Belgium Ignores EC Online Gambling Warnings

Despite the fact that most countries in Europe fall under and adhere to the laws, rules and regulations as set out by the European Union (EU) through the European Commission (EC), the reality is that when it comes to the subject of gambling there is still much 'dissention in the ranks.'

Take Belgium for instance. On December 3 this year the Belgium government passed a law to regulate online gambling in the country, which blatantly disregarded key changes suggested by the EU. In March the EC was sent a draft of the new Belgium gambling law, to which it raised objections.

These included removing Belgium's proposed limit on the number of online gambling licenses that can be issued, a requirement that online gambling operators and their servers be based in Belgium, and the right to prosecute Belgium online gamblers who gamble at licensed EU online gambling sites.

However, when the Belgium Parliament voted in its new gambling law last week, it soon became clear that all of the suggested EU amendments had been ignored. As such, the EGBA is expected to study the law in detail and possibly launch legal action against Belgium when the law comes into effect.