‘Without swift action, we will lose control,’ warned BAGO back in 2025.
Belgium is in a constant battle with illegal gambling sites. But steps have been taken to tackle this.
The government is now taking action with so-called dynamic injunctions: court orders that not only block specific websites, but also all variants that pop up afterwards. In 2025, this led to 753 blocked URLs. A record year, but also a wake-up call.
A silent storm on the Belgian internet
A total of eleven such orders were issued last year by the commercial court in Brussels. Six of these were immediately challenged by third parties: objections from companies that were affected but were not parties to the case. Despite these proceedings, the government stayed on course.
Almost 60% of the cases dealt with involved illegal online gambling. The rest concerned copyright. According to figures from the competent authority, more than 265,000 attempts by internet users to access blocked content failed. Those visitors ended up on a landing page explaining the blocks.
The gambling industry pulls the emergency brake
At the same time as the government took action, the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) had already sounded the alarm. According to them, the legal sector is under pressure, while illegal platforms continue to grow unhindered. Research conducted last year shows that 60% of Belgian online gambling traffic goes through unlicensed sites.
In addition, 20% of Belgian gamblers play on these types of illegal platforms. One example is the gambling company Stake, which launches new misleading URLs every day in an attempt to circumvent the measures.
Among vulnerable players, the figure is even higher: 43% of them indicated that they had gambled illegally in 2025. There are no age checks or limits. Only tempting bonuses and a mouse click away from risk.
Legislation lags behind reality
Legal providers must comply with increasingly strict rules. Less advertising, stricter limits, and hardly any opportunities to remain visible to players. BAGO warns that hiding legal channels actually pushes people towards the black market.
According to Vice-Chairman Emmanuel Mewissen, the policy lacks balance.
‘One in five Belgians now gambles outside the regulated market. Tomorrow, it may be two.’
BAGO has been calling for a stronger Gaming Commission, more cooperation with the government and faster blocking of fraudulent websites for some time.
The implementation of dynamic injunctions is a positive step. However, it is merely a drop in the ocean.