Belgian foreign live dealer ban due next month
Operators using live casino solutions based outside of Belgium's borders face potential financial penalties from 1 July
The Belgian Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie) will implement a ban all foreign remote live-casino suppliers from 1 July as its extended compliance deadline for operators comes to an end.
Earlier this year the regulator announced all operators would be required to use only live dealer suppliers based in Belgium and gave operators until the start of February to provide the regulator with details of their dealer set-up.
Kansspelcommissie later extended the deadline date for a total of seven operators, but those which haven’t made the switch by next month could be subject to financial penalties imposed by the regulator.
Unibet and bwin.party last month signed agreements with Evolution Gaming to utilise the firm’s live dealer solution based in Evolution’s new studio at the Casino de Spa.
In a statement to eGaming Review, Ladbrokes said: “We are working on a solution to remain compliant in relation to our live casino offering in Belgium.”
The regulator has long harboured concerns regarding international live dealers and, in its view, their inability to guarantee the protection of consumers playing on such tables.
eGaming Review has also learned the regulator will discuss the regulation of virtual betting at its next meeting on 1 July. “We’re making an evaluation of the virtual betting product as well,” Peter Naessens, director at Kansspelcommissie, said.
“After that evaluation specific guidelines will follow to avoid too many similarities with slots machines,” he added.