Meridianbet got approval from Belgium’s Gaming Commission for a B+ online gaming licence. The licence lets them run a full online casino platform starting in January 2026.
The company has operated sports betting in Belgium for more than seven years under a different licence. But this marks their first move into the country’s online casino segment.
Parent company Golden Matrix Group owns Meridianbet. The operator runs licensed gambling sites across Europe, Africa and Latin America.
Why Belgium’s Casino Market Attracted Meridianbet
Belgium’s online gambling market pulled in €944.6m during 2023. That’s 18% higher than the year before.
Online casino made up €455m of the total, and it grew faster than sports betting at 20.2%. It’s now the biggest slice of Belgium’s online gambling revenue.
The market is tightly controlled but proven. Ten operators grab about 94% of all online betting activity among 24 licence holders. That concentration shows established players dominate.
Belgium enforces strict player protection rules, advertising limits and licensing requirements. The regulator doesn’t hand out licences easily.
What Meridianbet Plans for Belgian Players
The B+ licence covers slots, table games and automated live casino products. Each runs on a separate platform from the existing sportsbook.
Meridianbet will deploy what they call an AI Casino Recommender. The system watches player behaviour and suggests games based on individual preferences in real time.
They operate under separate compliance obligations for sports betting and casino. Different rules apply to each vertical in Belgium.
In December 2025, Meridianbet signed a content deal with Beter. That brought esports and short-format sports tournaments to 18 licensed markets. Belgium will likely get access to this content once casino operations launch.
How This Fits Meridianbet’s Growth Strategy
The Belgian approval follows a pattern. Meridianbet targets mature, regulated European markets rather than chasing grey zones.
Company executives discussed their approach during a Global Gaming Insider Huddle. They emphasised controlled growth, profitability and selective technology investments over rapid expansion.
The casino licence doubles their Belgian revenue potential. Sports betting customers can now access casino products on the same platform (though technically separate).
Other operators in Belgium’s concentrated market will face fresh competition. Meridianbet brings seven years of local market knowledge plus Golden Matrix Group’s backing.
The January 2026 launch gives them several months to build out casino operations and secure game content deals.
