EPIS in press shops: more details on the new rules

From 1 May 2026, anyone wishing to place a bet in a Belgian press shop will be required to undergo an identity check connected to the EPIS system. The Gaming Commission has published more details on these new measures.

A reform born out of a worrying observation

For a long time, the press shop network was one of the last blind spots in gambling control in Belgium. While casinos, gaming rooms and online platforms already applied strict checks, some excluded players continued to gamble in press shops without any real obstacles. Led by Justice Minister Paul Van Tigchelt, the modernisation of the EPIS system — the national database of people banned from gambling — aims to prevent any circumvention of exclusions. The House of Representatives has approved the text in order to better protect players who engage in gambling, according to parliamentary proceedings reported by the Belga news agency. 

The EPIS system, supervised by the Gaming Commission, is now the cornerstone of player control in Belgium.

Until now, its application mainly concerned casinos, slot machine arcades and licensed online operators. Since December 2023, betting agencies have also been required to systematically verify the identity of their customers to ensure that they are of legal age and authorised to gamble. The extension to press shops is therefore the latest logical step in a gradually widespread system.

What will change in practice for players

Unlike casinos or gaming halls, where checks can be carried out at the entrance, identification in press shops now takes place directly on the betting machine itself. Each terminal must be equipped with a computer identification module installed on the machine. Players must personally insert their electronic identity document into the machine.

The system automatically checks three essential elements: the player’s identity, their legal age and their status in the EPIS database.

The press shop owner is not involved in the procedure. The law explicitly prohibits any manual verification. An employee cannot enter a name or date of birth on behalf of the system, even at the customer’s request.

Authorised documents

Belgian regulations leave no room for interpretation regarding accepted means of identification. Only certain electronic documents may be used: Belgian identity cards, electronic residence permits, electronic registration certificates, certain foreign identity cards equipped with a chip, and special cards issued to diplomatic personnel. All must allow for automated reading of the player’s data.

One important detail is already raising questions: passports are not accepted. Similarly, loyalty cards, player cards and membership cards are excluded. Even mobile identity applications are not currently recognised by law.

The reform does not distinguish between nationalities. Foreign players must also present one of the electronic documents recognised by Belgian law. Failure to do so will result in access to betting being denied.

Once validated, players can continue their session as long as their identity document remains inserted in the device. As soon as the card is removed, the session ends automatically. This mechanism is designed to prevent authorised players from lending their session to another person, a practice that was previously difficult to control in open environments such as press shops.

Impossible to view a bet without identification

The reform does not only concern the moment of payment. Checks must be carried out before any interaction with the gaming offer. In concrete terms, an unidentified player will not be able to:

• view available bets,
• place a combination bet,
• modify an existing bet,
• participate in a game,
• or even request a withdrawal related to a current bet.

However, there is one exception. Cashing in a winning ticket that has already been issued does not require EPIS identification.

The rare cases where an exception will be possible

However, the law provides for one exceptional situation: a technical failure of the EPIS system beyond the operator’s control. In this specific case only, the bookmaker may activate the terminal using an operator card, after visually checking the player’s identity and age.

However, this procedure remains strictly regulated. It may never be used because a player has forgotten their identity card, because the reader is malfunctioning or because access is denied by EPIS. A prior system check, known as an EPIS health check, must confirm that the service is genuinely unavailable.

The authorities even recommend keeping proof of each exceptional use in order to be able to respond to any subsequent checks.

A major technical transformation for press shops

For operators holding an F2 licence, the reform is not merely an administrative formality. Each identification module must be certified by an accredited body recognised by the FPS Economy. The licence holder must provide proof of this certification to the Gaming Commission before commencing operations.

The system will automatically transmit a unique identifier assigned to each press shop, as well as the serial number of the terminal used, which is visible on the outside of the machine. This comprehensive traceability allows the authorities to accurately monitor each point of access to the game.

In order to allow for a gradual transition, technical access to EPIS services was made available to operators in March 2026, giving press shops a few weeks to install and test their equipment before the official date.

A direct response to the risks of addiction

The extension of EPIS is part of a broader strategy to combat problematic gambling behaviour. For several years, the Belgian authorities have observed a steady increase in the number of people registered on the national exclusion list. This phenomenon reflects both improved access to self-exclusion procedures and growing awareness of the risks associated with gambling. By making identification mandatory across the board, Belgium is seeking to reduce minors’ access to betting and prevent excluded players from circumventing the bans via physical points of sale.

The reform does not only concern the control of access to gambling. It also introduces greater compliance with European data protection regulations. The law now specifies who is responsible for processing information, the exact nature of the data collected, its purposes and how long it will be stored. Data relating to an exclusion will be kept for five years after the end of the exclusion period.

The modernisation of EPIS thus has a dual objective: to strengthen player protection while securing their data.

Towards a new betting model in Belgium

With the integration of bookmakers, racecourses and mobile establishments, Belgium is taking another step towards comprehensive regulation of land-based gambling. What was once a fast-paced and largely informal practice is now becoming a strictly regulated activity, comparable to the standards already applied in casinos.

May 1, 2026 could therefore mark much more than a technical evolution. For players, bookmakers and regulators, it could be the beginning of a new relationship between freedom to gamble and the duty to protect.