Survey Shows Belgium’s Self-Exclusion System Needs Larger Scale

Belgium’s Gambling Commission conducted a survey with 275 respondent which have chosen to limit their gambling behavior through EPIS. The survey has revealed that the system is very beneficial for players but still needs improvements to be able to protect players in a more effective way.

90% of the Respondents Find EPIS Useful

The overall results from the survey of respondents using EPIS show that they are satisfied with the service and find it beneficial.

90% of the 275 people that participated said that they find the service useful. It has enabled them to manage their finances in a much better way and it has also improved their relationships with their family members. 87% reported that they feel better after self-excluding and 80% say that using EPIS has helped them with reducing their craving for gambling.

Additionally, the respondents find EPIS user-friendly, and the procedure to register for self-exclusion simple and easy to execute.

Magali Clavie, chairman of the Gaming Commission, has commented on the results:

It is gratifying to see that EPIS is clearly an effective remedy against gambling addiction and that it improves the situation of problem gamblers.

Magali Clavie, chair, Gaming Commission

However, Clavie also noted that the survey has shown the problematic areas where EPIS needs to be improved and developed further.

The Survey Also Showed There Is Room for Improvement

Gaming Commission chairman Magali Clavie highlighted that people use the services of EPIS at a late stage in the development of their gambling problem i.e. after gambling addiction has progressed to a stage negatively affecting their lives and after the problem gamblers have already tried in different ways to control their compulsive gambling but failed.

Another major issue with the EPIS system, which the survey has revealed, is that it still does not cover a wide range of games of chance. This was proven by the fact that about 25% of the respondents report that they have continued to gamble even after registering with EPIS.

About 34% of this group noted that it used the black market to avoid self-exclusion through EPIS, 55% gambled through the National Lottery and their physical or online products while 26% made use of the electronic gaming machines that are available in cafes.

Based on these results Clavie has called for an extension of EPIS to cover all games and the introduction of restrictions on advertising targeted at gamblers that are using EPIS. Clavie also noted the need to make gamblers aware of the possibilities to get specialist help.