More Casinos Banned from Belgium

The Belgium Gaming Commission has added additional top rated online casinos to their list of casino that are restricted from doing business within the country. The additions include some of the best online casinos like Betfair, William Hill and bwin.party.

The move by the Commission is a result of the Belgian Gambling Act, which went into law last year and states that online gambling is only allowed in the country on websites which have been approved and licensed by the Commission.

Belgium’s four largest internet service providers have been told to prohibit web traffic to and from sites which have been placed on the country’s blacklist. Players who engage in online casino games on non-approved sites can face criminal penalties and fines up to €25,000.

Peter Naessens, head of the regulatory unit at the Belgium Gaming Commission stated, “The reasons for adding operators to the list include the continued acceptance of Belgian players from unlicensed dot.com sites, attracting minors or vulnerable players, or connections with organized crime.”

Belgian officials have said that the blacklist exists in order to award opportunities to casino games online operators who already have licenses or are in the process of licensure. The goal is also to protect players from sites that operate without licensure.  

Betsson, 188Bet, and Betclic Everest brands BetClic, Expekt and bet-at-home were also placed on the Belgium Gambling Commission blacklist. There are approximately thirty top online casino games brands on the list.

Sites that have received licensure and approval from the Commission include PokerStars.be, Partouche.be, and GPWin.be.