SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Belgium Gambling Commission (BGC) has announced that its ‘EPIS – Excluded Persons Information System’ will be expanded to cover betting shop customers
The announcement sees Belgium’s gambling self-exclusion system cover all licensed disciplines allowed by the BGC, as previously EPIS self-exclusion was only available for land-based casinos, arcades and online gambling websites.
The BGC had been ordered to expand EPIS coverage as part of the Belgian government’s ongoing review of market safeguards and player protections.The Commission has been criticised by the Belgian Council of State for imposing a minimum six-month period for self-exclusion that did not cover all gambling verticals.
Belgian MPs have called on the BGC to ensure that self-excluded players will be able to set indefinite self-exclusion periods on the EPIS system, with a further guarantee of no promotional activities being marketed to players.
From 20 October, Belgium’s licensed online gambling operators must ensure that all customers are protected with a new €200 deposit limit.
The order was summoned by a ‘Royal Decree’ approved by Belgium’s Parliament, which demanded that the BGC lower weekly depost limits from €500 to €200, with operators no longer allowed to promote bonuses as player incentives.
Players may request their deposit limit to be lifted by operators, who must notify the BGC of the request and check with the Belgium National Bank that the player is not listed as being in default on its Central Credit Register.
