{"id":7809,"date":"2024-09-03T06:37:44","date_gmt":"2024-09-03T06:37:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/slategray-wallaby-310340.hostingersite.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/03\/belgium-tightens-gambling-age-restrictions-to-match-casino-rules\/"},"modified":"2024-09-03T06:37:44","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T06:37:44","slug":"belgium-tightens-gambling-age-restrictions-to-match-casino-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/casino-online-best.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/03\/belgium-tightens-gambling-age-restrictions-to-match-casino-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Belgium Tightens Gambling Age Restrictions to Match Casino Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Belgium\u2019s gaming rules have undergone a substantial overhaul, bringing sports betting<\/a>, arcades, and bingo age requirements into line with those of physical casinos. The new rules, which went into effect in February 2024 and were validated by royal decree last month, mandate that all gamers be at least 21 years old. Numerous long-standing gaming laws are repealed by this shift.<\/p>\n

Stricter Regulations and Their Impact<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The move to raise the minimum gambling age is the latest effort by Belgium to impose tighter controls on the legal gambling industry. In 2023, a royal decree was passed to nearly eliminate gambling advertising. Since 2020, Belgium has also banned bonuses and free bets and introduced a \u20ac200 (\u00a3171.48\/$216.54) weekly deposit limit. Additionally, the country has now prohibited the cumulation of online licenses on the same website.<\/p>\n

VAD, the Flemish expertise center for issues related to alcohol, drugs, and gambling, had been advocating for these stricter age restrictions. They argue that raising the minimum age is a \u201ccost-effective\u201d method to reduce youth addiction. However, licensed gambling operators in Belgium fear these changes may unintentionally push players towards offshore, unregulated sites.<\/p>\n

These concerns are not without merit. Earlier this year, Belgium-based operator Gaming1 published a report highlighting the potential negative effects of overregulation. The report cited studies conducted by Nepa in 2023, which revealed a 6% increase in online players using illegal websites in the three months following the advertising ban. Additionally, there was a 4% rise in deposits made on unregulated gaming platforms.<\/p>\n

The report from Gaming1 also cited important results from two large-scale research. The first stated that more than 500 illicit gambling websites had been placed on a blacklist by the Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC). With 2,214 locations detected, the second report from Yield Sec revealed a startling 4.4-fold increase in unlawful operators in 2023.<\/p>\n

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