The European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) is the Brussels-based trade association representing the leading online gaming and betting operators which are established, licensed and regulated within the EU. According to gambling gross revenue for 2017–2019 the model reveals that gambling sector revenue, considering the change in gross domestic product, had a higher growth potential and the right to submit a request to self-exclude from gambling established in 2017 may have had a serious effect on slowing down the growth of gambling. In Europe, the online gambling landscape is changing fast. Statistics show that globally, more consumers now gamble online than in physical locations. This has created a huge market for gambling operators to occupy that space. In 2019, several European countries will update their gambling regulations.

Under Belgium’s gaming law, only businesses with land-based gaming operations have the right to extend their offerings online.

In 2019, a Belgian Constitutional Court annulled a royal decree which outlines the fees owed by online licence holders to cover administrative expenses at the Belgian Gambling Commission (BGC).

The court said there was no reason holders of A+ and B+ licences should pay different amounts for the ongoing supervision costs of the Belgium Gambling Commission.

Under the Royal Decree on 2020 licensing fees, the fee for a Class A licence is €22,085. In addition, under the terms of a Class A licence, casino licensees that operate gaming machines must pay €714 per machine, with a minimum total of €21,420.

On February 6, 2020, the Council of State annulled Article 1(1) and Article 3(2) and (3) in the Royal Decree of October 25, 2018 on the operation of online games of chance and betting. The Belgian Gaming Commission published information about the impact of these decisions on online gambling licensees on February 19, 2020.

However the courts have largely upheld recent crackdowns on gambling advertising that make it almost impossible for companies to market their brands outside of their own premises.

Other recent key developments include anti-money laundering (AML) requirements brought into force in October 2017 require operators to carry out due diligence measures when players wager stakes or collect winnings of €2,000 or more.

Bulgarian prosecutors raided the Gambling Commission on January 29, detaining its head Alexander Georgiev for questioning, reports in Bulgaria media said. This was the second time prosecutors raided the commission in the space of two weeks.

According to Bulgarian National Radio, 18 of the commission’s employees were also taken in for questioning, but it was not clear if any of them were detained.

Separately, prosecutors raided the Sofia offices of Nove Holding, the company owned by controversial Bulgarian businessman Vassil Bozhkov. Nove Holding has diversified interests and owns several of Bulgaria’s largest bookmakers and lottery operators.

After the raid, prosecutors said that Bozhkov was facing seven separate charges, but gave no further details. According to reports in Bulgarian media, these included leading an organised crime group, extortion and attempted bribery.

Prosecutor-General Ivan Geshev said that Bozhkov was not in Bulgaria and would be the subject of an European arrest warrant.

Bozhkov gave several media interviews throughout the day, saying that no one got in touch with him and was not aware of any charges against him. He said that he was prepared to present himself if subpoenaed.

The Gambling Commission raid comes just weeks after a bill was tabled in Parliament that proposed to ban private lottery games. Media reports have claimed that some of those private operators did not pay their taxes and fees in full, with the shortfall estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of leva range.

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Eurostat Gambling Statistics

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