Belgium online gambling license (Gaming Commission)
A tightly restricted EU market where online licenses are add-ons to land-based ones: A+ for casino, B+ for gaming halls and F1+ for betting. Entry runs through acquisition or partnership with a licensed land-based operator, with servers in Belgium, an 11% online tax, a minimum age of 21 and a near-total ban on advertising and bonuses.
- Best for
- Groups ready to acquire or partner with a Belgian land-based licensee
- Who can be licensed
- Land-based casino and betting operators in Belgium
- Markets it serves
- EU regulated markets
Belgium licenses online gambling through the Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie) under the Gaming Act of 7 May 1999, but only as a supplement to a land-based license: an A+ online casino license needs a class A casino license, a B+ license a class B gaming hall license and an F1+ online betting license a class F1 betting license. Land-based licenses are capped, so new entrants usually acquire or partner with a licensee. Servers must be in Belgium, platforms come from independent class E suppliers, online gross gaming revenue is taxed at 11% in all three regions, and players must be 21 or older. Advertising has been banned in principle since July 2023 and bonuses since September 2024.
- Status
- Land-based holders only
- Regulator
- Gaming Commission
- Legal basis
- Gaming Act of 7 May 1999, as amended by the Law of 10 January 2010
- Status checked
- October 16, 2026
License types in Belgium
There is no standalone online license. Each “plus” license runs with its land-based anchor, and the land-based licenses are capped, so entry is usually by acquisition or partnership. The National Lottery operates under its own law.
A+ online casino
Online casino games, available only to the nine class A casino licensees; a class A license runs for 15 years.
F1+ online betting
Online sports and other betting for class F1 licensees; F1 licenses are capped and run for nine years.
B+ online gaming hall
Online versions of gaming hall games for class B licensees, capped at 180 halls; nine-year term.
Class E supplier
Platforms, games and equipment for licensed operators come from class E license holders independent of the operator; ten-year term.
Who can hold a Belgian online license
| Requirement | Under the Gaming Act of 1999 |
|---|---|
| Land-based anchor | A matching land-based license: class A for A+, class B for B+ and class F1 for F1+; the online license runs and is renewed with it |
| Entity | Practitioner sources describe an EEA company with a Belgian establishment; confirm the position for your structure |
| Integrity | Vetting of directors and managers, including criminal records |
| Financial guarantee | A guarantee held by the Gaming Commission, set by license class, plus proof of sufficient financial resources |
| Servers | The server managing data and the website sits in a permanent establishment in Belgium (Gaming Act art. 43/8) |
| Foreign licenses | A Malta, UK or Curaçao license gives no right to serve Belgian players; unlicensed sites are blacklisted and blocked |
Technical and player-protection rules
Age 21
Since 1 September 2024 the minimum age is 21 for all games of chance, checked at registration.
€200 weekly limit
A default deposit limit of €200 a week per player applies; increases go through the Gaming Commission, which checks the national credit register.
EPIS
Every player is checked against the Excluded Persons Information System before play, and operators offer deposit limits and temporary self-exclusion.
Separate sites
Casino, gaming hall and betting products run on separate websites with separate player accounts, a rule the Constitutional Court annulled with effect from 31 December 2026.
Class E platforms
Games and platforms come from licensed class E suppliers independent of the operator.
AML
Operators are obliged entities under Belgian AML law and identify customers from the legal thresholds.
How the setup runs
Timing depends mainly on securing the land-based anchor license. The supplementary online license is filed with the Gaming Commission alongside it, and both run and are renewed together.
- 1Choose the routePick A+, B+ or F1+ and identify the land-based licensee to acquire or partner with.
- 2Entity and guaranteeSet up or acquire the eligible company, vet directors and managers, and post the financial guarantee.
- 3Technical setupServers in Belgium, a class E platform, separate sites and accounts, age-21 checks, EPIS and the €200 deposit limit.
- 4ApplicationFile the supplementary online license with the Gaming Commission and pay the annual contributions.
- 5Go-liveAML program, regional tax registration and launch within the advertising and bonus bans.
Ongoing obligations
- Regional tax of 11% of online gross gaming revenue
- Age-21 verification and EPIS checks before play
- €200 weekly deposit limit unless the Gaming Commission approves more
- Servers in Belgium and platforms from class E suppliers
- No advertising outside the narrow exceptions, and no bonuses
- Annual contributions to the Gaming Commission
- AML customer identification and reporting
How gambling is taxed
Online games
11% of gross gaming revenue in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels, a regional tax set in 2010 and 2011.
Proposed rise
Flanders wants to raise the online rate to 15% from 1 January 2027; the regions have not agreed.
Land-based
Land-based casinos pay progressive regional rates of up to 44% of gross gaming revenue; land-based betting is taxed at 11% to 15% by region.
Players
Recreational players pay no tax on winnings from licensed operators.
Advertising, bonuses and enforcement
Advertising ban
Since 1 July 2023 gambling advertising is banned in principle on TV, radio, print, outdoor, websites and social media, with narrow exceptions such as limited search ads.
Sponsorship
Stadium advertising ended on 1 January 2025 and professional club shirt sponsorship ends on 1 January 2028.
Bonus ban
Since September 2024 no gifts, bonuses, free play or game credits may be used to attract or retain players.
Enforcement
The Gaming Commission keeps a blacklist of illegal sites. In April 2026 a Brussels court ordered Google, Microsoft, Cloudflare, Cisco and 15 internet providers to block illegal sites within five working days, on pain of €500,000 per breach.
Weighing Belgium against other EU markets? Our European gambling license comparison covers all 27 member states: which products each licenses, the regulators, B2B rules and Finland's 2027 opening.
Compare EU marketsFrequently asked questions
Who regulates online gambling in Belgium?
The Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie / Commission des jeux de hasard) under the Gaming Act of 7 May 1999. In 2026 oversight of the Commission moved from the justice ministry to the economy ministry.
Can I get a standalone online gambling license in Belgium?
No. Online licenses are supplements to land-based ones: A+ requires a class A casino license, B+ a class B gaming hall license and F1+ a class F1 betting license.
How can a new operator enter the Belgian market?
Usually by acquiring or partnering with a holder of a land-based license. There are only nine class A casino licenses, class B is capped at 180 and betting licenses are capped.
Do B2B suppliers need a license in Belgium?
Yes. Suppliers of platforms, games and equipment hold a class E license for ten years, and licensed operators must use class E providers independent of themselves.
How is online gambling taxed in Belgium?
At 11% of gross gaming revenue in all three regions. Flanders has proposed raising the rate to 15% from 2027, but the regions have not agreed.
What is the minimum gambling age in Belgium?
21 for all games of chance since 1 September 2024. The National Lottery is still exempt until the law is aligned following a Constitutional Court ruling.
Is there a deposit limit in Belgium?
Yes. A default limit of €200 a week per player applies. A player can ask to raise it, and the Gaming Commission checks the national credit register first.
Can Belgian licensees advertise or offer bonuses?
Barely. Advertising has been banned in principle since July 2023, stadium advertising since 2025 and shirt sponsorship ends in 2028. Bonuses, gifts and free play have been banned since September 2024.
What did the Constitutional Court decide?
In ruling 165/2025 it upheld the age-21 rule, the ad ban and the bonus ban, but found the National Lottery’s exemption unjustified. The legislature must remove the discrimination by 31 December 2026.
Can a Malta-licensed operator serve Belgian players?
No. Only Gaming Commission licensees may offer gambling in Belgium. Illegal sites are blacklisted, and since April 2026 courts can order search engines, DNS providers and internet providers to block them.
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