Big Changes Have Been Made in Belgian Gambling Law

Belgium is a nation with a rich history, especially when it comes to gambling. As a matter of fact, some of the oldest documents that record gambling in Europe were located in Belgium and reference card games in the 1300’s. It was also documented that a lottery has been run since the 1400s. 

Needless to say, over the centuries Belgian gambling law has nevertheless gone through some major changes. The online gambling industry is currently being subjected to some major changes due to the outcome recent legislation on how it should run. 

Belgium’s Chamber of Representatives passed new gaming legislation last month that’s going to change the industry dramatically. The new legislation has introduced new policies regarding licensing and registration which will be put into action by the end of this year. 

The new laws will affect land-based and internet gambling in Belgium but will not affect the national lottery. Companies that wish to offer online gambling services within the nation’s borders will from this point on be required to obtain a land-based license first. They will also be required to base any operation servers within the nation. 

All companies will be licensed and regulated by the Belgian Gaming Commission and subject to the guidelines that it provides. A limit has been place on the number of gambling institutions that can be licensed through Loyal Decree, and high-level competition is anticipated. 

Though these laws have come hot off the press, it is likely that those who currently play at online gambling sites in Belgium will continue to do so in the future. This is possible due to the fact that foreign companies are located in regions where online gambling is legal and fall outside the jurisdiction of the Belgian government.