Is Bet365 legal in Belgium?

No. Bet365 is not legal in Belgium. Although the site is one of the largest sports betting and online gaming operators in the world, it does not hold a licence issued by the GC. Any activity by Bet365 on the Belgian market is considered illegal and exposes players to penalties.

Bet365 is a British company founded in 2000 by Denise Coates in Stoke-on-Trent. Thanks to a £15 million loan secured by the family’s network of betting shops, she launched the online platform in March 2001.

The loan was repaid after the shops were sold to Coral in 2005. Today, the company operates under the name Hillside (New Media) Ltd and remains majority-owned by the Coates family, with Denise still serving as co-CEO alongside her brother John.

Bet365 has its headquarters in Stoke-on-Trent and offices in Manchester, Malta, Gibraltar and the United States. The operator is present in more than 150 countries and holds licences from regulatory authorities such as the UK Gambling Commission and the Malta Gaming Authority. However, Belgium is not on this list.

Bet365 is illegal in Belgium

In Belgium, all online gambling operators must obtain an official licence issued by the Gaming Commission. This licence guarantees that the site complies with local rules on player protection, taxation and anti-money laundering.

Bet365 does not have any authorisation in Belgium. Therefore, offering its services to Belgian players constitutes a violation of national legislation. Bet365 complies with the legislation in force in Belgium and access to their site is blocked for Belgian players. 

Playing on Bet365 with a VPN: a false good idea

Faced with the blocking of Bet365 by Belgian internet service providers, some users circumvent the restrictions via a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to hide their location and access the platform.

Using a VPN to play on Bet365 from Belgium is not only against the law, it is also risky from a technical and financial point of view.

• Legal risks: Under Belgian law, people who voluntarily play on unauthorised sites can be fined up to €25,000. Using a VPN to access a prohibited site can be considered an aggravating circumstance, increasing the amount of the fines.
• Loss of winnings: If Bet365 discovers that the player is located in an unauthorised country, their winnings may be cancelled and their account blocked.
• Data security: Free or unreliable VPNs can expose personal and banking data to malicious third parties.

The GC also points out that circumventing blocks via a VPN does not remove the illegality of the act. On the contrary, it demonstrates a deliberate intention to violate the law, which reduces any possibility of leniency in the event of punishment.

Our advice: Choose legal sites

To avoid any risk, the best option is to only play on sites approved by the Gaming Commission. These platforms, often partners of Belgian land-based casinos, offer guarantees in terms of security, payment and responsible gaming.

Bet365, despite its global reputation, remains illegal in Belgium. Betting on an authorised site means protecting your money… and your peace of mind. You should also be aware that Bet365’s most popular games are available in several legal casinos in Belgium, so you won’t be missing out on anything by playing on legal sites.