Belgium Casino Bonuses

All Standard Casino Bonuses Are Banned

Before 2019, online casinos offered a wide range of no deposit bonuses such as free spins, cashback, and more, but in 2019 Belgium introduced a ban on all types of standard casino bonuses. Despite this blanket prohibition, Belgian players can still find various promotions advertised by online casinos operating in Belgium. However, these incentives are not the typical match bonuses, free spins, or other offers that come with wagering requirements.

Tournaments and Events

The majority of Belgian online casinos encourage their members to participate in jackpot tournaments, holiday gift events, or exclusive game tournaments. However, players in the country cannot redeem any offer that requires them to wager bonus funds before the money becomes withdrawable.

Because the government focuses on player protection, it insists that casino promotions not be misleading or give the false impression of free money. In reality, players often end up spending more than they can earn from these incentives.

Gambling Licensing in Belgium and Cap on Licenses

The regulatory body responsible for governing the gambling industry in Belgium and issuing licenses is the Belgian Gaming Commission. Interestingly, online gambling licenses are linked to land-based gambling licenses, which means only operators authorized by the Commission to offer land-based casino gambling are eligible to provide online casino services as well.

Although this rule has been criticized for contradicting EU online gambling directives, court rulings have so far sided with Belgium. Not only are online casino operations tied to land-based gambling licenses, but there is also a cap on the number of land-based licenses that can be issued to operators.

Currently, there is a cap of 9 casino licenses, up to 180 arcades, and up to 34 bookmaker licenses. Because the limit on all license types has already been reached, it is impossible for international gambling companies to enter the Belgian market.

Strict Gambling Regulations

In 2019, the Belgian Parliament introduced a new amendment to the Gambling Act. Although the local gambling sector was already heavily regulated, the latest amendment made the market even more restrictive.

As part of an effort to create a safer gambling environment for Belgians, the Parliament imposed limits on deposits, casino bonuses, and credit card payments. Since the changes took effect, players may not deposit more than €500 per week. At the same time, all standard casino bonuses have been banned, leaving Belgians without match bonuses, welcome offers, free spins, or cashback promotions.

Gambling-related deposits via credit cards have also been prohibited for Belgian online casino players. The restriction extends to e-wallets because these digital wallets must not be funded with a credit card. For many Belgian players, this is not a major issue, as credit cards are less common than debit cards in much of Europe, including Belgium.

Additional measures introduced in 2019 include a ban on online betting with unlicensed virtual sports betting platforms. To enhance player protection, licensed operators are required to display the messages “Gamble in Moderation” and “Gok met mate” on their official websites.