Online gambling in Belgium is legal, but the terms for obtaining a gambling license are steep. This means that while you can gamble in Belgium, you won’t find the same array of bookmakers and casinos available that you would in some other European countries.
Belgium heavily regulates its online gambling industry and has active blacklists enforced by the Belgian police force, which excludes foreign sites from being accessed unless they have a Belgian license. Fortunately, there are workarounds. Join us as we explore all the best Belgian casinos you can join today. We’ll also introduce you to great games and explain the situation with bonuses. Here are a few top Belgian online casinos to help you get started.
Is online gambling legal in Belgium? Yes, but it is heavily regulated. To be classified as legal gambling sites in Belgium, operators must have a land-based license that can be extended to the internet betting world. This would typically mean that only Belgian land-based casinos can apply for an online gambling license. However, there is a workaround.
Foreign operators have started partnering with Belgian land-based casinos and bookmakers. This enables them to become legit Belgian online casinos by sharing in their partner’s license. This has naturally caused friction with the European Union, which sees Belgium’s system as overly protective.
Legit Belgian online casinos must either have a physical establishment in the country, such as a brick-and-mortar casino or be linked with such a venue. Some leading international casinos and bookmakers have gone down this route.
Belgium demands that its ISPs cut off access to all foreign casinos without a license. A decent VIP will get you around some (but not all) of these blocks.
Online poker games are legal in Belgium, again, assuming that the operator has acquired a Belgian gambling license. However, very few poker rooms are currently available, as they haven’t merged with established land-based venues.
Sports betting is legal in Belgium, and some of the world’s most established bookmakers (including Ladbrokes) have land-based outlets in the country. Online sports betting is legal under the same conditions as casinos must adhere to. That hasn’t stopped foreign bookmakers from finding a way in. Most recently, Bwin joined forces with Belgian casino, Belcasinos to ensure that they could get a foothold in the market.
Lottery games are legal in Belgium. The country regularly participates in the EuroMillions, but you can’t purchase tickets for this lottery online in the country. Offshore lottery sites can be accessed (for the most part), and there isn’t any punishment in place if you visit and bet at these sites.
Bingo games are not legal in Belgium – at least not online bingo ones. You can find a handful of electric bingo games at various licensed casinos, but that is about as far as it goes. Fortunately, most of Belgium’s ISP blocks focus on casinos and sportsbooks, not bingo sites, so you may still get access to some of those offshore venues.
Our team is always checking and analysing Belgian betting sites. We have an in-depth process for choosing which sites receive online gambling reviews for Belgium-based players. We only represent the most trusted online casinos for Belgian players. Our team looks at bonuses, security, gaming libraries and naturally, legality. Here are a few of the things we look for in safe online casinos in Belgium:
New online casino games in Belgium will often appear, and we’ve got those covered right here. At the same time, the best online casino games in Belgium, or at least the most popular with players, tend to be dice-based slots. Online casinos that accept Belgian players will often include sports betting options alongside casino games.
Any casino games they do support will have free-to-play demo versions available, and they will all be RNG-certified games with fair RTP rates. While Belgium only has a limited selection of live dealer games, there should still be a top array of RNG table games available.
You won’t find a wealth of Microgaming casinos in Belgium, and only a few of the best NetEnt casinos in Belgium can be accessed. Most games come from the following providers:
Belgian online casinos don’t accept PayPal but playing at an online casino in Belgium with VISA is an option. Other payment methods accepted include Bancontact, ING, Mr Cash, Trustly, bank transfers and Jeton. Other things to note include:
Cryptocurrency gambling is not regulated in Belgium but is deemed unlawful. Even so, if you want to play at the many offshore sites (with a VPN) that are blocked by the Belgian authorities, a decent cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin or Ethereum is the way to go.
Belgian online casinos don’t tend to carry many bonuses and promotions. The country is very strict about enticing players to gamble. The best bonus online casinos in Belgium tend to be those based offshore. You may require Belgian online casino bonus codes to claim deals, but you can find that information in our reviews. Our Belgian casino reviews will also walk you through the Ts and Cs you need to know before claiming such offers.