Increase in maximum gambling limits by 230,000 Belgians
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14 Feb 2024 •
Reading time: 3 minutes In October 2022, Belgium took drastic measures to combat gambling addiction by lowering the legal betting limit from €500 to €200 per week. This initiative aimed to strengthen player protection by limiting the financial risks associated with gambling. Recent data reveals that almost 230,000 Belgian gamblers have increased their gambling limits over the last 16 months.
Prevention of debt and addiction
The decision to lower the maximum betting limit was based on the Belgian government’s commendable intention to prevent debt and addiction among players. Before this measure was implemented, bettors could wager up to €500 per week on legal online gambling platforms. The goal was to simplify the control and application of the rules, to better protect players from the risks associated with gambling.
Despite these intentions, statistics published by the Gaming Commission (KSC) show that many players have sought to bypass these restrictions. Between October 2022 and January 2024, 228,918 players officially requested and received an increase in their betting limit.
The process of increasing betting limits, although regulated, is very simple. A player wishing to raise their limit can do so directly via the gaming platforms, which then forward the request to the CJH. The latter checks if the player is known as a defaulter with the National Bank of Belgium. If not, the increase is generally granted within three days, without a fixed ceiling. According to Marjolein De Paepe from the KSC, only 0.4% of requests are denied because the players are listed as defaulters.
Should the regulation be reviewed?
The current situation has revived the debate on the need for stricter and more comprehensive regulations. Researchers such as Bram Constandt from Ghent University express concern about the scale of the phenomenon. They are calling for stricter controls on the practices of gambling companies, which are accused of encouraging players to lift their betting limits.
A new Belgian gambling law is in preparation, with measures such as raising the minimum age for all gambling to 21 years, banning bonuses for both new and existing players, and extending the ban on gambling advertising. While these measures have been welcomed by some, they have also attracted criticism, particularly over their impact on player protection and consistency with regulatory objectives such as the absence of the National Lottery.
Is a universal limit the solution?
According to the Flemish centre of expertise on alcohol and other drugs(VAD), these figures prove that the limit of 200 euros per week per gaming site has not achieved its objective. Because even without lifting the gaming limit, players can easily spend thousands of euros per month on gambling simply by being active with several operators. This is why the VAD is campaigning for a global gaming limit as had already been proposed in the past.
This is countered by iGaming Experts who claim that players will resort to illegal offerings if their needs are not met, which in turn will lead to potential catastrophes in terms of player protection.
Anyway, the last seems not to have been written on this yet!