Belgian Gambling Laws Get Tougher by the Minute

Belgium has recently passed new online gambling regulations, which involve a new licensing program that approved online gambling sites must apply for, according to the latest Belgium gambling news.

The move comes after Denmark, Serbia and other European countries have adopted similar policies in the last few weeks. The new laws, released by Belgium’s gambling commission will also see a blacklist created of illegal operators that will now be forbidden from offering their services to players in Belgium.

In order to be deemed one of the legal online casinos in Belgium, a site must apply for a license from the Belgian Gambling Authority to continue offering their services to Belgian gamblers.

Several online gambling sites have applied for Belgium’s first A+ licenses, and have already been approved, including Casino 777, Golden Palace, Partouche and Poker Stars. These are reported to be the only online casinos currently approved for online gambling at the moment, though it is unclear how many online sportsbooks in Belgium are prepared to make similar moves to continue their business in the country.

Three well known online poker rooms have already found themselves on the new blacklist created by the Belgian Gambling Authority, including 888, Chilipoker and Everest. It has been reported that Chilipoker will soon be removed from the list though, following their decision to submit to the Belgian Gambling Authority and remove Belgian players’ access to the site.

In tough and harsh move, instead of blocking illegal gambling sites, like some EU countries have done recently, the Belgian Gambling Authority will only advise players which sites are illegal, and leave it up to them to avoid playing on them.

The preservation and upholding of Belgian gambling laws is then down the police, to catch and fine offending players, in a move considered the first of its kind in Europe, and widely condemned by gamers.

The invasive new laws are believed to have been pushed through by the Belgian Gambling Authority, due to the EU delaying any actions on gambling laws, whilst facing the current financial fiasco.

Some online casino sites have tried to continue offering their services by using the EU free commerce card to move forward in Belgium without a Belgian gambling license. This however, has also been outlawed now, with countries trying to regulate online gambling within their own realms, under their own gambling laws.