Belgian players and operators will have to shift gears this fall when the Belgian government implements a new €200 weekly deposit limit. It’s just the latest move by a European state to limit the damage done by problem gambling, and reign in the marketing efforts of gaming operators.
Under the terms of the new law, players will be working on a seven day rotating calendar that’s based on the previous seven day’s activity. When the law goes into effect this October, every player in the country will have their deposit limit set to €200. (Players who plan ahead could theoretically skirt the rule with a major deposit in September, but problem gamblers generally don’t plan ahead like that.)
There is a workaround for players who want to see their deposit limits raised, but it does involve jumping through a few hoops. To get the process started, the operator must submit the player’s name to the Belgium’s Gaming Commission (BGC). With that information in hand, the BGC will contact the National Bank of Belgium to see if the player is listed on the Central Individual Credit Register of the National Bank of Belgium as being in default. If they come up clear, they can start depositing beyond €200 a week, but will be subject to continuous monitoring.
Conversely, players can also ask to have their deposits lowered.
Belgian officials also helpfully shared a formula, reported on by iGamingBusiness.com, for gamblers to avoid the perils of problem gambling, “In order not to risk becoming a problematic gambler and to keep the game fun, it is recommended not to spend more than 5% of your income for this purpose. If you win €2,000, this means that your deposit limit should not exceed €25 per week.”
Belgium is one of many European Union nations that is cracking down on how much its citizens can spend on gambling each month.