Online casinos in Belgium are subject to strict government regulation by the Belgian Gaming Commission (GC), which was established by the Gambling Act of May 7, 1999 (1). The Gaming Commission serves as the official regulator of the gambling sector, with its main task being to ensure channeling to legal gambling while primarily protecting players. Under Belgian law, only operators who possess the required license from the Gaming Commission can legally offer online casino games to Belgian residents.
The Belgian regulatory framework takes a restrictive approach to licensing online gambling. Under the Gambling Act, only holders of land-based licenses can obtain an online license, meaning that applications for "online only" companies continue to be rejected (1). The Gaming Commission has created a comprehensive blacklist of unlicensed online gambling operators that allow Belgian residents to register and participate in unlicensed gambling offerings, with over 70 prohibited gambling sites currently known to internet service providers across Belgium.
"The Gaming Commission (GC) was established by the Gambling Act of 7 May 1999. The GC is the official regulator of the gambling sector. The GC's main task is to ensure channelling to legal gambling, with the primary aim of protecting players."
Belgian law imposes significant penalties for both operators and players who participate in illegal gambling activities. Online gambling operators are only authorized to offer gambling services to Belgian players with a license from the BGC, and there are high fines not only for the operator but also for the player who places illegal bets (2). The Gaming Commission takes a strict approach regarding offshore gambling and has the authority to monitor illegal gambling in Belgium and take appropriate action against violations.
Source:
https://www.gamingcommission.be/en
https://iclg.com/practice-areas/gambling-laws-and-regulations/belgium
Last updated: 29-07-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact a lawyer directly.
