Belgian blacklist passes 1,000 illegal gambling sites

Belgium's Kansspelcommissie has registered 1,016 websites on its blacklist of illegal gambling sites, taking the list above 1,000 for the first time. The regulator said in a press release that the figure represents a milestone, according to the notice.

The Kansspelcommissie has maintained the blacklist since 2012, recording websites that offer illegal gambling. Almost 300 sites were added during the current calendar year, the regulator said.

According to the regulator, the milestone shows the scale of the illegal online casino supply in Belgium. The Kansspelcommissie also said the blacklist is never complete, stating: "Het illegale aanbod blijft groeien en past zich voortdurend aan."

The Kansspelcommissie said continued efforts are needed to identify and block illegal gambling sites, and that it will keep working to prevent Belgian players from reaching providers outside the regulated supply. It said it will remain alert and extend the blacklist when new illegal providers are identified.

No such blacklist exists in the Netherlands so far. Mohammed Mohandis, a member of parliament for PRO, recently tabled a motion to establish a comparable list there; the motion was adopted last week, and it is now for state secretary Van Bruggen to give it effect.