Illegal Gambling Dominates Awareness Among Young Men in Belgium

Gambling Ban for Under 21

The recent ban on gambling for individuals under the age of 21 in Belgium has sparked discussions across the industry. The Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) has revealed troubling statistics showing the extent of illegal gambling participation among young people, highlighting the necessity of the updated measures.

Following the approval of a decree to amend the Belgian Gambling Act 1999, Belgium’s gambling authority, Kansspelcommissie, implemented new regulations, including raising the minimum gambling age to 21.

Alongside age restrictions, the measures also tightened advertising regulations, although BAGO cautioned that a complete ban on gambling advertisements could lead to confusion about legal gambling options.

Alarming Findings on Illegal Gambling

A study commissioned by BAGO unveiled that over 50% of men aged 18 to 21 had engaged in illegal gambling activities prior to the introduction of the age restriction. The findings suggest that younger players were already heavily involved with unregulated operators, raising concerns about their vulnerability to exploitation.

BAGO Chairman Tom De Clercq stated: “This is very worrying. Young people under 21 are rightly no longer allowed to play with licensed operators. But even before the ban, almost half were already in the illegal circuit. This proves that illegal websites are a major social problem.”

De Clercq emphasized the need for a stricter approach to combating illegal operators, who attract young players due to a lack of robust age verification and player protection measures.

The Influence of Illegal Operators on Young Players

The study highlighted how illegal gambling brands dominate the awareness of young players:

• 29% of men aged 18-21 identified an illegal gambling operator as the first brand they associated with gambling.
• 85% of respondents recognized illegal gambling brands when presented with a list.
• 31% cited social media ads as the main influence for engaging with illegal sites, while 26% mentioned sports sponsorships.

These findings underscore the growing reach of illegal operators through social media and sports partnerships, particularly targeting younger demographics.

BAGO Vice-President Emmanuel Mewissen expressed concerns about the pervasive influence of social media: “You just have to open your social media app and you will be overwhelmed by ads from illegal gambling sites. These unlicensed gambling brands are predominantly present on these channels that are especially popular among young people.”

Strengthening the Fight Against Illegal Gambling

BAGO has called for immediate action to address illegal gambling’s impact, which not only undermines the regulated market but also exposes players to significant risks. Unlike licensed operators, illegal sites fail to provide essential safeguards, such as age verification, self-exclusion schemes and bonus limits or bans

In response, Belgium’s government has empowered individual market stakeholders to raise complaints about regulatory violations directly with the Brussels Commercial Court.

De Clercq concluded with a call for targeted measures: “Young people have more and more access to illegal gambling sites, which attract them with tempting bonuses, but which also endanger the privacy and security of personal data.”

“These platforms not only increase the risk of gambling addiction, but also undermine confidence in a safe, regulated gambling market. BAGO therefore advocates targeted awareness campaigns, a fact-based gambling policy and a stricter approach to illegal websites and measures to cut off financial flows to these providers”, he highlighted.