Belgium Targets Illegal Gambling with DNS Belgium Deal

At the start of September, Belgium kick-started a six-year gambling program in preparation to completely change the face of the sector. The launch of the new strategy was also accompanied by a number of important appointments to the Kansspelcommissie (KSC), the country’s official gambling sector regulator.

Now, the watchdog established under the Gambling Act of 7 May 1999, has entered into a key partnership with DNS Belgium, the country’s leading internet provider.

As per the terms of the deal, effective December 15, the regulator, whose main task is to protect players and guarantee “channeling to legal gambling”, will increase its efforts to detect and eradicate illegal gambling. 

The Hunt for .be Domains Begins

The planned actions, officially announced on the regulator’s website, will begin to target “.be” domains, in search of websites advertising or providing gambling without having permission for it. 

The commission will also focus on identifying and promptly intervening against platforms operating without a Belgian licence.

“The purpose of this protocol is to optimize the procedures for removing illegal content on the internet, thanks to the intervention of DNS Belgium,” explained the commission’s report.

In June, we reported on a study ordered by the Commission that showed that while most young adults in the country opt for licensed gambling platforms, a large number continue to visit illegal sites. 

When Wheels Start to Spin

Gaming Commission inspectors who determine that illegal content is available via a website tied to a .be domain name will be allowed to notify DNS Belgium.

Once it receives the notification, the internet provider will proceed to share the domain name with the holder, informing them that the use of the domain name is in violation of their general terms and conditions. As per the respective terms, the owner of the domain name will have committed infringements, which may trigger DNS Belgium to withdraw their right to use the domain name.

The provider will also take all the necessary measures for redirecting the problematic domain name to a warning page of the Commission des Jeux de Hasard (CJH). 

Plus, the original website will no longer be accessible via the specified domain name.

The commission’s announcement has made one thing clear: they are interested in keeping consumers safe, protecting players, and employing the best oversight practices possible, with the purpose of soon implementing a series of upcoming enforcement tools.