Responsible gambling: rules and help in Belgium

Minimum age: 21

Since 1 September 2024, online gambling has been prohibited for anyone under 21, as in casinos, gaming arcades and betting shops (article 54 of the Act of 7 May 1999). Licensed operators check age at registration.

The deposit limit of 200 euros per week

Since 20 October 2022, every player has a default limit of 200 euros deposited per week on each online gambling site. A player may ask the operator to raise it; the Gaming Commission then consults the Central Individual Credit Register of the National Bank of Belgium and refuses the increase if the player has a recorded payment default. This amount is a ceiling, not a target: we recommend setting your own, lower limits in your account settings.

Self-exclusion (EPIS)

The Commission runs EPIS, the register of people excluded from gambling. A voluntary exclusion request blocks access to casinos, gaming arcades and betting, both online and offline. With a Belgian identity card, the request is made online through itsme or a card reader. You may name a trusted person, who is informed of the request. You can ask for the exclusion to be lifted at any time by registered letter; access only returns three months after the request is received. A relative can also request the exclusion of someone in difficulty, through a separate procedure.

Warning signs

• you gamble longer or spend more than you planned;
• you gamble again to recover a loss;
• you borrow, sell something or delay a bill in order to gamble;
• you hide from those close to you how much time or money you spend on gambling;
• you feel irritable when you try to cut down;
• gambling fills your thoughts at the expense of work, sleep or family.

Any one of these signs is reason enough to talk to a professional.

Where to find help

• free helpline 0800 35 777 (SOS Jeux, SOS Gokken), open 24 hours a day;
• gokhulp.be: information, self-tests and free, anonymous online support in Dutch;
• joueurs.aide-en-ligne.be: online support programme, self-tests and sessions with a psychologist, free and anonymous, in French.

There is no official service in English; both sites above are the ones referred to by the Gaming Commission.

Good habits

• set a weekly budget you can afford to lose;
• switch on the deposit and time limits offered by the operator;
• never gamble with borrowed money;
• take breaks and do not gamble under the influence of alcohol or stress.

Further reading: online gambling licences in Belgium, the official blacklist and the contact page.

Official sources

Act of 7 May 1999, consolidated text (official source, opens in a new tab)

Royal Decree of 19 June 2022 (online gambling limit) (official source, opens in a new tab)

Player protection, Gaming Commission (official source, opens in a new tab)

Voluntary exclusion (official source, opens in a new tab)

Exclusion requested by a third party (official source, opens in a new tab)

Online help in Dutch, by the VAD (official source, opens in a new tab)

Online help in French, free and anonymous (official source, opens in a new tab)