Casinos in Belgium

Skip To The List of Casinos

Introduction

Belgium’s land-based gambling industry bridges the expanse of time and touches on yesterday and today with elements of history and modernity. Gambling in Belgium serves the economy through tourism and local revenue flow and gives the residents a regulated form of entertainment with protections for players and society as a whole.

The country’s geographic location along with a mature infrastructure make Belgium a place that Europeans from all around are drawn to, whether specifically for gambling or simply for the experience of visiting. Gambling contributes to the economy under strict regulation.

While the country may not have been a greenfield pioneer in its embrace of blending online gambling with traditional terrestrial casinos, all of the elements are there to say it was maverick but many of those signs are not immediately evident. Today, authorities have put a system in place that requires operators who offer online “slots” (animated dice games), poker, or bingo to be licensed and either have a physical presence in the country or be associated with a licensed land-based operator.

Many of the land-based casinos have integrated digital platforms for online gambling.

History of Gambling in Belgium

We find records of card games and lotteries dating back to the 14th century in Belgium. The national lottery was established in the 15th century and was one of Europe’s earliest recorded instances of organized gambling. That distinction might not mean so much in other European countries without such a lasting footprint, but the attitude of organizing and allowing popular gambling in Belgium created fertile ground for perhaps the world’s oldest casino to come into play - a casino that is still in operation today.

We’ll point you to Casino de Spa, a gambling venue founded in 1763 in the Ardennes region. It started out as a palace and served as a luxury retreat for the elite of Europe. High society of the age found entertainment there beyond gambling, but chance was always part of the mix. History continued to roll into the future when Knokke Casino opened in 1931. From 1949 until 1974 it was part of an experimental film culture that came to life during the casino’s closed period between Christmas and New Years.

It wasn’t until after the second world war that gambling regulation seemed to become a priority for the government and it was only in the second half of the 20th century that a licensing regime was put together to exert some control over land casinos and ensure transparency in the industry.

Legislation and Jurisdiction

The Belgian Gaming Commission [Commission des Jeux de Hasard (CJH)] oversees and governs the gambling industry in Brussels and beyond. Regulators make sure that all international standards such as financial reporting and compliance with anti-money laundering and other critical elements are adhered to while looking out for consumers with dispute resolution and vulnerable people with responsible gambling measures. Regulators are required to hold yearly meetings with license holder representatives to talk over player protection measures. They also have to include a yearly update on the discussions in their annual report.

The Gambling Act of 1999 provides the framework, setting out rules for licensing, taxation, and operational standards while ongoing amendments make the Act a living document, able to adjust to changing circumstances and perceptions. The gambling age has been raised from 18 to 21 with criminal penalties possible for operators who violate the rules and a ban on gambling advertisements has been implemented. The remit for settlement of consumer disputes has been moved from a mediation service directly to the regulator.

There are only nine licenses available for land-based casinos, and they are spread out regionally to prevent market saturation for various reasons. New venues can open but only if an existing operator throws in the towel or decides to relocate their operations. Slot halls and gambling machines in bars are widespread but they are regulated too. The Act makes clear distinctions between different types of gambling establishments and each type has its own rules, including what type of games can be offered.

Class I Licenses are issued to land-based casinos and allow them to operate full casino games, including real Las Vegas-style slots, blackjack, roulette, etc.

Class II Licenses cover arcades and online operators that offer limited forms of gambling, like the dice games that can be played like slots, but Belgians have to leave the “.be” casinos to play popular international slots online.

Casino winnings are not taxed directly but professional gamblers may face income tax obligations depending on their personal circumstances.

There is no expectation for an increase in the gambling licenses issued or a change in the licensing structure to allow real slot machines anywhere but inside the nine licensed casinos. Revenues are expected to climb only from the hybrid approach of existing land casinos spinning off online twins to capture money that might otherwise be going offshore or out of the country to casinos licensed elsewhere that offer competitive bonuses and actual online slots rather than animated “dice” games.

Popular Spots and Games

Belgium’s casinos are grand and wonderful gaming and entertainment venues, among the best in the world by several metrics according to players who frequent them.

• Casino de Spa is one of the oldest casinos in the world which gives the purveyors the opportunity to mix historical elegance with cutting edge technology for modern gaming in a one-of-a-kind environment. Look for over 100 slot machines, bingo, poker, blackjack, and roulette, all served up in a building that used to be a palace.
• Knokke Casino is situated on the coast and presents stunning architecture and an ongoing history of cultural importance. Look for a mix of traditional table games and slots if you come to gamble or simply bath in the history of avant garde art and legacy in one of the remaining places that value humanity through that lens.
• Circus Casino Resort de Namur is situated between the Citadel and the Meuse River. It’s over 100 years old and offers a full range of traditional casino games, about 250 slot machines and poker for tournament & cash games.
• Casino de Blankenberge opened in 1934 and presents a blend of Neoclassical and Renaissance Revival architecture on the coast next to the Belgian Pier and near the ferry terminals. Visitors will find a water view restaurant, plenty of slot machines, and table games like blackjack and roulette.

As mentioned before, the casinos of Belgium are hybridizable by nature. Many of them use online gaming platforms to complement their physical operations. All a Belgian gambler needs to do, however, to make sure they are gambling at an online site that is licensed by the government is to check the top level domain name (TLD). If the internet address ends in (.be) it is a licensed site.

Conclusion

Belgium’s land-based casino industry is iconic for its ability to mix elements of history, stringent regulation, and seemingly endless innovation.

Social responsibility and economic benefits are balanced by a fairly mature and decidedly solid regulatory regime. The integration of online platforms shows the industry’s ability to adapt to changing times and still maintain the controls it chooses to implement. However, a significant volume of capital takes flight daily to sites not licensed by the CJH as players seek a wider range of potentially profitable bonuses and the ability to play the same slots their neighbors are allowed to play. Belgium’s Central European location and extremely solid infrastructure make it a natural for attracting international tourists to play alongside locals.