Belgium Raises Minimum Gambling Age to 21

Belgium has made some significant changes to its gambling regulations, bumping up the minimum age for all types of gambling activities to 21. This fresh mandate, which is aimed at shielding young adults from the potential pitfalls of gambling addiction, is part of a broader initiative by the country to unify age restrictions across various forms of gambling. However, there are worries that these more stringent rules might inadvertently drive individuals towards illegal gambling avenues.

New Rules for All Gambling Types

This new rule came into play in August 2024, namely everyone in Belgium must be at least 21 years old if they want to engage in any form of gambling activity. This includes crypto sports betting, arcades, and bingo games. These new guidelines bring them into alignment with land-based casinos which have had this age restriction since 2018. The official change was enacted through a royal decree in February 2024. It’s essentially part of Belgium’s broader strategy to cultivate a safer environment for gamblers (particularly younger ones).

In recent times, Belgium has rolled out other measures aimed at curbing excessive gambling behaviors—like banning bonuses and free bets (limiting weekly deposits to €200), and cutting down on advertising. The newly introduced age limit is just another piece in their ongoing effort to tighten control over the industry.

Why Raise the Age Limit?

The push to raise the minimum gambling age came after considerable pressure from organizations like VAD,a group dedicated to public health concerns. They argue that individuals under 21 are particularly vulnerable when it comes to developing problematic gambling habits; hence raising the age limit could potentially curb addiction rates among young adults.

While this move garners support from public health advocates, licensed operators within the industry express apprehension about it driving younger gamblers towards unregulated and illegal platforms where safeguards are practically non-existent.

Growing Illegal Gambling Market

There’s a real fear that these updated rules might fuel an uptick in illegal gambling activities. For instance, a report from Belgian operator Gaming1 indicated that following Belgium’s ban on advertising back in 2023, illegal online gambling spiked by around 6%. Additionally, another study by Yield Sec uncovered over 2,200 unauthorized sites operating within Belgium during that same year, which marked an increase of roughly 4x compared with previous figures.

Although the Belgian Gaming Commission has blacklisted approximately 500 illicit sites, the issue continues to escalate. Experts suggest finding a middle ground between consumer protection and maintaining stability within legal markets could be crucial here.

Belgium’s new policies aim at safeguarding players against addiction but might also steer people toward riskier alternatives like illegal platforms instead. As authorities continue tweaking their laws, it’s important to see if these changes really help reduce problem gambling without leading people into risky situations.