The gambling industry is very massive, and with the potential harm gambling can cause, it needs to be regulated. The way gambling is regulated in individual regions is quite different. Some countries use a central governing agency to enforce gambling laws, while others give each state the freedom to regulate gambling as it deems fit.

In today’s article, we focus on gambling laws in Belgium and the Netherlands. Previously, gambling online in the Netherlands and Belgium was prohibited. But with the passage of the Remote Gambling Act (KOA), players can now place legal sports bets and play casino games over the internet. But with this freedom comes other restrictions, which we will shed more light on in this article.

Changes Belgium and Netherlands made to their gambling laws

The gambling laws in Belgium and the Netherlands were tightened recently. These changes aim to promote responsible gambling. Regulators want to create a safe space for players and, at the same time, reduce the number of youths involved in gambling. These changes imply that operators will likely look for new markets where the gambling laws are not so demanding. But what are these laws, and how do they impact the operators in the regions?

Universal loss limit

One of the changes made to the gambling laws in these regions is the push for a universal loss limit. This change was reportedly partitioned by Bikker in the Netherlands. This partition aims to protect players who may be struggling with problem gambling. Gambling can be addictive, and cause players to make irrational decisions.

As a result, the universal loss limit aims to reduce the deposit limits allowed to be accepted by all licensed operators. This change was introduced on the 13^th of February, 2024, and was announced by the Ministry of Justice & Security. With this new gambling law, players won’t be allowed to make an affordability check.

Financial risk checks

Before voting for the universal loss limit proposal, Franc Weerwind, the Minister for Legal Protections, rejected ChristenUnie’s (CU’s) mandate. Weerwind argued that there’s no need for a universal loss limit since a financial risk check was already incorporated in the approved and imminent amendments.

Weerwind further went on to say rather than a universal loss limit, compulsory financial risk checks for players’ accounts that are more than €350 or equivalent in spending will be more beneficial to the state, players, and operators. The Minister for Legal Protection whose job is to oversee KOA reforms, argued a €150 spending restriction will be imposed on gambling accounts of customers under 24.

Stricter financial penalties

Another change we can expect to see in gambling is stricter financial penalties. This amendment aims to create a safe space for players to gamble. A former member of the House of Representatives, Michiel Van Nispan of the Netherlands for the Socialist Party (SC) proposed a stricter financial penalty.

Van Nispan argued that with stricter financial penalties in place, gambling operators would be more cautious not to violate gambling laws. Amongst the penalties, Van Nispan suggested a fine of 10% of turnover for gambling companies that violate the KOA regulations. The former member of the House of Rep also suggested revoking the license of operators who fail to provide satisfactory player protection. Up to 102 MPs supported Van Nispan’s mandates, and it was passed.

Belgium increases gambling age

In Belgium, the official gambling, whether online or offline, was previously 18. However, the new gambling legislation has increased the legal gambling age to 21 and it has been approved by the Chamber of Deputies. The aim of increasing the legal age to gamble is to reduce the number of youths involved in any form of gambling.

Regulators believe that by reducing the number of youths involved in gambling, they will be more likely to get involved in more productive acts that will contribute to the development of society. Also, increasing the legal gambling age will help reduce the cases of gambling problems as it protects minors from the potential harms of gambling.

Online gambling advertising ban

Another of the three motions proposed by the CDA MP Derk Bosswijk is the call for a blanket ban on gambling advertising. However, this proposal was rejected as it fell short by 6 votes of the required 76-vote majority. Nevertheless, the Dutch minister thought of the proposal as useful and maintained that overreaching player limits must be included in the KOA Acts going forward.

Although Belgium’s National Lottery will be exempted from the ban. Also, online operators in the Western European country are prohibited from offering more than one type of gambling.

Conclusion

In summary, the aim of these new gambling laws in Belgium and the Netherlands is to tighten responsible gambling. Regulators want to provide a safe space for gamblers, and also reduce the number of youths involved in gambling.

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BetFIRST, a leader in Belgian sports wagering, unveiled a new online casino brand called betfirstcasino.be. The new gambling site was launched in partnership with Groupe Partouche’s Middelkerke Casino.

According to the announcement, betfirstcasino.be leverages Middelkerke Casino’s recently-acquired A+ casino license to offer online gambling in Belgium. Moreover, the launch aligns with betFIRST’s ambition to solidify its leadership position in the country.

Betfirstcasino.be players can expect to find a variety of exciting betting offerings, including slot games, table games and live casino options.

BetFIRST was acquired by the Betsson Group last year as the latter company sought expansion in the Belgian betting market. The $130 million deal secured Betsson an entry into Belgium, putting it in charge of one of the oldest and most trusted betting companies in the country.

The launch of betfirstcasino.be will solidify Betsson’s presence in the market, allowing it to further capitalize on betFIRST’s popularity in Belgium.

Betsson Is Looking Forward to Solidifying Its Presence in Belgium

Speaking of Betsson, Jesper Svensson, the company’s chief executive officer, said that his team is proud to have acquired betFIRST and is looking forward to scaling up the company. The new online casino will further increase betFIRST’s value while allowing Betsson to form an important relationship with Groupe Partouche.

BetFIRST’s chief executive officer, Alexis Murphy, also commented on the launch of the new brand, saying that it will reinforce his company’s presence in Belgium, allowing it to tap into the lucrative iGaming market.

betFIRST already boasts the best-performing and fastest sports-betting app in the Belgian market, and we aim to replicate this success with the most extensive mobile casino offering in Belgium.

Alexis Murphy, CEO, betFIRST

Finally, Groupe Partouche’s chief executive officer, Fabrice Paire, shared his thoughts, saying that betfirstcasino.be is poised to become a great addition to the group’s portfolio in the country. Paire pointed out that Groupe Partouche is already working on a landmark casino in Middelkerke that is poised to become the “most iconic casino in Belgium.”

The CEO concluded that the French gambling group is looking forward to conquering both the retail and online sectors in Belgium.

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Across Europe, the minimum legal age required for gambling activities varies between 18 and 21. Unlike the United States, where the legal age for gambling and consuming alcohol is 21 in a majority of states, many countries on the Old Continent permit such activities after 18.

The Flemish Expertise Center for alcohol, illegal drugs, psychoactive medication, gambling and gaming, VAD, released a new memorandum this week, asking for changes to the existing legislation in Belgium, effectively restricting young adults under the age of 21 from gambling. The organization flagged concerns about the impact of gambling on young adults, encouraging lawmakers to increase the minimum age required for such activities.

Belgium’s existing gambling laws prohibit individuals under the age of 21 from playing at retail slots or visiting brick-and-mortar casinos. Similarly, anyone under the age of 21 is not allowed to engage in online gambling.

While those restrictions sound good enough, there are gambling activities that young adults who are 18 or older can access. For example, anyone above the age of 18 can participate in lotteries, bingo, as well as some online games of chance.

Effective Measures to Protect Young Adults

According to VAD’s memorandum, the prevention of harm related to alcohol and gambling can be achieved through several measures. It said that the most “cost-effective” measures include the implementation of an advertising ban, increases in prices as well as limiting availability.

Besides increasing the minimum gambling age to 21, the organization supported the raising of the minimum age for alcohol to 18. The proposed changes that seek prevention “through cost-effective measures in legislation,” are in line with VAD’s 2021 10-point plan on effective gambling regulation.

As an example of why there is a need to increase the gambling age in Belgium, the organization pointed to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Citing data, VAD revealed that some 43,122 new players registered for the first time with a gambling operator at that time. A majority or 58% of the players were under the age of 30, the organization confirmed. Citing research, VAD explained that exposure to gambling activities at a young age increases the chance of gambling addictions.

Besides gambling and alcohol, VAD’s memorandum outlines a total of nine priorities that seek to implement effective policies for gaming, illegal drugs and psychoactive medication. The memorandum highlighted the increasing risks of all such activities, urging not only for prevention and early intervention but also assistance and harm reduction.

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The easy access to gambling activities online continues to raise concerns about excessive gambling and gambling harm. This issue was addressed by all gambling operators members of the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO), who signed a new Duty of Care Agreement earlier this week. Primarily, the new agreement seeks to prevent problem gambling and identify risky behavior quickly.

The new Duty of Care Agreement was signed by all six BAGO members including Kindred, Napoleon, Ardent Group, Golden Palace, BetFirst, as well as Star Casino. The members joined forces to develop effective fact-based policies and collaborate with the government in Belgium.

The announcement comes at a time when BAGO identified that approximately 70% of the gamblers in Belgium engage in online gambling activities. According to the Association, while a majority of those customers enjoy the activity responsibly, there are cases of excessive gambling and gambling harm.

Ultimately, the Duty of Care Agreement revolves around four main pillars. All BAGO members agreed to develop effective policies that seek to provide the players with recommendations and information for the use of voluntary deposit limits, self-exclusion and other player protection measures.

Additionally, the Agreement calls for the development of a robust detection system that leverages AI, scientific-based criteria and algorithms that help flag potential risky gambling behaviors. Such criteria can include the number and intensity of deposits, playing time and frequency, among other relevant benchmarks.

BAGO members have also agreed to educate and provide special training for their employees to ensure they can effectively identify problem gambling and take relevant actions. Finally, the operators agreed to share details regarding the prevention policy with the country’s gambling regulator.

Sustainable Industry Cannot Be Built on Addictions

Tom De Clercq, BAGO’s chairman, revealed that an ongoing focus for the Association is to foster a gaming environment that enables the players to participate responsibly in such activities. “Such a duty of care is a useful addition to other existing protective measures, such as the EPIS check and the deposit limit with associated checks on default,” he added.

“Our focus is on creating an environment in which players can participate in gambling in a responsible and safe manner.“

Tom De Clercq, chairman of BAGO

Damien Thiéry, BAGO’s secretary general, added that according to Sciensano data, some 0.9% of the population in Belgium is “susceptible to a gambling addiction.” He explained that besides addiction, such individuals can also suffer from personal, emotional or financial problems. Thiéry said that a sustainable economic activity cannot be built on addiction. Finally, he said that gambling operators in the country want to offer a safe form of entertainment for their players.

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Belgium’s Gambling Commission, the Kansspelcommissie (KSC), has reminded licensed operators that they must warn customers of the dangers of gambling across all of their communications.

The move follows a recent ban on gambling advertising in the country, barring operators from freely promoting their products. The drastic measures kicked off on July 1, imposing a blanket ban on ads.

Now, the KSC has contacted its licensees, reminding them that all their communications and messages visible to the customers must contain mandatory preventive messages. The messages must highlight the addictive nature of gambling and remind players to play in moderation.

In addition to that, as per Article 25 of the Royal Decree, gambling operators in Belgium must also reference the country’s self-exclusion program, Stopoptijd, across their messaging.

Article 25 of this Royal Decree states that the preventive message referred to in Article 20 must currently contain the following message: “Gambling can be addictive. Stop in time! More info at www.stopoptijd.be.”

KSC statement

The Strict Rules Seek to Mitigate Gambling Harm

Belgium introduced its blanket ban on ads amid concerns about gambling harm. The changes, first introduced by Belgium’s Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne, seek to curb problem gambling and reduce Belgians’ exposure to gambling products.

Gambling and betting organizations tried to counteract the ban by launching a number of lawsuits but failed to prevent the new laws from getting passed.

The full ban is expected to be enforced from July 2025 and will ban partnerships between sports betting companies and sports organizations as well. The grace period was provided so that existing sponsorships can expire before the new rules come into force.

Finally, the Royal Decree raised the legal age for gambling from 18 to 21 years, in line with the required age for other verticals such as bingo and betting.

Belgium Still Attractive to Betting Companies

Despite the strict new rules, Belgium remains an attractive market for sports betting companies and suppliers, as attested by a number of recent deals.

Last month, Betsson announced its foray into the country through a €120 million acquisition of betFIRST, a leading local gaming and betting operator.

Peppermill Casino, on the other hand, just added content from Pragmatic Play, diversifying its offering and boosting the supplier’s presence in the country.

At the beginning of this month, Belgium’s competitions authority objected to a horse racing distribution agreement between Ladbrokes and Pari-Mutuel Urbain that could hurt competition in the country.

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Deals between professional sports organizations and gambling companies help bring valuable proceeds for the clubs, allowing them to continue to grow. Yet amid concerns about an increase in sports betting activities and consequently risky or problem gambling behavior, many countries around Europe are strengthening their regulations. This applies not only to gambling sponsorships but external advertising and Belgium is one of the countries that is set to implement new strict rules.

Last year, Vincent Van Quickenborne, Belgium’s Minister of Justice, proposed changes related to the promotion of gambling activities. The proposed changes called for a strict ban on gambling advertising that seeks to curb problem gambling and at the same time reduce the exposure of such products. The proposed changes immediately captured the attention of the regulated gambling sector, as well as sports organizations that filed lawsuits with 11 courts, urging against the nationwide ban on gambling advertising and tough new restrictions.

Now, it seems that those efforts were in vain, at least for the moment, considering that the lawsuits were dismissed, clearing the path for the new regulations to come into effect starting from July 1, 2023, a report released by Het Nieuwsblad reveals. Van Quickenborne commented on the topic pointing out: “Hopefully this will put an end to all attempts at lobbying and legal sabotage from the gambling sector and sectors that are addicted to gambling money.”

Tough Restrictions Come Into Effect in July

The new restrictions would significantly limit the options for gambling advertising in Belgium. Starting from July 1, gambling ads will not be allowed to air on TV, at cinemas or via radio or social media.

The rules ban gambling advertisements from websites, as well as newspapers and magazines. Gambling ads will not be able to appear in public places in the form of banners, posters or stickers. Any printed gambling advertising will also be prohibited while customizable ads distributed via post, online messaging services, social media or emails will be prohibited.

Per the new regulations, owners of businesses such as casinos are allowed to place the name and logo at the front of the venue. Advertisements would be permitted to appear on the inside of betting venues and casinos.

The tough new restrictions echo the changes planned in Belgium’s neighbor, the Netherlands. Similar to Belgium, the company plans to introduce a ban on gambling advertising starting from July 1 but featuring even more restrictions.

It is clear that betting and gaming companies in Belgium are not happy with the upcoming changes to gambling advertising. Sports organizations are similarly concerned, especially football clubs that have established deals with gambling operators. While further appeals and court cases aren’t impossible, it is likely such legal actions to take place after the ban is already enforced.

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CT Interactive will provide 23 exclusive games which will be launched on the palladiumgames.be and 36win.be operators. Among the titles that will be launched are such choices as Beetle Dice, Chilli Jester, and not least, Dice Quest.

Players will have access to these and more titles for the first time in Belgium, which is one of the most strictly regulated markets in Europe, but also one of the most rewarding. CT Interactive director of business development Americas Martin Ivanov welcomed the opportunity to see the company’s products launched with yet another operator and its brands.

“For CT Interactive is a great honor to have its portfolio available at such a well-known platform that is famous with its diverse offerings,” Ivanov explained. The representative was confident that the products that are created by CT Interactive are of impeccable industry quality and create unique values for the brands that adopt them.

Pascual Gaming’s Joeri Pascual was similarly confident that the new additions will help with Belgian players. He argued that local players tend to be very selective and that CT Interactive is famous for its original and adventurous games which is what is going to strike home with Belgian players.

CT Interactive has been expanding its reach in Europe over the past several months. The company signed a partnership with NetBet in Italy and 7Bet in the Baltics. The supplier remains a popular choice among operators who are trying to bring strong titles to the market and leave a lasting impression on their players.

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Realistic Games, a developer of exciting casino games, has agreed to integrate some of its titles into Napoleon Sports & Casino’s platform in Belgium. The agreement will expand the supplier’s presence in the country while providing the operator with new content.

Under the agreement, 20 titles developed by Realistic Games are now live with Napoleon and available to its customers. As a result, local players can now enjoy premium games such as Gorilla Riches, Book of Charms and Realistic’s latest hit, Chilli Master.

The two companies have agreed to add more content to Napoleon’s platform at a later date as its new studio partner continues with its release schedule. Realistic Games has an ambitious roadmap for 2023, planning to release a variety of exciting games that combine thrilling gameplay with great graphics and exciting math models.

One of the titles Realistic Games will be releasing later this year is a refreshed version of its long-time successful Keno game. Furthermore, the studio has also planned to release a fishing-themed slot called Catch 22. Both of these exciting new titles will be integrated into Napoleon’s offering in accordance with the current deal.

Realistic Games Is Happy to Team Up with a Local Market Leader

Realistic Games’ account manager, Amy Brewis, commented on the new agreement. She said that her company always seeks to partner with local market leaders such as Napoleon Sports & Casino. Brewis praised the operator for its “fantastic heritage” in Belgium and said that her team is happy to see its games go live on Napoleon’s platform.

2023 is set to be busy for Realistic and this partnership is one of many we have in the works, backed by an exciting range of new product launches that we’re working on.

Amy Brewis, account manager, Realistic Games

Meanwhile, Melissa Deboelpaep, Napoleon Sports & Casino’s gaming content manager, noted that her team is just as excited to have partnered with Realistic Games. The operator is happy to add Realistic’s titles to its offering and, according to Deboelpaep, believes that this integration has greatly enhanced its portfolio.

As a result, players in Belgium will now have an enriched gaming experience when playing with Napoleon. Deboelpaep concluded that her team will engage players in a safe and responsible manner.

At Napoleon, we take pride in offering a safe and responsible environment for our players, and Realistic Games’ commitment to player protection aligns perfectly with our values. We are excited to continue this partnership, delivering top-quality entertainment to our growing community of players.

Melissa Deboelpaep, gaming content manager, Napoleon Sports & Casino

In February, Napoleon also secured gambling content from Bragg Gaming.

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Casino content house Stakelogic has secured a new agreement with the gambling operator PepperMill Casino. Under this Belgium-oriented deal, the supplier will provide its new partner with live casino games.

As a result of the agreement, PepperMill Casino players will be able to enjoy some of the best titles Stakelogic has to offer. The latter company will provide the operator with a selection of dice slots, a variety of classic casino titles and auto roulette.

Stakelogic is famous for its traditional-looking fruit-themed slots and engaging mechanics. Features such as Super Stake, bring innovation to well-known types of games, adding new twists to engage players.

The developer’s live casino titles, meanwhile, field experienced dealers that greatly improve the customer experience. The titles are broadcast from Stakelogic Live’s proprietary studio in Malta, ensuring the best quality for players.

Stakelogic Will Keep PepperMill Ahead of Its Competitors

Stakelogic’s commercial director, Jose Simon, commented on the agreement with PepperMill. He praised the online casino for its extensive presence in the growing Belgian market. Simon also added that Stakelogic is excited to make a foray into this market with its dice slots and auto roulette in the market.

Simon is certain that Stakelogic’s dice games will appeal to Belgian customers, just like they have appealed to players in so many other markets. Games with unique styles have proven to be popular in the country, Simon noted and concluded that players will soon see “what all the fuss is about.”

PepperMill Casino’s general director, Anthony Rus, called the current deal a “big integration” for his company. He confirmed Simon’s expectations, noting that players in Belgium are very passionate about slots and live dealer games. Since Stakelogic is among the top providers of such content, Rus is certain that local gamblers are going to delight in the new games.

Lastly, Richard Walker, Stakelogic Live’s head of live casino, spoke about the quality of his company’s live offerings. He noted that Stakelogic always prioritizes excellence and that its dealers have what it takes to make players feel like stars.

Walker concluded that PepperMill Casino will now be able to leverage this premium content to distinguish itself from its competitors.

In early March, Stakelogic also consolidated its presence in the Netherlands through an agreement with 711. The previous month, the company penned another live casino-oriented deal with Interwetten. This followed an integration with Paf, which adopted some of Stakelogic’s best slot games.

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