Belgium
Although Belgium allows betting to its citizens, most of these sites cannot be played on other European online casino platforms. Variety seems to be the priority these Belgium online casino games have opted to focus on.
As a punter in this country, you will find nearly all kinds of casino games you might be interested in playing. Some of the leading service providers in the gaming scene have been distinguished by the amazing number of games that they offer. Some of the world’s renowned casino providers such as Microgaming, Play’ N Go, Quickspin, and Thunderkick have supplied these online casinos with their software. This explains why the games offered on these platforms are rated as among the best.
Convenience is another key factor for Belgian players. One thing that puts Belgium sites ahead of other industries is how convenient they are. The first thing you will notice about these casinos is that they can be played in different languages, making them universally accepted. Whether you are a Swedish or English speaker; you will have no problem playing any of the games offered on these regulated Belgian casinos.
2020 Online Gambling Laws in Belgium
As at the moment, all the gambling activities in Belgium are subject to the Gaming Act that was passed on 7th May 1999. About a decade down the line, 2010, to be precise, the laws were modified to be a bit strict, especially in regards to the operators who were carrying out unlicensed businesses.
One of the most prominent pieces of legislation that the country currently has is the one that states that for an operator to be licensed to carry out online casino operations, they must first prove that they own a physical, brick-and-mortar as well. This implies that for an operator to be allowed to offer online gambling services in Belgium, they must also offer the same for a physical and licensed building.
The 2010 Gambling Laws did not go well with the European Union who thought that they were contravening the laws of free trade. In Belgium, all gambling activities are under the control of the Belgian Gaming Commission.
This body is charged with undertaking regular checks on some of the blacklisted gambling companies that might want to enter this market. Belgian players who are found gambling on these sites run a risk of being heavily fined.
Any online Belgium casino that offers its operations without the license issued by the Gaming Commission is breaking the law set by the authorities in this country.
More About Licenses & Fines
Despite the efforts of the European Union to remove barriers that had been imposed on cross-border trade, this did not filter well through to the authorities in Belgium. According to the law here, the online licenses are limited to nine A+ casino licenses, 180 B+ licenses that are meant for the gaming arcades, as well as 34 F1+ licenses that are meant for the wagers. It is only the companies that possess the real A, B or F1 licenses would be allowed to offer the online gambling services to Belgian players.
The gambling laws in this country have also stated clearly that they should never be a disparity between the services that are offered offline as well as those others that are offered online. Fines that go up to 100,000 Euros shall be levied against businesses that would attempt to go against this legislation.
Persons who would be found using websites that are not licensed would be risking being fined up to 25,000 Euros. This makes it virtually impossible for the gamblers in Belgium to access some of these not regulated Belgium casinos.
Best Deposit & Withdrawal Methods for Belgium Casino Players
At all the legal Belgium online casinos, the punters have a wide arrange of banking options they can use to make deposits and even withdraw their winnings. A number of these options would charge no fees or very reduced fees to the punters. Credit or bank card is not usually required for any of these transactions. The most preferred option is anonymous gambling.
In some of the most recognized casinos operating in this place, deposits are usually made through the Euro currency. Lots of Belgian casino bonuses are offered when depositing with Euros. Some of the popular e-Wallets you can use for your transaction on these sites are analyzed here below:
- VISA. This is one of the easiest ways of funding any casino game. Most online casinos in Belgium will usually accept VISA as one of the preferred means of payment. All you will be required to have is a valid card that has funds available in it. It is important to note that VISA debit cards are also accepted in many European-facing gambling spots as well as several other casino sites.
- Paysafecard. This is one of the top prepaid vouchers that work so well with some gambling sites in Belgium. When you are depositing at any of the numerous online casinos, the gamblers in this country can use a very simple prepaid voucher to transfer their funds in and out of their accounts. There is no absolute need of using either a credit or debit card, as you will be able to pick your Paysafecard from any outlet in Brussels, or any Belgian town around you.
- iDebit. Belgian players have recognized safe bank transfers as one of the safest ways they can use to carry out various casino financial transactions. iDebit is an online banking processor, which used to carry out safe transfers direct from the player’s bank account to the account of the preferred gambling site in Belgium. This service has been made available in some European countries, and Belgium is one of these countries. This makes transferring the Euro across the various gambling site very easy and fast.
Popular Games
Under the current gambling laws that are used in Belgium, brick-and-mortar casinos also have to obtain relevant licenses before they could be able to carry out various online casino services in the country.
Brussels and Spa are some of the places where you will find better casinos, although a good number of these casinos are made up of table games and slots.
- Slots – For each of the opened tables, there is a limit of fifteen automatic gaming terminals, and each would last for about five hours. Casinos have developed a serious monopoly on the video slot machines. But despite all that, punters would still have an opportunity to enjoy a wide range of video slots, reel slots, as well as Wheel of Fortune type of slot machines for real money. There are also some special arcades where you would also find slots.
- The Table Games – Some of the most popular and familiar games such as craps, Sic Bo, roulette are offered in the best Belgium online casino That explains why they have been rated as some of the best. If you are a fan of the European roulette, then you are in the right place. They are, however, referred here as ‘La Roulette Anglaise’, which translates to English roulette. Although the layouts here are shown in French, they play much like the ordinary European roulettes.
The Best Online Casinos in Belgium, 2020
As noted at the beginning, some land-based casinos are open to punters in Belgium. Some of the leading ones are listed below:
- Family Game Centre – This Belgian online casino has a major attraction here are the slot machines. There are more than 40 machines here, and this includes many multi-game terminals that have been provided by Novomatic. There is a small poker room here, and that’s where the 2017 DeepStacks Brussels World Poker Tour was held.
- Casino de Spa -This is another popular approved Belgium casino. Here you will find some of the best poker, slots as well as table games. An amazing local variant here is Roll’Hit, which blends both dice and roulette. These Belgian casino bonuses are very attractive to new and seasoned gamblers.
Other recommended Belgium online casinos are Drake Casino, Casino Extreme, Slots Plus Casino, Sun Palace Casino, Vegas Casino Online, Slotland, Slot Madness, and Jackpot Capital Casino among others.
Brief History of Online Casino and Gambling in Belgium
The first document that had some things to do with card games was first drafted in the 14th century. Two centuries later, the first Belgian lottery was put into place. That was in the 16th century. In 1883, a racecourse was built and named after the English Duke of Wellington, Hippodrome Wellington.
The Gaming Act was passed in 1999, while the National Lottery Act was passed in 2012. Fast track to 2017, the Gambling Commission of Belgium declared loot boxes as one of the gambling forms in video games.
Belgium has one of the most thriving gambling markets in the world. This could be attributed to the laws that the government has put in place. If you are looking for an online casino and gambling site in Belgium, then you will be spoilt for choice.
