Online gambling: tightly regulated

Belgium is one of Europe's most disciplined online markets. The central idea: online rights are issued only to those who already have an appropriate ground license. Added to this are age barriers, a centralized system of self-exclusion, limits and an extremely strict advertising framework. Below are the key elements of the mode.

1) Licenses: "online follows offline"

A + - online casino (for ground A holders - casino).

B + - online gaming products/slots (for holders B - halls of machines).

F1 + - online bets (for F1 holders - bet organizer).

Such a "plus mechanism" restrains the number of online operators and simplifies control.

2) Player access: age, identification, EPIS

Age thresholds: 21 + for casinos/slots (A +/B +), 18 + for betting (F1 +) and lotteries.

KYC/AML before admission: verification of identity and sources of funds is required.

EPIS: Single National Excluded Persons Base. Any attempt to enter and play is checked against EPIS; access is automatically blocked when a match occurs.

3) Financial constraints and behavioral tools

Deposit limit: €200 per week per player and per licensed site by default. The increase is possible only after additional checks of solvency and approval.

Self-control: timeouts, "cooling," personal limits on amounts and time, game history, risk notifications.

Risk monitoring: operators are required to identify early signs of problem play and intervene (contact, restrictions, suspension).

4) Advertising, sponsorship, communications

Advertising is sharply limited in all mass channels, especially in the digital environment and sports. Only strict, informative formats are allowed for licensees with mandatory warnings and without targeting vulnerable groups.

Sports: phased "pinching" of sponsorship and brand visibility in stadiums, uniforms and broadcasts.

Influencers and online platforms: separate rules on the frequency of impressions, transparency of offers and the prohibition of aggressive practices.

5) Technical compliance and game integrity

Content certification: RNG/games and platform must be independently certified.

Security and logging: encryption, secure hosting, unchanging event logs, reporting on turnover/payments.

Transparency of RTP and rules: information about the return and conditions of each game is available to the player.

6) Fighting illegal sites

Blacklist of domains and interaction with communication providers: unlicensed sites are blocked, payment routes overlap.

Sanctions: fines, suspension and revocation of licenses; in severe cases - court procedures.

Recommendation to players: use only sites with Belgian licenses (A +/B +/F1 +).

7) Operator responsibilities: checklist

Have the appropriate basic offline license and "plus-extension" for online.

Integrate with EPIS, implement KYC/AML up to tolerance and continuous monitoring.

Embed €200 limit/week/default site, limit raising processes and behavioral alerts.

Provide game certification, secure infrastructure and detailed reporting.

Conduct ethical communication: without aggressive incentives and with RG warnings.

8) What does it give the player and the market

Players: high level of protection (EPIS, limits, honesty of content), predictable rules and understandable assistance mechanisms.

Market: managed number of operators, quality control and a decrease in the share of "gray" offers.

State: RG point policy capability, transparent reporting and effective fight against illegal perimeter.

Conclusion: Belgian online gambling is really tightly regulated - through a bundle of "offline → online," centralized access (EPIS), limits, strict advertising and technical control. This model is not about fast scale at any cost, but about a protected, mature and stable market, where the interests of the player and the responsibility of the operator come first.