Underage, underground: young Belgians turn to the black market
In Belgium, the underground gambling scene is growing fast — and it’s young people who are being hit the hardest. A new study commissioned by BAGO (Belgian Association of Licensed Gaming Operators) reveals a shift that the association describes as “preoccupying” and warns could seriously undermine player protection efforts.
According to the study, one in four Belgian players now gambles on illegal, unlicensed platforms. These operators, which exist outside the reach of national regulation, have rapidly gained ground, claiming a significant share of the market and sidestepping all legal oversight.
“We are on a slippery slope,” warns Tom De Clercq, President of BAGO. “While licensed operators are strictly regulated, invest in responsible gaming — let’s not forget the ‘Duty of Care’ charter signed in November 2023 — and protect players, illegal operators have carte blanche. And the impact is clear: more and more people, especially the young and vulnerable, are drawn into a parallel circuit without rules, without control, and without protection.”
Vulnerable players at risk
Beyond the economic implications, BAGO insists that the rise in illegal gambling is, first and foremost, a public health and consumer protection issue. One group that has been disproportionately affected is self-excluded players — individuals who have voluntarily opted out of gambling via Belgium’s EPIS system, a centralised registry managed by the Belgian Gaming Commission.
According to the , nearly half (47%) of these self-excluded individuals have resumed gambling through illegal websites, which offer no safeguards, age verification, deposit limits, or links to EPIS. These platforms leave players vulnerable to abuse and unchecked addiction.
The youngest adults: pushed out and left exposed
The government’s decision to increase the legal gambling age to 21, which took effect in September 2024, was intended to reduce early exposure to gambling. However, according to BAGO’s data, it may have had the opposite effect on the key target group.
Even before the new law took effect, almost half of men aged 18 to 21 reported gambling on unregulated platforms. Now, that number has climbed to 65%, and a staggering 97% of them say they recognise at least one illegal gambling brand.
“This rise in illegal operators, often driven by aggressive advertising on social media, severely undermines efforts to steer players toward safe, legal, and responsible gambling options,” BAGO notes.
A call for stronger enforcement
BAGO has long advocated for a better-resourced regulatory body and stronger enforcement tools to tackle illegal gambling. The association is now doubling down on that call, urging the Belgian government to follow through on its coalition agreement to reform the Belgian Gaming Commission and turn it into a “strong regulator.”
“In this fight against the scourge of illegal gambling, BAGO supports the implementation of the coalition agreement to give the Gaming Commission the means to become an effective regulator, capable of cracking down on illegal operators to ensure consumer protection and maintain a regulated private market,” says Emmanuel Mewissen, Vice President of BAGO.
