Annual report 2024: a challenging year for the GC

2024 was a difficult year for the Belgian Gaming Commission (GC). Between poorly coordinated legislative reforms, a staffing crisis and the explosion of online gambling, the regulatory body has drawn up an alarming but clear-sighted report. 

A clear-sighted chairwoman in the face of a chaotic year

‘2024 was not an easy year,’ admits Magali Clavie, Chairwoman of the GC.

However, despite the constraints, the Commission has continued to fulfil its role as guardian of responsible gaming. Its watchword: protect the player while ensuring fair competition.

Explosion of self-exclusions

The EPIS system, which centralises excluded players, continues to be a flagship tool. By the end of 2024, 56,458 people had self-excluded, compared with 49,708 a year earlier. This growth is linked to the possibility of exclusion via the itsme® application, which is used in almost 80% of cases.

What is new is that 21% of requests included a ‘trusted person’, a close relative who had been informed of the player’s action, a sign of a more human approach to prevention.

In November 2024, the GC passed the symbolic milestone of 1,000 exclusions at the request of a relative. Parents, spouses and children now find it easier to report problem gambling behaviour.

The summer of 2024, marked by the Euro football tournament and the Olympic Games, gave rise to a brand new campaign: ‘Take a break with EPIS’. Television clips, social networks, collaboration with RTBF and RTL-TVI: the operation targeted millions of viewers. The President also spoke at the European Safer Gambling Week to defend modern and protective regulation.

Questionable figures

The average number of active online gamblers in 2024 was 155,643 per day, up slightly but stabilising after several years of growth. On the other hand, the number of visits to physical establishments is falling, with 15,937 visits per day compared with more than 17,000 at the end of 2023.

Young people aged between 21 and 29 accounted for the biggest increase (+8,951 new players). Euro 2024 alone generated 31,481 new accounts.

Financial limit system criticised

The GC is sounding the alarm over the €200-per-week deposit limit system, which is supposed to protect people who default on their payments. In practice, 285,783 players were able to increase this limit in 2024, forcing the GC to question the National Bank of Belgium (NBB) every month to check their solvency.

Total cost: €453,877 in 2024, or 8.6% of the Commission’s annual budget. And the bill could rise to €700,000 in 2025.

Controlling the sector: a titanic task

Since March 2024, four GC inspectors have been recognised as judicial police officers (OPJ). They can issue official reports and seize illegal equipment. In 2024, they drew up 74 penalty notices, seized 72 gaming machines and €48,000 in cash.

Two major operations marked the year: the Summer 24 plan, focusing on advertising and Euro 2024, and the Autumn 24 plan, devoted to banning bonuses and raising the minimum age.

The results:

• 95 advertising checks → 48 offences found;
• 121 EPIS and age checks → 72 offences;
• 256 checks in total → 24 cases referred to the public prosecutor.

The fight against unlicensed operators remains a priority. In 2024, 101 illegal sites were identified, 61 reports sent to the public prosecutor and 105 URLs blacklisted. However, the GC regrets a lack of IT resources: it cannot yet connect anonymously to these sites to test them.

Licences: a shrinking but stabilised market

On 31 December 2024, Belgium had 14,997 active licences, all categories combined.

 The figures show a trend towards consolidation:

• 9 casinos and their online platforms (A+);
• 175 automatic gaming rooms;
• 4,272 cafés holding a C licence (still falling);
• 408 betting agencies compared with 467 a year earlier;
• 1,281 approved press shops, a direct consequence of the 2022 “press shops” decree;
• 5 active racecourses.

Staff training courses (licence D) have been relaunched, a sign that the GC wants to focus on skills and awareness.

A reform expected by 2025

The government agreement of 31 January 2025 provides for a transfer of supervision to the Minister for the Economy and a structural reform of the Commission. The aim is to turn it into a strong, autonomous and modern regulator. After twenty-five years in existence, the GC hopes to finally have the independence that its role requires.

The Gambling Commission’s 2024 annual report reveals an institution that is clear about its weaknesses but determined to evolve. Between regulation, prevention and modernisation, 2025 could be the year of renewal… provided that political promises are translated into concrete action.