The Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) is concerned about the result of the IPSOS investigation
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3 Nov 2023 •
Reading time: 2 minutes At the end of September, the Gaming Commission published the results of an IPSOS survey carried out among 1,000 young people aged 18 to 30. The results of this investigation prompted the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) to call on the government to take stricter measures to combat the scourge of illegal operators while preserving the integrity of legal operators.
Alarming results
The investigation found that gambling, whether legal or illegal, has become incredibly popular among young adults. More than half of young people surveyed admitted to having recently gambled, and even more worrying, only a third of respondents were able to distinguish a legal gambling site from an illegal one. Among the ten most popular gambling brands, there are even four illegal operators.
BAGO’s reaction to these results is categorical: it is time to implement a more effective channeling policy, which would direct players to legal and secure platforms, rather than leaving them in the hands of illegal operators who do nothing to prevent problematic behavior. The risk of seeing the illegal gambling market take over the legal market, as is currently the case in Italy, is indeed real.
Combating illegal offer is essential
In a statement, BAGO said that “fighting illegal offering is just as essential as imposing strict rules on legal offering.” Indeed, illegal gambling sites escape any regulatory control, do not guarantee payouts, do not set gaming limits or verify the age of players, thus exposing younger players to unnecessary risks.
When it comes to protecting players, the government has gradually tightened the regulation of legal gambling. BAGO has often supported these initiatives, but today believes that these measures go “too far”. Emmanuel Mewissen, vice-president of BAGO, says: “By imposing radical rules and hiding the legal offer, the government is pushing players to turn exclusively to the illegal offer.”
Legal operators comply with strict regulations to protect players. However, excessive regulation appears to be crowding out legal operators in favor of illegal ones, creating risk for players.
For younger gamers, in particular, the line between legal and illegal sites can be blurred, exposing them to potential risks. Stricter regulations and effective awareness campaigns are needed to educate players and protect those who are most vulnerable.