Change is on the horizon for the land-based gambling sector in Belgium after Super Technologies expanded its footprint in the country by winning a tender for a casino in Brussels.
ECK NV, owned by Super and also the company behind Napoleon Games, will replace Viage, a subsidiary of Casinos Austria International, which has operated the venue since 2010.
Competition was relatively stiff for a boost in the market, with the firm beating out five other bidders for the Brussels Casino.
According to the Brussels Land and Economic Affairs Authority, the asset is worth €750m excluding VAT, and the casino gets 310,000 visitors each year.
Napoleon Games will take over from Viage on 1 January 2027, and it has secured a 15-year concession.
Super, then called Superbet, gained access to Belgium through the acquisition of Napoleon in 2021, a transaction reported to be valued at over €350m. The Belgian sports and casino group was previously owned by the investment fund Waterland Private Equity.
The company also owns the Napoleon Casino Knokke in the coastal resort of Knokke-Heist. There are currently nine casinos in Belgium.
Alongside Belgium, Super is present in Europe with its Superbet brand in Romania, Poland, Serbia and, most recently, Greece, as well as Brazil in Latin America. Meanwhile, the company also has technology hubs in Spain, the Netherlands, Croatia and the UK.
Last year, the company officially changed its corporate identity to Super Technologies from Superbet Group in a bid to reflect what it described as the company’s evolution from a betting operator into a broader technology and digital entertainment company.
However, expansion in Belgium comes as the country’s gaming regulator revealed a downturn in performance in its latest financial report.
According to the Commission des Jeux de Hasard, gross gambling revenue fell by 4.86% to €1.61bn in 2024, compared to the €1.69bn recorded in 2023. In particular, the regulator noted a 7.59% decline in the land-based gaming sector to €690.41m.
During the reporting period, there were also significant regulatory changes, including a uniform minimum gambling age of 21 and strict prohibitions on bonuses, free bets, and gaming credits, as well as advertising restrictions.
iGaming Expert Analysis: Super expands its presence in Belgium at a time of significant channelisation challenges, with the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) recently detailing that the rate now sits at around 60%.
However, what is of great concern is that a younger demographic of players is being lured towards the unlicensed market, with key stakeholders now being forced to turn the trajectory in the other direction or risk dire consequences for the market.
