Illegal online gambling: access persists despite everything
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7 Jan 2026 •
Reading time: 2 minutes In Belgium, the Gaming Commission (GC) maintains a blacklist of illegal online gambling sites and relies on Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to them. But despite regulatory efforts, an investigation by Gambling Club reveals that many sites on this list remain accessible depending on the ISP used.
The legal framework and the blocking mechanism
Under the Gambling Act of 7 May 1999, any site offering online gambling in Belgium must hold a licence issued by the GC.
The GC maintains an official blacklist of illegal sites, which was also legally anchored in May 2024. The aim of this development is to provide a solid legal basis for blocking identified sites. When a site is placed on this list, Belgian ISPs are informed and are expected to block access for Belgian users via their IP addresses. A blocking page is often used for this purpose.
Findings: sites banned but still accessible
Despite this measure, it appears that some blacklisted sites are still accessible depending on the ISP. An investigation by Gambling Club using an internet connection provided by Telenet revealed that many illegal sites are still accessible without a VPN, even though some of them have been blacklisted for over a month. Some of the sites tested were even added to the blacklist more than two years ago!
According to an article in DataNews, this problem already existed in 2014. At the time, Etienne Marique, the chairman of the Gaming Commission, gave the following explanation:
“Large ISPs block access to sites, but there is always the possibility that smaller providers will not do the same. […] Proceedings are currently under way against a number of providers.”
The Commission had also cited budget restrictions, but the GC’s new team and its move under the responsibility of the FPS Economy at the end of 2025 could enable them to combat these problems more effectively. It has already set up a partnership with DNS Belgium to block illegal gambling sites using the .be domain name more effectively.
Consequences for players and the State
Playing on an illegal site entails risks for players:
- inability to obtain winnings or reimbursement in the event of a dispute ;
- lack of protection for personal data;
- no effective legal remedy.
- greater potential for addiction or scams, due to lack of supervision.
The State loses tax revenue because illegal sites do not pay the taxes due, while at the same time committing significant resources to surveillance, updating the blacklist and dialogue with ISPs.
Belgium now has a stronger regulatory arsenal to combat illegal online gambling: a legally established blacklist, regular updates and cooperation with ISPs. But the reality shows that far from being enough, these measures leave many doors open.