BAGO chairman: ‘Two-thirds of gambling traffic is illegal’
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5 Feb 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes The figures do not lie. Two-thirds of online gambling traffic in Belgium ends up with unlicensed providers.
‘If we cannot retain players, we lose all sight of protection,’ says the chairman of the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO).
The warning hits hard in a market where supervision and care are becoming increasingly dependent on the effectiveness of one word: channelling.
Channelling is not a theory, but a necessity.
Belgium has chosen not to ban gambling, but to regulate it. That choice is based on one condition: players must remain within the licensed offering. Only then can EPIS blocks, age verification and deposit limits do their job. Anyone who falls outside that structure ends up in a free space – without rules, without help.
The reality is that this boundary is being crossed more and more often. Young people between the ages of 18 and 21 are gambling en masse on illegal websites. According to recent research, 65% of them gamble on platforms that offer no protection whatsoever. For players who have excluded themselves via EPIS, the problem appears to be even more acute: almost half continue to gamble on unlicensed sites.
With every additional visit to an illegal site, a part of social control disappears. These platforms do not pay taxes or contribute to social services. They offer high bonuses without limits, use crypto payments and rarely ask for age or identity. For a vulnerable player, this is not freedom, but danger.
At the same time, 23% of the Belgian gambling budget goes to sites that have nothing to do with Belgian law. This is not only an economic issue, but also a social one. Because every euro that disappears there is one that does not contribute to care, prevention or supervision.
Legal sector takes action with new approach
BAGO points to the responsibility of licensed providers. With their updated Duty of Care Charter, they want to do more than just comply with the law. They use AI to detect abnormal gambling behaviour, such as sudden bets or night-time gambling. But technology is not the end goal. Trained staff contact players who exhibit risky behaviour and actively offer help.
In addition, BAGO shares its data and insights with scientists and regulators. The tools are constantly being adapted based on what works. Not on the basis of assumptions, but on proven effects.
Policy must move with the channel
According to BAGO, everything hinges on three policy priorities. Enforcement is one of them: illegal sites must be blocked and the flow of money to them must be dried up. The Gaming Commission must be given more power to do this.
In addition, regulations must be based on facts, not fear. If laws restrict the legal sector too much, they push players into the grey area. That is what BAGO sees happening in the Netherlands, where overly strict policies actually play into the hands of illegal operators.
Finally, the sector advocates for coherent regulation. The rules must apply to all providers. Because as soon as one is allowed more than another, consumers lose confidence – and are more likely to choose the path with fewer rules, however unsafe it may be.