Casino and Gambling Legislation in Belgium

The central regulator is the Belgian Gaming Commission, also known as the Kansspelcommissie or Commission des jeux de hasard. It issues licences, monitors licensed operators, investigates illegal gambling and advises the federal government. This guide explains the main rules for players and operators and complements our broader overview of online casinos and gambling law in Belgium.

Is gambling legal in Belgium?

Gambling in Belgium is based on a prohibition-with-exceptions model. Games of chance are prohibited unless they are specifically authorised and offered under a valid licence.

The principal legislation is the Belgian Gambling Act of 7 May 1999 on games of chance, betting, gaming establishments and player protection. The law has been amended repeatedly to regulate online gambling, betting, advertising, player accounts and enforcement.

Legal gambling products include:

• Games in one of Belgium's nine licensed land-based casinos;
• Games in licensed amusement arcades;
• Sports and horse-racing betting through licensed operators;
• Online casino games, arcade-style games and betting under supplementary online licences;
• Lotteries offered under the separate National Lottery framework;
• Limited gaming machines in qualifying hospitality venues.

An operator licensed elsewhere in Europe does not automatically have permission to target Belgian residents. It must hold the relevant Belgian licence.

What does the Belgian Gaming Commission do?

The Belgian Gaming Commission is the official federal regulator for games of chance. It operates within the sphere of the Federal Public Service Justice and combines legal, enforcement, public-health and economic expertise.

Its principal responsibilities include:

• Granting, refusing, suspending and withdrawing gambling licences;
• Supervising licensed casinos, gaming halls, betting businesses and online operators;
• Monitoring compliance with player-protection and advertising rules;
• Maintaining information about illegal gambling websites;
• Investigating infringements and preparing enforcement cases;
• Advising the Belgian government and parliament on gambling policy.

The Commission should not be confused with the National Lottery. The National Lottery operates under a separate legal framework and is not a voting “member” of the regulator in the simple way sometimes suggested online.

What is the legal gambling age in Belgium?

Since 1 September 2024, the standard minimum age for casino gambling, amusement arcades, sports betting and online gambling in Belgium is 21.

The increase created a more consistent age threshold across the regulated casino and betting market. Before September 2024, certain betting and gaming products were available from age 18 while casinos already applied a 21-year age limit.

Are Belgian lottery games also restricted to players aged 21?

No. It is inaccurate to say that every gambling-related product in Belgium has a universal minimum age of 21. National Lottery products generally remain available from age 18 under their separate regulatory regime.

Players should therefore distinguish between licensed casino or betting products and products offered by the Belgian National Lottery.

How does the Belgian gambling licensing system work?

Belgium uses different licence classes for different types of gambling activity. The most important categories include:

• Class A and A+: land-based casinos and their associated online casino operations;
• Class B and B+: land-based amusement arcades and their associated online operations;
• Class C: limited gaming machines in qualifying hospitality venues;
• Class F1 and F1+: betting organisation and online betting;
• Class F2: accepting bets on behalf of a licensed betting operator;
• Class D: certain staff working in regulated gambling establishments;
• Class E: manufacturers, installers, repairers and suppliers of gambling equipment.

The licence class determines which products an operator may offer. A casino licence does not automatically authorise sports betting, and a betting licence does not automatically authorise online casino games.

Must an online casino have a land-based Belgian licence?

Yes. Belgium does not issue standalone online casino licences to businesses without a corresponding Belgian land-based licence.

An A+ online casino licence is linked to a Class A land-based casino licence. A B+ licence is linked to a Class B amusement-arcade licence, while an F1+ online betting licence requires the corresponding F1 betting licence.

This land-based link limits market access and gives the regulator a locally licensed entity against which it can enforce Belgian rules.

Why do casino and betting products use separate accounts or websites?

Belgian licences are product-specific. Operators combining casino, arcade and betting services cannot simply merge every product into one unrestricted account and licence structure. Separate domains, registrations or player environments may be required where different licence classes are involved.

Players should always check which legal entity and licence cover the specific product they intend to use.

Player identification and EPIS checks

Licensed operators must verify the identity and age of their customers. They must also check whether a person is excluded from gambling through EPIS, the Excluded Persons Information System.

EPIS is Belgium's central exclusion database. It prevents registered or legally excluded individuals from accessing covered casinos, gaming halls and online gambling services. Exclusion may result from:

• A voluntary self-exclusion request;
• A judicial decision;
• A legal restriction linked to a person's profession or status;
• Other grounds provided by Belgian law.

Identity verification is therefore not an optional casino procedure. It is a central part of legal access control and responsible gambling.

Belgian online gambling deposit limit

Belgian online gambling accounts are normally subject to a default deposit limit of €200 per week per licensed gambling website or account environment.

A player may request an increase, but the operator cannot simply approve it immediately. The statutory process includes a waiting period and checks designed to identify registered payment defaults. The precise application can depend on the licence and account structure.

A deposit limit is not a safe-loss budget. A player can still lose the entire deposited amount. Our safe gambling guidelines explain how to set personal limits below the legal maximum.

Are casino bonuses legal in Belgium?

Belgium applies a broad prohibition on gambling bonuses and financial inducements. Licensed operators may not use welcome bonuses, deposit matches, free bets, free spins, gifts or similar rewards to persuade consumers to register, deposit or continue playing.

This approach is substantially stricter than the Dutch bonus regime. Belgian operators compete primarily through their product, service and brand rather than promotional gambling credit.

Read our separate background article on the Belgian casino bonus ban and the 21-year age limit. Older offers mentioned elsewhere on the internet may no longer be legal or available.

Gambling advertising rules in Belgium

A Royal Decree introduced a broad prohibition on gambling advertising from 1 July 2023. The restrictions cover most traditional consumer channels, including television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, public advertising and many forms of online promotion.

It is more accurate to describe this as a near-total advertising ban than as an exceptionless ban. Limited communications remain possible where legislation expressly permits them, particularly factual information in controlled operator environments and certain transitional sponsorship arrangements.

Promotional content, affiliate activity and indirect branding can still qualify as advertising. Using a different brand, foundation or media channel does not automatically place a campaign outside the rules.

For historical context, GamblingHolland covered the introduction of Belgium's gambling advertising ban.

Sports sponsorship restrictions

Belgium is phasing out gambling sponsorship in sport rather than applying every restriction on one date.

• From 1 January 2025: gambling advertising in sports stadiums became prohibited and gambling logos on sportswear became more restricted;
• During the transitional period: a limited logo may appear on qualifying sportswear, but not on the front, and it may not exceed 75 cm²;
• From 1 January 2028: gambling sponsorship will be prohibited for professional clubs in the highest recognised sports divisions;
• For amateur sport after 2028: a smaller logo of up to 50 cm² may remain permitted under the applicable conditions.

Therefore, the claim that all sports-kit sponsorship was already banned in 2023 is incorrect. The restrictions are extensive, but the final professional-sport phase does not take effect until 2028.

Illegal gambling websites and the Belgian blacklist

The Gaming Commission publishes information about websites believed to offer illegal gambling to Belgian consumers. Access to illegal sites may be blocked, and payment providers, internet businesses and other intermediaries can become involved in enforcement measures.

A foreign licence from Malta, Curaçao or another jurisdiction does not replace a Belgian licence. Players should verify the exact operator and domain rather than relying on a logo or a general statement that the casino is “licensed in Europe”.

Warning signs include:

• No verifiable Belgian licence;
• Bonuses promoted directly to Belgian residents;
• No meaningful age or identity verification;
• Attempts to bypass Belgian access restrictions;
• Unclear ownership, withdrawal rules or complaint procedures;
• Claims that cryptocurrency makes Belgian gambling law irrelevant.

Our guide to recognising a dubious online casino provides additional practical checks.

Can Belgian players be punished for using an illegal casino?

Belgian gambling legislation can penalise both illegal operators and, in principle, people who knowingly participate in illegal gambling. However, quoting one maximum fine without its legal context is misleading because statutory amounts may be affected by criminal-law multipliers and the circumstances of the case.

The practical advice is straightforward: do not register with a casino simply because it accepts Belgian traffic. Confirm that the exact website and operator are authorised for Belgium.

Belgium's nine licensed land-based casinos

Belgian law limits the number of Class A land-based casino licences to nine. The licensed casino locations are distributed across Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia.

Opening hours, game selections, dress codes and admission conditions can change. Check the casino's official website before travelling. Players interested in the wider regional market can also read about casino and dice games in Belgium.

Player protection and responsible gambling

Belgian player-protection rules combine several controls:

• A minimum age of 21 for casino, betting and online gambling products;
• Mandatory identity verification;
• EPIS exclusion checks;
• Default weekly online deposit limits;
• A prohibition on gambling bonuses and gifts;
• Strict restrictions on advertising and sports sponsorship;
• Licence-based supervision and sanctions.

These rules reduce exposure and make exclusion easier, but they cannot make gambling risk-free. Anyone who is losing control should stop depositing, request exclusion and seek professional help rather than trying to recover previous losses.

Cross-border and European cooperation

Illegal gambling websites often operate across several European markets. Belgian authorities therefore cooperate with regulators, law-enforcement bodies, payment providers and other public authorities across borders.

Cooperation can involve exchanging information about operators, ownership structures, advertising networks, payment routes and enforcement actions. Nevertheless, gambling regulation remains primarily national. Approval in one EU country does not create an automatic right to operate in Belgium.

Frequently asked questions

What is the legal gambling age in Belgium?

The minimum age is 21 for casinos, amusement arcades, betting and online gambling. National Lottery products generally remain available from age 18 under a separate legal framework.

Are online casinos legal in Belgium?

Yes, but only when the operator holds the relevant supplementary Belgian online licence linked to an eligible land-based licence.

Are casino bonuses allowed in Belgium?

No. Belgium prohibits gambling bonuses, gifts and similar financial incentives, including common welcome bonuses, free bets and deposit-match promotions.

Is all gambling advertising banned?

Belgium has imposed a near-total gambling advertising ban since July 2023. Narrow exceptions and transitional rules remain, so describing it as a completely exceptionless ban would be inaccurate.

Is gambling sponsorship still visible in Belgian sport?

Limited shirt branding can still appear during the transitional period, subject to placement and size restrictions. The final ban for professional clubs in the highest recognised divisions is scheduled for 1 January 2028.

What is the online gambling deposit limit?

The standard limit is €200 per week per licensed website or account environment. A formal process applies if a player requests an increase.

How can I check whether a Belgian casino is legal?

Check the operator and exact domain against the licence information published by the Belgian Gaming Commission. Do not rely solely on the casino's own licence claim.

Conclusion

Belgium permits gambling through a tightly controlled licensing system. The market combines a 21-year minimum age for casino and betting products, mandatory identification, EPIS checks, a default weekly deposit limit, a bonus ban and some of Europe's strictest advertising restrictions.

The key distinction is between legal availability and unrestricted availability. Casinos and betting services can operate, but only within the exact product, licence and player-protection boundaries established by Belgian law.

Last updated: 21 August 2026. Gambling legislation and licence status can change. Always verify current information with the Belgian Gaming Commission before registering or visiting a casino.