The Belgian Gaming Commission has declared its licensing costs for the upcoming year, 2024. Participants in the nation’s gambling sector can anticipate paying diverse charges determined by their license classification, encompassing operational expenditures, personnel, and physical premises. These costs span from a small €123 to a more considerable €22,085.
The cost framework is a component of a proposed royal decree from Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, recently endorsed by the Council of Ministers. Although not yet formally implemented, the decree sets the stage for the Gaming Commission to commence issuing payment notifications to license possessors.
As expected, proprietors of physical casinos (Class A) and those providing games of chance (Class G1) encounter the highest charges. Conversely, Class G2 licenses, encompassing media-based games, come with the most modest fees. Other license groups, such as those for slot machines (Class B) and gaming creators (Class E), fall somewhere in the middle.
The Belgian Gambling Commission (GC) doesn’t simply distribute permits. They maintain a watchful eye on industry happenings, particularly regarding player engagement. Their recent September 2023 analysis, concentrating on young adults between 18 and 30, unveiled intriguing findings.
The report indicates that a majority, precisely 62%, participate in gambling only monthly or less frequently. Conversely, a minor yet notable segment, approximately 13%, engage in gambling on a daily basis.
Somewhat troubling is the discovery that over a third of the respondents, 36% to be precise, encountered difficulties distinguishing between legitimate and dubious gambling platforms.
In separate developments, Pragmatic Play, a prominent entity in the online casino realm, recently established a collaboration with Gaming1, the organization behind the well-known Circus brand. This alliance signifies that Pragmatic Play’s live casino games will be accessible to Belgian users via Circus.
Furthermore, Dutch patrons of the Circus platform will also have the opportunity to partake in these novel offerings.