BGC licence: what it means, how to check it, licensed casinos
Belgium's gambling regulator since 1999; licenses online casinos, betting and gaming arcades tied to land-based licences and runs the EPIS exclusion system.
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Founded
1999
About the Kansspelcommissie / Commission des jeux de hasard (Belgian Gaming Commission)
The Belgian Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie in Dutch, Commission des jeux de hasard in French) was set up by the Gaming Act of 7 May 1999. It grants and revokes licences, inspects operators, imposes sanctions and advises the government and parliament. Its stated aim is to steer players toward legal gambling with player protection as the priority.
Online gambling has been licensed since 1 January 2011. An online operator needs an A+ (casino), B+ (arcade) or F1+ (betting) licence, and each is only available to a holder of the matching land-based licence. The number of online licences is capped, and casino licences run for 15 years while arcade and betting licences run for 9.
For players, the minimum age is 21 for all gambling, online deposits are capped at EUR 200 per week per site, bonuses are banned and most advertising is prohibited. Operators must check the EPIS exclusion database before letting anyone play. The Commission does not resolve individual disputes over winnings.
To check an operator, look it up in the list of active licences for each licence type on the Commission's website. Licensed operators may show the official Always Play Legally logo, and sites on the Commission's blacklist are blocked by Belgian internet providers.
Recent changes
27 February 2023: Royal Decree banning most gambling advertising. 1 June 2024: cease-and-desist orders against illegal operators can be sought from the Brussels Enterprise Court. 1 September 2024: minimum age raised to 21 for all gambling. Also in 2024, each online licence category must run on a separate website. 1 May 2025: land-based operators must verify identity and check EPIS. 2025: the federal coalition agreement proposed updating the Gaming Act, making the Minister of Economic Affairs the government's sole representative on the Commission and giving local authorities more say in licensing.
BGC licence facts
| Country | Belgium |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Law | Gaming Act of 7 May 1999 on games of chance, betting, gaming establishments and player protection (amended 2010, 2019 and 2024) |
| Licenses | online casino, online sports betting, online slot arcades, land-based casinos, gaming arcades, betting shops, gaming machines in cafés |
| Licence types | A / A+ (casino, land-based and online, 15 years), B / B+ (gaming arcade, land-based and online, 9 years), C (cafés), D (staff), E (manufacturers, installers, repairers and online platform providers), F1 / F1+ (betting operators, land-based and online, 9 years), F2 (betting outlets) |
| Market | Licenses operators serving players in Belgium only; an online A+, B+ or F1+ licence is only available to holders of the matching land-based licence. |
| Self-exclusion | EPIS: the Gaming Commission's database of excluded and self-excluded people, which online operators must consult before allowing play and land-based operators must check since 1 May 2025. |
| Player protection | Minimum age of 21 for all games of chance since 1 September 2024. Online deposit limit of EUR 200 per week per website. Bonuses and free bets banned. Exclusion check against EPIS before play. Most gambling advertising banned since the Royal Decree of 27 February 2023. Blacklist of unlicensed websites blocked by internet providers. |
| Complaints | The Gaming Commission does not settle individual disputes between players and operators, such as unpaid winnings; it handles licensing, inspections and sanctions and can be contacted through its website. |
| Licence register | www.gamingcommission.be/en/operators/licences |
| Website | www.gamingcommission.be/en |
BGC licence FAQ
How do I check if a casino holds a Belgian licence?
Open the licences section of the Gaming Commission website and look in the list of active licences, where online casinos hold an A+ licence. Licensed operators may also display the Always Play Legally logo.
What is the minimum gambling age in Belgium?
21 for all games of chance, including sports betting, since 1 September 2024. The age limit for casinos was already 21 before that.
Is there a deposit limit for online gambling in Belgium?
Yes. Players may deposit at most EUR 200 per week on each licensed website.
What is EPIS?
EPIS is the Gaming Commission's database of people excluded from gambling, either at their own request or at the request of others. Licensed operators must check it before allowing someone to play.
How do I exclude myself from gambling in Belgium?
Fill in the ban application form published by the Gaming Commission and send it in. A voluntary exclusion can later be lifted by letter.
Can the Gaming Commission help if a site does not pay my winnings?
No. The Commission says it cannot intervene in individual disputes between players and operators, such as unpaid winnings or disputed bet results.
Why do online casinos in Belgium also need a land-based licence?
Under the Gaming Act, the online A+, B+ and F1+ licences are supplements to land-based licences, so only holders of the matching A, B or F1 licence can apply.
Other gambling regulators
Researched by Konrad van Daath, checked 7 November 2026. Facts come from public sources (gamingcommission.be, chambers.com, igamingbusiness.com). Always confirm a licence in the regulator's own register. Gambling is for adults only and can be addictive; play responsibly.
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