BAGO wants better channelling
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20 Apr 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes
In Belgium, the growth of illegal online gambling is causing concern among stakeholders in the regulated sector. The Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) explains that it is becoming urgent to steer players towards a legal, visible and identifiable offering.
A worrying reality
For BAGO, the figures speak for themselves and leave no room for ambiguity. Today, nearly two-thirds of online gambling traffic in Belgium is directed towards illegal sites. In January 2025, 23% of the sector’s expenditure was captured by unlicensed operators. Furthermore, nearly half of the players registered in the EPIS self-exclusion system continue to gamble via illegal channels. Illegal gambling is no longer merely a fringe activity, but has established itself as the dominant alternative for a significant proportion of players.
At the heart of BAGO’s analysis lies a key idea: the visibility of legal offerings is essential for channelling players. In a saturated digital environment, the ability to clearly identify licensed operators becomes essential. However, according to the association, this clarity is tending to erode.
“Visibility is not just a matter of communication,” stresses BAGO. “Above all, it enables consumers to distinguish between authorised offers, which are subject to strict regulation, and those that are not.”
When this distinction becomes blurred, players are more likely to turn to illegal platforms, sometimes without even realising it.
Channelling, a pillar championed by the association
BAGO stresses that channelling forms the cornerstone of Belgian regulation. The aim is not to ban gambling, but to regulate it by directing players towards licensed operators.
This approach is, moreover, recognised at the highest legal level. In its ruling of 11 December 2025, the Constitutional Court confirmed that Belgian policy explicitly aims to channel players towards the legal market in order to combat the illegal market. The Court also emphasises that authorised operators must have a sufficient level of public recognition to fulfil this role.
The legal market: the only effective protective framework
For BAGO, one of the most compelling arguments centres on player protection. Only licensed providers can implement concrete and verifiable measures such as age verification, the EPIS self-exclusion scheme, deposit limits and the monitoring of risky behaviour. BAGO also emphasises that licensed operators often go further, developing additional mechanisms such as the early detection of signs of addiction and proactive support for players.
The association also highlights the disproportionate impact of illegal gambling on vulnerable groups. Among young men aged 18 to 21, the use of illegal sites reaches 65%. This proportion illustrates the ability of these platforms to attract particularly vulnerable audiences.
Within the legal framework, these players could benefit from specific protective measures. Outside this framework, they find themselves exposed to unregulated practices.
Regulation undermined by a lack of visibility
For BAGO, the effectiveness of regulation is not measured solely by the existence of rules, but by their practical application.
As long as players remain within the legal framework, the control and protection mechanisms work. But as soon as this framework becomes less visible, the whole system loses its effectiveness. Excessive restrictions on the visibility of the legal framework could accelerate the shift towards illegal activities.
“An effective policy does not protect players by marginalising the legal market, but by channelling activity into a strictly regulated framework.”