Betting in press shops: the new rules from September 2026 

Since 14 September 2026, Belgian press shops offering sports or horse racing bets must comply with a new regulatory framework. The Royal Decree of 30 August 2026, published in the Moniteur belge on 14 September and which came into force on the same day, sets out the conditions for obtaining and renewing the F2 licence, whilst tightening the criteria for distinguishing a genuine press shop from an establishment primarily dedicated to betting. 

Betting must remain a secondary activity 

In a press shop, the taking of bets must not become the dominant activity. 

The Royal Decree thus seeks to define the scope of this ancillary activity more precisely. To retain or obtain an F2 licence issued by the Gaming Commission, an establishment must now comply with several limits relating to the volume of bets, the equipment available, advertising and the actual space occupied by the press shop’s activities. 

The new rules seek to establish measurable criteria so that the Commission can more easily monitor the true nature of the commercial activity. 

Several financial limits 

One of the most concrete measures is a limit of 200 euros on bets per day per player. This cap must be adhered to in every press shop concerned. To enable this to be monitored, bets must be recorded using a suitable computerised system. 

However, the regulations do not stop at the behaviour of individual players. It also imposes a limit on the business as a whole: the total stakes placed in a bookmaker’s shop may not exceed 250,000 euros per year. 

Added to this is a third, particularly important threshold: turnover derived from bets placed may not account for more than 20 per cent of the establishment’s total turnover. 

For licence renewal applications, the Gaming Commission also requires accounting documents to verify compliance with the 20 per cent limit. A sworn statement drawn up by an external chartered accountant or a statutory auditor registered in Belgium can significantly speed up the processing of the application. 

A maximum of four terminals and restricted opening hours 

The new framework also regulates how bets may be offered to customers. 

A press shop holding an F2 licence may have a maximum of four betting terminals or computer applications for placing bets. 

There are also restrictions on opening hours. Bets may only be placed between 6.00 am and 8.00 pm, even if the premises remain open outside these hours. 

Promotional screens are prohibited 

Television screens and other audiovisual media promoting betting or the events on which such bets are placed are prohibited. 

Advertising itself is strictly limited. Whether displayed facing the street or inside the shop premises, the area devoted to promoting betting may not exceed one-fifth of the space in question and may not cover more than 3 square metres in total. 

A genuine press shop must stock at least 200 titles 

The legislation does not merely regulate betting. It also sets out requirements to demonstrate that a business is genuinely operating as a press shop. 

In particular, an applicant for an F2 licence must submit a certificate issued by one or more press distributors. This document must demonstrate that the establishment stocks at least 200 different titles of newspapers, weeklies and monthlies with a current publication date, including, in particular, the two most recent issues. 

The Commission is no longer satisfied with the business name or the mere presence of a few newspapers at the point of sale. The diversity of the press offering is now a documented requirement in the procedure for obtaining or renewing the licence. 

The shop’s floor area is also taken into account in the valuation. The bookseller must declare on their honour that the space set aside for newspapers, weeklies, monthlies, books, stationery, cards, National Lottery products and sports betting, combined with the areas reserved for tobacco and related products, e-cigarettes and nicotine-based products, represents at least 40 per cent of the total net retail floor space. 

The EPIS check has become essential 

Another major requirement is the EPIS check. 

Press shops offering betting services must verify the relevant individuals using this Belgian gambling exclusion system from 1 May 2026. 

This check aims, in particular, to determine whether a person is subject to an exclusion order prohibiting them from participating in the relevant games of chance or betting activities. 

How do you renew an F2 licence? 

For establishments already holding an F2 licence that are awaiting renewal or whose licence is due to expire shortly, the procedure requires payment of the fee and the submission of several supporting documents to the Gaming Commission. 

The application must include, in particular, the renewal notice or the completed application form, federal and regional tax certificates proving that all certain and uncontested tax liabilities have been settled, as well as proof of registration with the Cross-Reference Register of Enterprises. 

The bookseller must also submit a copy of their contract with the holder of an F1 licence. The term of this contract may not exceed the period during which the bookseller themselves holds an F2 licence, and may not exceed three years. 

The mayor’s opinion must also be included in the application file. The form provided for this purpose must be completed. If no response is received within two months of the application being sent or the acknowledgement of receipt being issued, the bookseller may provide evidence of the date on which this opinion was requested. 

In addition, there must be supporting documents to verify the proportion of turnover derived from betting, the press distributor’s certificate regarding the 200 titles, and the sworn statement concerning the 40 per cent threshold of the retail space. 

What happens in the case of a new application? 

Retailers who do not yet hold an F2 licence may also submit an application. 

The requirements are very similar to those for a licence renewal. However, there is one significant difference regarding turnover from betting. A new press shop obviously does not yet have the necessary track record to demonstrate immediately that this activity remains below the 20 per cent threshold. 

For new licences granted from 14 September 2026 onwards, licence holders will therefore be required to report the proportion of their annual turnover derived from betting turnover within three months of the end of the first twelve-month period following the granting of the licence. 

The Commission may resume processing pending applications 

The Gambling Commission may now resume processing new applications and renewals for F2 licences. A backlog had built up following the Council of State’s annulment of the previous regulatory framework. 

In order to gradually clear this backlog of applications, an order of priority has been announced. 

Renewal applications that have already expired will be examined first. Next will be licences due to expire in October, November and December 2026. The Commission will then process new applications submitted before the entry into force of the Royal Decree of 30 August 2026, followed by other new applications. 

Booksellers who have already submitted an application before 14 September 2026 do not necessarily need to repeat the entire procedure, but certain documents will need to be updated.