Gambling Operators in Belgium Unite to Protect Consumers

The easy access to gambling activities online continues to raise concerns about excessive gambling and gambling harm. This issue was addressed by all gambling operators members of the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO), who signed a new Duty of Care Agreement earlier this week. Primarily, the new agreement seeks to prevent problem gambling and identify risky behavior quickly.

The new Duty of Care Agreement was signed by all six BAGO members including Kindred, Napoleon, Ardent Group, Golden Palace, BetFirst, as well as Star Casino. The members joined forces to develop effective fact-based policies and collaborate with the government in Belgium.

The announcement comes at a time when BAGO identified that approximately 70% of the gamblers in Belgium engage in online gambling activities. According to the Association, while a majority of those customers enjoy the activity responsibly, there are cases of excessive gambling and gambling harm.

Ultimately, the Duty of Care Agreement revolves around four main pillars. All BAGO members agreed to develop effective policies that seek to provide the players with recommendations and information for the use of voluntary deposit limits, self-exclusion and other player protection measures.

Additionally, the Agreement calls for the development of a robust detection system that leverages AI, scientific-based criteria and algorithms that help flag potential risky gambling behaviors. Such criteria can include the number and intensity of deposits, playing time and frequency, among other relevant benchmarks.

BAGO members have also agreed to educate and provide special training for their employees to ensure they can effectively identify problem gambling and take relevant actions. Finally, the operators agreed to share details regarding the prevention policy with the country’s gambling regulator.

Sustainable Industry Cannot Be Built on Addictions

Tom De Clercq, BAGO’s chairman, revealed that an ongoing focus for the Association is to foster a gaming environment that enables the players to participate responsibly in such activities. “Such a duty of care is a useful addition to other existing protective measures, such as the EPIS check and the deposit limit with associated checks on default,” he added.

“Our focus is on creating an environment in which players can participate in gambling in a responsible and safe manner.“

Tom De Clercq, chairman of BAGO

Damien Thiéry, BAGO’s secretary general, added that according to Sciensano data, some 0.9% of the population in Belgium is “susceptible to a gambling addiction.” He explained that besides addiction, such individuals can also suffer from personal, emotional or financial problems. Thiéry said that a sustainable economic activity cannot be built on addiction. Finally, he said that gambling operators in the country want to offer a safe form of entertainment for their players.