Belgium Region Has More than 2,200 Illegal Gambling Websites

Research in Belgium has highlighted that the number of illegal betting websites in the region has risen to more than 2,200 in 2023. Of the identified websites it was found five hundred had previously been blacklisted by the regulator and were blocked in Belgium, meaning more than seventeen hundred illegal sites were still active.

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The Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC) explained that It was struggling to identify the growing number of illegal gaming websites in the jurisdiction and block them because there is a lack of resources with only one employee overseeing the whole process.

One of the other reasons the Belgian gaming commissions gave for the proliferation of illegal websites in the region, is that once an illegal website is blocked, the same site will reappear with a very similar website name.

Although the Gambling Commission says it is under-resourced regarding employees, it was quick to point out that the number of blocked websites had risen sharply from 173 in 2020 to 500 by the end of 2023.

Taking an illegal website offline is a time consuming job, We draw up an official report and send it to the public prosecutor's office. If nothing happens with it, we can decide to add that site to the blacklist. Due to a lack of resources, we cannot crack down harder on illegal sites.

Stefaan SavenbergSecretary of the Gambling Commission

More Regulation News

Licensed Gaming Operators Raise Concerns

Licensed operators in the Belgian jurisdiction have been at the forefront of the complaints against illegal gaming websites available in the region. They say that the illegal websites mean they face unfair competition in the market.

The regulated gaming operators in the country have stated they provide a safe gambling environment and responsible gaming programs for customers. Many gambling companies feel the Belgium Gambling Commission is in danger of over regulating the market.

Additionally, Belgian customers who use illegal websites to make a wager are not protected relating to potential winnings and security of funds in these accounts.

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