Changes To Regulations
The Belgium Gaming Commission has announced several major changes to gambling regulations in the country, including raising the legal age for gambling from 18 to 21.
Other changes include a blanket ban on all gambling bonuses being offered by operators in the market.
Strict Regulations
The new changes, which were first released in the Belgium Official Gazette, before being confirmed in a press release from the Gaming Commission will be one of the biggest overhauls to gambling regulation in Europe this year.
These rules will come into force on September 1st, 2024, with the age change being just one of several headline-grabbing reformations. The other changes include the ban on the culmination of online licenses for the same site, as well as a blanket ban on gifts, bonuses, and free games.
One other interesting change was the introduction of a law which guarantees a ‘refund in case of no control’. This has already raised concerns among operators and others within the industry as to how exactly this will be determined.
The Commission has said that the new measures are being put in place to protect players and ensure that licensed operators are putting player safety first. However, there has been some backlash from within the industry, with many fearing that these measures may be too much and that they may force players into using unregulated and off-shore operators.
Industry Backlash
The Belgium Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) had already rejected the idea of a ban on advertising when it was proposed back in January. Tom De Clercq, the company’s Chair, said that the company had repeatedly supported adding extra limits to advertising, but that it believes a blanket ban on advertising would feed into the hands of illegal operators.
These new laws will make Belgium, a market which is already considered quite strict, into one of the most tightly regulated markets in Europe.
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