The Belgian legislature has been given a deadline of 31 December 2026 to bring the National Lottery up to standards with the country’s gambling framework.
The issue stems from the fact that the National Lottery enjoys an exemption from a list of regulations regarding online gambling, which a number of operators challenged before Belgium’s Constitutional Court. This was later upheld by the court on advice from the Belgian Gambling Commission (BGC).
The decision concluded that the state lottery is not justified in being exempt from the online gambling regulations due to some of its products containing mechanics and visuals similar to the games offered by private operators – with the BGC calling for the implementation of the above-mentioned measures, tailored to increase customer protection.
By order of the court, Belgian policymakers now have until the end of this year to resolve the issue. “The legislation applicable to private operators on one hand, and the state operator on the other hand, must ensure a level playing field in situations where both parties offer similar products,” the BGC added.
Another key discrepancy is oversight of Gambling Act updates, such as such as advertising restrictions, incentives limitation, and the new minimum playing age of 21, within the Statutes of the National Lottery.
The new Gambling Act also introduced a mandatory classification of gambling products based on type. However, due to lottery products not being included, the Court has again given legislators time until 31 December to come up with a solution before it completely annulles the measure.
With Belgium well into its six-year plan to strengthen its gambling sector, and a multitude of experts appointed in charge of the regulatory landscape directly by the King, it will come as a surprise if the discrepancies fail to be resolved by the given deadline.