Best live dealer casinos for players from Belgium

Background

European online gambling law is at a very interesting developmental stage right now.  The European Commission ("EC") backed by judgments handed down by the European Court of Justice ("ECJ"), are actively seeking to stamp out any protectionist measures taken by EU Members blocking online gambling services provided by operators licensed in other EU jurisdictions.  A number of EU Member nations are going through the process of rolling out online gambling specific legislation - and those trying to ban foreign operators to preserve local monopoly interests have been receiving reasoned opinions from the EC demanding changes to their laws.

Consistent with the freedom to provide services provisions of EU law, online gambling services provided by an operator licensed in one EU Member state, should be accessible by all EU residents of countries permitting locally sanctioned gambling operations.

Belgium is currently going through the process of  putting in place its online gambling regulatory and licensing regime, and notified the EC and the other Member States on 27 March 2009 of their proposed draft laws.  As the draft currently stands, it falls short of the approach mandated by the EC on a number of grounds, including:

• a requirement for operators to be established in Belgium;

• a limitation of the number of available licenses;

• criminal sanctions on consumers wishing to play with EU licensed operators.

An EC reasoned opinion has yet to be provided by the EC with regard to Belgium's proposed law's but as for France, Sweden and other countries whose laws breached freedom to provide services provisions, a re-draft is likely if infringement proceedings are to be avoided.

[Update - December 8 2009]

Despite being provided with a reasoned opinion from the EC opining that the above proposed draft law violated free movement of services principles in mid 2009, the Belgium Parliament on December 4 passed the legislation with very minor changes.  Perhaps emboldened by the ECJ's ruling in the recent Santa Casa case affording some scope to Members to restrict online gambling where deemed in the public interest, the Belgium Government have stuck to their guns.

While the EGBA have threatened legal action once the laws become operative, and the EC may take further action, as it presently stands, Belgium's online gambling regulations will only allow current terrestrial operators of casinos, gaming machine venues or already licensed bookmakers to apply for online gambling licenses.

Legal technicalities aside, most large EU based online gambling operators offering live dealer casinos accept players from Belgium.

Best live casino for Belgium players

Online casinos offering live dealers and services tailored to the Belgium market include:

Casinos	Player access	Banking	Toll free support	Local language	Games
Read review  I  Visit	No restrictions on sign -ups from Belgium	No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in EUR	No	No	European based dealer room with Euro centric games.
Read review   I   Visit	No restrictions on sign -ups from Belgium	No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in EUR	No	No	European based dealer room with Euro centric games
Read review  I  Visit	No restrictions on Belgium player sign-ups	No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in EUR	No	No	Asian based dealer studio including blackjack, baccarat, roulette and baccarat variations.
Read review  I  Visit	No restrictions on Belgium player sign-ups	No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in EUR	No	No	European based dealer room with Euro centric games

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