Belgians youngsters are turning to online gambling
The gambling industry is constantly evolving, particularly with the rise of online casinos and sports betting sites. However, many actors are patiently waiting for the impact of the advertisement ban in Belgium and the channelisation that should be around 90% during the time of this research.
The Gambling Commission commissioned Ipsos to carry out a survey of 1,000 young people aged 18 to 30. The results of this survey provide important information on their gaming behavior.
Preference for Legal Sites
A striking finding of the study is that 33% of players played in illegal casinos, but 90% of respondents played in legal casinos. A figure significantly lower than that of a similar study carried out in the Netherlands by Ipsos, where the figure was 94%. Compared to other countries, Belgium is not among the worst markets, the only remark is that the other market examples come from markets that have been legalized recently.
| Netherlands | 94% |
| Danmark | 90% |
| France | 80% |
| Sweden | 77% |
| Germany | 20% |
Gambling Frequency
A second conclusion comes from the results that show that more than half (53%) of those questioned have played during the last three years. Among men, this percentage even rises to 65%. Online gaming and betting are particularly popular.
Marjolein De Paepe, spokesperson for the Belgian Gambling Commission, emphasizes that these figures show that gambling among young people is not a marginal phenomenon.
Recreational play
Gambling remains incidental among six out of ten young people, which suggests that for the majority it is mainly a recreational activity, according to De Paepe. However, there is some worrying news: 13% of young people surveyed reported playing daily, which may indicate problematic gaming behavior.
The role of advertising
The survey also asked young people what role advertising played in their decision to play. A quarter of them admit that the advertising encouraged them to participate in betting, casino games, or to continue gambling. The advertising ban came into effect on July 1, 2023. This confirms the claim of the Belgian government that the casino’s were pushing the demand in the market by advertisement. According to experts there will be challenges for future players to distinguish legal Belgian Casinos and illegal ones due to the lack of advertisement.