14% of press shops sell lottery tickets to minors
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1 Sep 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes One figure catches the eye: one press shop in seven in Belgium still sells lottery tickets to minors. This is the finding of a series of checks carried out by the National Lottery in the first half of 2025.
Undercover checks
To come to this conclusion, the National Lottery has set up a discreet but highly effective method: mystery shoppers. These young people, commissioned by the organisation, visit press shops and other points of sale anonymously to test the vigilance of shopkeepers.
In 2025, nearly 800 establishments were checked in this way. The result: 114 of them (14.23%) sold lottery products to minors. Although this proportion is falling, the authorities still consider it a cause for concern.
Weighing up the penalties
Offences do not go unpunished. In the first half of 2025, 21,800 euros in fines were already imposed on offenders. Each fine varies between €60 and €1,000, depending on the seriousness of the offence and whether it is a repeat offender.
It’s worth noting that repeat offences remain marginal. Since 2013, only six sales outlets have committed a third offence. Most retailers seem to have learned their lesson after a first offence.
Constant monitoring
The National Lottery organises around 1,600 monitoring visits a year, divided into four campaigns. These systematic checks make it possible to maintain a certain amount of pressure on sellers, and to monitor the development of the phenomenon statistically.
The authorities admit that the trend is rather encouraging. The percentage of traders at fault has been gradually falling in recent years. But zero risk remains an illusion.
The battle is far from over
While the number of offences is falling, the phenomenon remains persistent. More than a hundred businesses have been caught out in six months: it’s a disturbing reality. The National Lottery, the authorities and prevention associations know that it will still be some time before these practices disappear completely.