RTP in Belgium: why are casinos paying back more? 

In Belgium, the average casino return-to-player rate rose from 95.94% in 2023 to 96.53% in 2025, according to financial data from the Belgian Gaming Commission. 

RTP in Belgium: what do the 2025 figures reveal? 

Belgian casinos recorded particularly high betting volumes in 2025. Yet this increase did not translate into an equivalent rise in their revenue. 

According to figures from the Belgian Gaming Commission’s 2025 annual report, casinos holding A and A+ licences recorded €20.38 billion in total stakes, with €19.67 billion paid back to players in winnings. 

Gross gaming revenue, which represents the difference between stakes and winnings returned to players, reached €706.4 million. 

These figures correspond to a return-to-player rate of 96.53%, compared with 95.94% two years earlier. 

The return-to-player rate, often referred to by the acronym RTP, indicates the proportion of stakes redistributed in the form of winnings. It is a statistical average calculated over a large volume of bets, not a guarantee of recovery for each individual player. A rate of 96.53% therefore does not mean that a player will necessarily get back €96.53 after wagering €100. Individual results can vary considerably. 

An increase that began before the bonus ban 

The evolution of return rates over three years reveals an important detail: the strongest increase occurred between 2023 and 2024. 

Here are the rates calculated from the Belgian Gaming Commission’s financial data. 

Gambling category	2023	2024	2025
A/A+ casinos	95.94%	96.42%	96.53%
B/B+ gaming halls	96.82%	97.03%	97.22%
Casinos, gaming halls and betting combined	≈ 95.5%	≈ 95.9%	96.08%

The 2023 and 2024 rates covering all three sectors are approximate and are based on rounded stake amounts. The other rates were recalculated from the stakes and gross gaming revenue published by the Belgian Gaming Commission. 

In casinos, the return rate increased by 0.48 percentage points between 2023 and 2024. The following year, the increase was only 0.11 percentage points. In Belgium, the general ban on bonuses, free gaming credits and other promotional benefits came into force on 1 September 2024, subject to the exceptions provided for by law. Advertising restrictions, meanwhile, had already begun to take effect gradually from July 2023. 

Are casinos compensating for the disappearance of bonuses? 

The possibility that private operators have adapted their commercial strategy was raised by the National Lottery and Magali Clavie, chair of the Belgian Gaming Commission, in comments reported by L’Écho. 

According to this interpretation, some operators may have sought to make their games more attractive by increasing the proportion of stakes returned to players. This could provide another way of attracting or retaining customers in an environment where advertising opportunities and promotional benefits are now heavily restricted. 

However, the available data does not demonstrate a direct relationship between the bonus ban and the increase in return rates. 

Another explanation is also possible: changes in player behaviour. 

If a larger share of stakes is concentrated on games that naturally offer higher return rates, the overall average can increase without any casino changing the parameters of its games. 

The Belgian Gaming Commission’s report does not provide enough detail on the return rates of each slot machine, game or provider to distinguish between these different scenarios. The hypothesis of commercial compensation therefore remains possible, but it cannot be presented as an established fact. 

Casinos and the National Lottery: return rates are difficult to compare 

Differences in redistribution between private operators and the National Lottery are also fuelling discussion. 

According to figures cited by L’Écho, the National Lottery’s return rate reportedly reached 75.98% in 2025 across its draw games, scratch cards and sports betting. This percentage is significantly lower than the 96.53% recorded in Belgian casinos. 

In a casino, some slot machines and automated games allow winnings to be immediately wagered again. Players can therefore make a large number of bets during a single session. 

Traditional draw-based games, by contrast, generally operate according to different playing cycles. These characteristics influence both betting volumes and average return rates. 

Furthermore, a higher return rate alone is not enough to demonstrate that a game is more or less addictive. The frequency of play, the speed of each round, the ability to play again immediately, the prize structure and player behaviour are also important factors. 

Comparing redistribution percentages alone therefore does not provide an objective assessment of the risks associated with different gambling products.