Belgium has regulated online gambling for more than a decade, and it has some of the strictest player protection rules in Europe. Only operators licensed by the Kansspelcommissie (Gaming Commission) may offer online casino games to people in Belgium, on a licensed .be website, and only to players aged 21 or over. This guide explains how the licensing system works, how to check a site, how the EPIS exclusion system and the weekly deposit limit protect players, how taxes work and where to find help.
Is online gambling legal in Belgium?
Yes, as long as the operator holds a Belgian licence. The Gambling Act of 7 May 1999 was amended by a law of 10 January 2010 to cover online gambling. It allows online casino games, slots and betting only through additional online licences granted by the Kansspelcommissie.
These online licences are not issued on their own. A company can only get one if it already holds a land-based licence: an A licence for one of the Belgian casinos gives access to an A+ licence for online casino games, a B licence for a gaming hall to a B+ licence, and a betting licence to an F1+ licence. Each additional licence covers a specific .be website.
Offering gambling to people in Belgium without a licence is illegal. The Kansspelcommissie puts such sites on its blacklist and has them blocked, and the rules on advertising, bonuses and player protection apply to every licensed site.
Who regulates online casinos in Belgium?
The Kansspelcommissie (Commission des jeux de hasard in French, Gaming Commission in English) is a federal body under the FPS Justice, based in Brussels. It grants licences, supervises licence holders, manages the EPIS exclusion system and takes action against illegal gambling.
Belgium has tightened its rules several times. Since 1 July 2023 gambling advertising has been largely banned, since 1 September 2024 the minimum age for all gambling is 21 and bonuses are banned, and since 1 January 2025 gambling brands may no longer appear on the front of sports shirts.
How can you check whether an online casino is licensed in Belgium?
Checking a site takes a few minutes and protects both your money and your rights as a player.
- Go to gamingcommission.be and open the pages on licences, where the commission lists the active A+, B+ and F1+ licences.
- Find the operator and check that the exact .be website you plan to use is covered by its licence.
- Look for the "Always Play Legally" logo and the licence details on the site, and make sure they match the commission's list.
- Confirm that the site checks your identity, your age and the EPIS system when you sign up. Licensed sites must do all three.
- Treat any site that accepts Belgian players without these checks, that does not use a .be address or that names only a foreign licence as unlicensed in Belgium.
What is EPIS and how does it protect players?
EPIS (Excluded Persons Information System) is the Belgian exclusion system run by the Kansspelcommissie. Casinos, gaming halls and licensed gambling websites must check it before letting someone play. If you are registered, you are refused access to all of them.
You can request an exclusion for yourself online through itsme on the commission's website, or with a paper form. Someone close to you can also ask the commission to exclude you if your gambling is causing serious problems.
Licensed sites must also apply a default deposit limit of 200 euros per week. A higher limit is only possible through the Kansspelcommissie, which first checks with the Central Individual Credit Register of the National Bank of Belgium that you are not registered as a defaulter. An exclusion in EPIS has no effect at unlicensed sites, which is one of the main reasons the commission blocks them.
- Applies to casinos, gaming halls and licensed gambling websites
- Self-exclusion online through itsme or with a paper form
- Relatives can ask the commission for an exclusion
- Default deposit limit of 200 euros per week at licensed sites
What are the risks of unlicensed online casinos?
A site without a Belgian licence is outside the Kansspelcommissie's supervision. If it refuses a withdrawal, closes your account or changes its terms, there is no Belgian body that can step in on your behalf.
Unlicensed sites do not check EPIS, do not apply the age limit of 21, do not respect the weekly deposit limit and often offer the bonuses and credit card payments that Belgian rules forbid. For anyone who has excluded themselves, or who is trying to keep their gambling under control, that makes them a real risk.
Do you pay tax on gambling winnings in Belgium?
As a private player you normally do not pay income tax on ordinary gambling winnings in Belgium. The tax on games and bets is a regional tax paid by the operators, set by Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region.
The situation can be different if gambling becomes a professional activity or if winnings are part of a wider financial arrangement. If you are unsure, check the guidance of the FPS Finance or ask a tax adviser.
Which payment methods do licensed Belgian casinos accept?
Bancontact is the most common way to deposit, alongside bank transfer and a few other methods. Everything is in euros, and both deposits and withdrawals must use an account in your own name. Credit cards may not be used for online gambling at licensed sites.
If a site offers to take payments by credit card, in cryptocurrency or through an unfamiliar intermediary, that usually means it is not operating under a Belgian licence.
Where can you get help with gambling in Belgium?
SOS Gokken is a free helpline for gambling problems, available 24 hours a day on 0800 35 777. On gokhulp.be you find a self-test and online support, and druglijn.be also offers a self-test and advice. For money problems you can turn to your local OCMW or CAW, and budgetwijzer.be helps with budgeting.
If you want to stop gambling altogether, an exclusion in EPIS is the most effective step, because it blocks access to every licensed casino, gaming hall and gambling website at once.
Myths vs facts
- Myth: An EU licence from Malta is enough to offer casino games to Belgian players.
- Fact: Only operators with a licence from the Kansspelcommissie may offer online gambling to people in Belgium. A licence from another EU country does not count, and such sites can be blacklisted and blocked.
- Myth: In Belgium you can gamble online from the age of 18.
- Fact: Since 1 September 2024 the minimum age for all gambling in Belgium, online included, is 21.
- Myth: Belgian online casinos offer welcome bonuses and free spins like sites elsewhere.
- Fact: Bonuses, including free spins, have been banned at licensed Belgian sites since 1 September 2024. A bonus offer aimed at Belgian players is a sign that the site is not licensed.
- Myth: There is no limit on how much you can deposit at a licensed site.
- Fact: Licensed sites apply a default deposit limit of 200 euros per week. A higher limit requires a request to the Kansspelcommissie and a credit check.
Before you claim
- The operator and its .be website appear in the Kansspelcommissie's list of licences
- The site checks your identity, your age (21+) and EPIS at sign-up
- No bonuses or free spins are offered
- Payments are in euros through an account in your own name, without a credit card
- The default deposit limit of 200 euros per week applies
- You know how to request an exclusion in EPIS on gamingcommission.be
- You know where to find help: SOS Gokken on 0800 35 777 or gokhulp.be