Online Gambling in Belgium
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 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.
[Update – April 2013]
In 2012 the Belgian Gaming Commission began compiling a list of domains it deemed to be unlawfully accepting Belgian player registrations, referred to as the ‘egames blacklist’ at their website. ISP’s in Belgium are required to attempt and block local access to sites on the ‘Blacklist’.
By early 2013 the blacklist list had grown to around 80 domains and including a few owned by well known operators running live dealer games:
888.com,
Betsson.com,
Williamhill.com,
Betfair.com,
Bet365.com,
Eurogrand.com,
Europacasino.com,
Platinumplay,eu
[Update – May 2013]
Belgian licensed Unibet introduces a new live roulette table specifically for players from Belgium. It is powered by Evolution Gaming and staffed by Belgium native and Flemish speaking dealers.
[Update – July 2015]
Evolution Gaming launch their new live dealer studio located within the Casino de Spa in Belgium. Belgium A-Classed license holders including Unibet and Bwin now offer their players these games/tables.
Best live casino for Belgian 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 | Visit |
No restrictions on sign -ups from Belgium |
No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in EUR |
Yes | Yes, including Flemish speaking dealers | Studio games (Latvia, Malta) or tables from within Casino de Spa in Belgium. |
 Read review | Visit |
No restrictions on Belgium player sign-ups | No deposit restrictions. Maintain account in EUR |
No | Yes, including Flemish speaking dealers | Studio games (Latvia, Malta) or tables from within Casino de Spa in Belgium. |
