | 33% up to €865k daily revenue; 44% above that | Daily gross revenue | — |
| Slot machine tax (Wallonia) | 20%–50% | Gross gaming revenue | — |
| Other games tax (Wallonia) | 33% up to €1.36m GGR; 44% above that | Gross gaming revenue | — |
| Wagers tax (Brussels) | 15% | Gross amount wagered | — |
| Card/dice/domino tax (Brussels) | 11% | Actual gross margin | — |
| Other games tax (Brussels) | 33% up to €1.36m GGR; 44% above that | Gross gaming revenue | — |
5. Technical requirements and compliance
What has to be certified, recorded and kept inside the border.
- Certification and game testing
- Under verification
- Responsible gambling
- Article 58 prohibits any loan or credit to a player for the purpose of staking or covering a loss; ordinary debit and credit cards remain permitted.
- AML regime
- Under verification
- AML and KYC
- Operators must comply with the Anti-Money Laundering Law of 18 September 2017, aligned with EU standards.
- Server and data localisation
- Under verification
6. Marketing and advertising
What may be said about the product, and where.
- Advertising
- Under verification
- Advertising restrictions
- Controlled under the Code of Economic Law (2013) and Royal Decrees of 25 October 2018 and 27 February 2023, the latter introducing significant new restrictions on gambling advertising.
- Sponsorship
- Under verification
Take the Belgium brief with you
Everything above is on this page and stays on it. The brief is the same material as a dated PDF with the sources listed — something you can forward, attach to a memo or put in front of a board. It arrives by email straight away.
Planning to enter Belgium?
A regulatory assessment reads Belgium's regime against your own products, licence class and corporate structure, and says what follows for each: what you may offer, what you must hold, what it costs and what will change.
Who wrote this
- Last reviewed
Regulatory Intelligence disclaimer
Information is provided for general regulatory intelligence purposes and should not be treated as legal advice for a specific transaction or business model. Regulatory requirements may change and should be confirmed before market entry or implementation.