Belgium is preparing for a major transformation in the gambling sector with the amendment of the law on the EPIS (Excluded Persons Information System). The aim of this reform is to strengthen player protection and ensure greater compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The planned changes will have a significant impact on gaming operators, the establishments concerned and the players themselves.
Extension of EPIS control to press shops
Traditionally, EPIS was primarily used to restrict access to casinos and arcades for registered individuals. However, with the new legislative amendment, this check will now be extended to press shops offering gambling services. This measure will come into force on the first day of the twenty-fourth month following publication of the law in the Moniteur belge, i.e. on 1 May 2026.
Enhanced compliance with the GDPR
The EPIS reform also focuses on the protection of players’ personal data. Significant adjustments will be made to bring the EPIS system into line with the requirements of the GDPR. These changes include abolishing the access register and clarifying the purposes of data processing. In addition, the identification documents accepted for players will be revised to ensure better protection of privacy.
These changes will come into force on the first day of the twelfth month following publication of the law for holders of A, A+, B, B+, F1+ and F2 licences in fixed class IV establishments, and on the first day of the twenty-fourth month for holders of F2 licences in mobile class IV establishments and press shops.
New versions of EPIS services: 2025.1 REST and SOAP
To facilitate the integration of these changes, the Commission des Jeux de Hasard announces the deployment of two new versions of the EPIS services: 2025.1 REST and SOAP. These technical updates aim to improve the interoperability and security of data exchanges between gaming operators and the centralised EPIS system.
Impact on gaming operators and players
Gaming operators will have to adapt their systems to comply with the new legal and technical requirements. This includes updating player verification protocols and ensuring that all transactions comply with enhanced data protection standards.
For players, these changes mean greater protection against the risks associated with gambling.
The amendment to the EPIS law represents a major turning point in Belgium’s approach to gambling and player protection. With the extension of the EPIS system to press shops, the updating of personal data protection protocols and the introduction of new technical versions for EPIS services, the reform aims to ensure that players are better protected while complying with the confidentiality rules imposed by the GDPR.
What are the prospects for the future?
In the medium term, further adjustments may be needed to adapt the EPIS system to developments in the gambling sector, but also to growing concerns about personal data protection and online security. Industry players will need to continue to monitor these developments closely to ensure that players benefit from both safe gaming conditions and a satisfactory user experience.
What is the EPIS system?
The EPIS system is a centralised database in Belgium used to identify and prohibit access to games of chance for people at high risk of addiction or who are voluntarily excluded. Set up by the Commission des Jeux de Hasard, this system aims to protect vulnerable gamblers and prevent excessive gambling behaviour. It therefore makes it possible to restrict access by registrants to gaming establishments such as casinos, gaming halls and certain types of betting.
An important feature of the EPIS system is that people in specific professions are automatically placed on the excluded list. In addition to these automatic registrations, registration in the EPIS system can also be voluntary, when individuals choose to exclude themselves from gambling for personal reasons, or imposed, when a competent authority deems that a person presents a risk of gambling addiction. Once registered, the person is automatically excluded from all establishments approved by the Gambling Commission.
The EPIS system is based on a technical platform that enables gaming operators to check, in real time, whether a person is on the excluded list before allowing them to access their services. In this way, the EPIS system plays a key role in preventing the risks associated with gambling in Belgium, by ensuring that vulnerable people or those in high-risk professions are not exposed to gambling environments likely to aggravate their situation.