Gambling is a curious thing that attracts people from all around the world, and as much as in any other country, there are people in Belgium who want to know more about gambling, its legal status, its pros and cons, and all the little details before they actually start playing. First of all, we need to get the notion of gambling straight – gambling is a participation in a chance-based activity, in this case, online games, that involves the betting of real money and results in either loss or gain of money. So, playing on an online casino website for real money is gambling and will be treated as such according to Belgian law. So, let’s see what you need to know about gambling in Belgium if you want to try it someday.
Legal Status of Gambling
To make it simple, online casinos that have a proper license are legal in Belgium since 2011. According to the gaming act, an online gambling website is considered such if it offers the visitors to participate in the games of chance. The game of chance has to meet certain criteria:
– Contain elements of a game;
– Involve monetary stakes;
– Result in either loss or gain;
– Involve a degree of chance to determine the outcome.
Basically, any casino game like slots, poker, blackjack, roulette, and all the other classic games can be considered games of chance under such provisions.
There’s a controversial caveat to the Belgian gambling laws though: only companies that have land-based casinos on the territory of the country are eligible to operate online casinos on the territory of the country. If you live in Belgium, you can easily access the best games to play online casinos for real money in Belgium as there are many options you have to choose from. This limitation, however, does not mean that players cannot access foreign casinos too. So, you can also access foreign websites using a VPN.
Can Foreigners Play in Belgium?
Yes, foreigners totally can gamble in Belgium if they want. There are no laws prohibiting foreigners to play games either in land-based casinos or online. If you are visiting the country and want to play some games, you will have no problem entering any land-based casino. Likewise, you will also be eligible to play on any gambling website as a tourist.
What Casino Features are Available in Belgium?
Basically all of them. These are the same types of casinos you would see in almost any country that has legal gambling websites. An average online casino in Belgium will have a good roster of games to play: slots, poker, blackjack, baccarat, roulette – all of that is totally available for the Belgian players, so you can join in and play anything you want
Additionally, there are websites that offer sports betting features and lotteries. This is also a good way to have fun and try something new. If you are well-versed in sports to the point where you can make predictions on the outcomes of matches, you can participate in betting. Lotteries generally game a low chance of winning, but if you do win, you can pull out a huge jackpot that may set you up for life, so why not?
Casinos in Belgium
There are land-based casinos all across the country, especially in major cities like Brussels, Antwerp, and Ghent. Smaller cities have casinos too, especially the ones with a decent tourist turnover. So, you can go to almost any recognizable place in Belgium and find a casino somewhere around. If you are looking for some good fun, Belgium can provide plenty. Does not only it is a beautiful country that has some of the most amazing architecture on the planet, but it also is home to many gambling houses that have a lot to offer both for a newbie and an experienced player. That is why you should totally visit some of the land-based and online casinos licensed in Belgium.
Wrap Up
Belgium has rather democratic laws regarding gambling and casinos. There are tons of actual land-based casinos in the country as well as a good number of online websites that feature games for real money. You can play with different currencies too, but in most places, Euro will be the currency of choice. There are lots of ways you can gamble in Belgium, which makes it one of the better countries for gambling enthusiasts from all around the world. If you are ready to raise the stakes, visit this country and its many gambling facilities to know what real European gambling feels like.
