Brussels Casino: behind the scenes of a controversial decision 

The Brussels Casino is set to change operators from 2027. This decision highlights a much broader issue: competition between the Regions over the taxation of online gambling. 

A new chapter for the country’s largest casino 

The Brussels Casino, situated on the city centre’s pedestrianised high street, is entering a new phase in its history. Following a tender process launched by the City of Brussels, ECK NV – which operates the Napoleon Games brand, amongst others – received the highest score and has been selected to take over the running of the venue. 

The successful bidder scored 91.02 out of 100, ahead of the current operator, Viage, which scored 87.74. 

The new concession is set to run for fifteen years. Barring any changes resulting from legal proceedings, the change of operator is due to take place on 1 January 2027. 

However, the matter is far from being definitively settled. Viage has confirmed its intention to lodge an appeal with the Council of State, a move that could delay or call into question the planned timetable. 

Why did this bid make the difference? 

According to the evaluation report, two factors in particular set ECK NV’s proposal apart. 

The first relates to the annual fee paid to the City of Brussels. The company has committed to paying 10.07 million euros per year, which is around 370,000 euros more than the bid submitted by Viage and several million euros more than some of the other bidders. 

The second factor relates to the site’s development plans. The company plans to invest over €25 million to transform the venue into a larger leisure complex. The project combines a casino open to those aged 21 and over, cultural spaces, catering facilities, and traditional and arcade games blending physical and digital experiences. 

A strategic venue for the entire industry 

The interest generated by this licence is easily explained. The Brussels casino is the country’s leading venue in terms of gaming revenue. 

According to data from the Gaming Commission, it recorded gross gaming revenue of over 52 million euros in 2023. This figure represents the difference between players’ stakes and the winnings paid out to them. 

The Brussels casino alone accounts for 37 per cent of the gross gaming revenue generated by Belgium’s nine land-based casinos. By way of comparison, the Namur casino, which ranks second, posted gross gaming revenue of €22.5 million. 

The financial results also demonstrate the venue’s profitability. The current operator reported a net profit of €4.6 million in 2025, following €5.1 million in 2024. 

The City’s Land and Economic Affairs Authority also estimates that the economic value of the 15-year concession amounts to €750 million excluding VAT. 

Furthermore, the issue is not limited to the physical casino. In Belgium, an operator wishing to legally offer online casino games must hold an A+ licence. However, this licence is linked to the operation of a land-based casino. 

The Belgian online casino market generated nearly 500 million euros in gross gaming revenue in 2024 and is growing faster than the land-based sector. This trend explains why several major players in the sector, including Circus and Golden Palace, had also submitted bids. 

For Napoleon Games, which already has a digital presence thanks to the Knokke casino and an A+ licence, operating the Brussels casino could enable it to further strengthen its presence in this market, particularly through a second brand. 

A game-changing regional tax regime 

In Belgium, the taxation of games of chance falls within the remit of the Regions. For land-based casinos, the tax naturally depends on the establishment’s location. 

For online activities, the principle is different: it is the location of the server that receives the bets that determines which Region is responsible for collecting the tax. 

Currently, all three Regions apply an identical rate of 11 per cent to online gambling. However, this situation could change. In recent years, Wallonia had expressed support for harmonising the rate at 15 per cent, whilst Flanders also wished to increase taxation. The Brussels-Capital Region has finally announced that it will maintain the current rate of 11 per cent. 

The link between this tax policy and the casino licence is not immediately apparent. However, the report analysing the applications mentions that certain operators have committed to transferring the servers used for their online activities to Brussels. Tom De Clercq, executive director of Napoleon Games, has confirmed the company’s intention to relocate its servers and its head office to Brussels. 

According to the information presented in the dossier, Flanders could lose tens of millions of euros in tax revenue over the term of the licence if part of these activities were indeed relocated to the capital.