Belgian gambling regulator welcomes bill on player protection and strengthened oversight
key provisions include a proposed weekly deposit cap, a prohibition on gambling with credit and restrictions on the number of betting licences.
Belgium.- The Belgian gaming regulator Kansspelcommissie (KSC) has issued an endorsement of a proposed legislative bill aimed at strengthening player protection and enhancing regulatory oversight over gambling in Belgium.
The draft legislation’s key provisions include a proposed weekly deposit cap of €200 ($232.85) per gambling platform, a prohibition on gambling with credit, restrictions on the number of betting licences issued to newsagents, and an extension of the national gambling self-exclusion register to include bars. The bill also proposes limits on the number of slot machines permitted in bar settings.
The bill also seeks to address the regulator’s concerns about its own operational capability and staff shortages. It proposes that the regulator must have at least 10 full-time members of staff, and it would also increase the maximum number of police officers that can be seconded to the commission be from
four to eight.
While the KSC has broadly endorsed the bill’s objectives, it has recommended a phased rollout for certain measures, particularly the expansion of the exclusion system, which is expected to be fully implemented by May 2026. The commission also expressed some reservations about a total ban on credit card gambling.
Annual report
The development follows the recent appointment of new KSC members, each of whom will serve a six-year term. At the start of the year, Belgium introduced a ban on gambling sponsorship in sports. However, in its annual report earlier this month, the regulator expressed impatience with the pace of reforms. Kansspelcommissie president Magali Clavie called for progress on plans to transfer oversight of the regulator to the Minister of the Economy and emphasised the need for operational resources and strategic renewal to align the regulatory approach with that of other countries in Europe.
The report also highlighted a rise in player participation in gambling in Belgium over the last four years. On average, 155,643 people engaged with gambling platforms daily in 2024, which is a 37.4 per cent increase compared to 2020. Monthly player counts reached 602,288, up 19.8 per cent from four years prior, and new registrations totalled 193,342, reflecting a 15 per cent year-on-year growth.
Land-based venues accounted for a smaller share, with approximately 15,937 daily visitors to physical casinos.
Belgium’s Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS) had 56,458 registrations. Close to a third joined voluntarily, while similar proportions were enrolled due to collective debt arrangements or were added following legal proceedings. Some 12,609 of those registered identified as women, 38,823 as men, and 5,422 did not specify a gender.
