Belgian Gambling History

Gambling in the country dates back to the 1300s with card games and in the 1400s with lotteries. The proofs are documents discovered by historians. The popularity of games of chance grew, and with the emergence of brick-and-mortar casinos, Belgians became even more excited with the idea of gambling. Eventually, online casinos appeared, and the country became fully regulated with the first Gaming and Betting Act of 1999. While the act only regulated land-based casinos, in 2011, the same updated act appeared, regulating online casinos, too. Gambling sites received licenses and became fully legit.

The Legality of Online Gambling in Belgium

Online gambling is 100% legal in Belgium. The Belgian Gaming Act, introduced in 2011, regulates this industry in the country. According to this document, if an operator wants to provide gambling activity, they must hold an official license issued by the Belgium Gaming Commission. Such a license can only be granted if the operator already holds a license for a land-based casino, as well.

The Belgium law distinguishes nine types of licenses, and the Gaming Commission keeps a limit on the number of licenses issued in the region. To be able to offer gambling services, an operator must obtain a Class A license, which is valid for 15 years after duration.

Particular Features of Online Gambling in Belgium

There are some limitations you should keep in mind when playing online casino games in Belgium:

• There is a limited bonus, so casino sites may only offer newcomers a bonus of up to €275.
• Players cannot deposit more than €500 per week. This applies to all gamblers until they can prove they are not defaulters and are not registered with the National Bank. Casino sites may raise this limit after the verification process.
• Belgian online casinos are restricted from advertising any type of bonuses, free spins, or cashback on TV.

Common Banking Methods at Belgian Casinos

All Belgian casino sites accept Euro as their currency. The important point is that credit cards are not allowed for depositing at online casinos. However, there are multiple other deposit options available for players in Belgium, including the following: PayPal, Bitcoin, Neosurf, Skrill, Neteller, Klarna, Bancontact, Giropay, Belfius, Sofort, and Mobiamo. Deposits are usually processed instantly or take several hours at most.