With the long-awaited World Cup tournament in Qatar only days away, football fans all over the world are anxiously anticipating the almost month-long spectacle. Naturally, an event of such magnitude is expected to spur interest among avid sports betting enthusiasts as well.
In light of ensuring secure and responsible gambling regulations, Belgium’s Gambling Commission advocates compliance among all operators in the form of a letter. The goal, of course, is to celebrate the World Cup and keep gambling fun and regulated at all times.
Betting operators to adhere to the Belgian Gaming Act
The letter, which was sent to F2 licence holders, dictates that all retail betting operators adhere to relevant sections in Act 5 and Act 6 of the Belgian Gaming Act, stipulating the following:
- Act 5 advocates that a sign must be located no more than a metre away from any betting terminal. The sign should state that it is forbidden for underage individuals to gamble, as well as remind players that loans or other forms of financial advancement are not accepted.
- Act 6 specifies that all operators are required to display at least two folders presenting potential problem gambling on a stand in the vicinity of the sign. The folders should be easily accessible to players at all times.
Operators are also reminded to remain fully compliant with all licensing obligations to allow players optimal gambling experiences throughout the entirety of the World Cup tournament across all betting shops.
Belgium lowers limit loss to €200
As an additional precaution, Belgium introduced a novelty to its responsible gambling regulations. Starting from October, players in Belgium are limited to a €200 weekly loss limit. Prior to this change, depositors were allowed a loss limit of €500. The limit will apply on a per-site basis, not as a global limit.
Operators are openly reminded that all compliance-related matters laid out in the letter will be investigated and properly verified during regular inspections. With that being said, Belgium shows once again its dedication to ensuring fun, regulated and, most importantly – safe online gambling.
