Belgium intensifies its crackdown on illegal gambling, blocking 49 websites

(AsiaGameHub) –   Belgium has rolled out a new legal framework aimed at blocking illegal gambling websites more efficiently—targeting not only the sites themselves but also the full infrastructure that supports them.

The FPS Economy has developed a system that relies on numerous intermediary parties—including internet service providers (ISPs), technology vendors, and domain providers—to make it far harder for illegal operators to keep functioning within Belgium.

Belgium already has an existing blacklist of illegal gambling sites, but the new system is designed to extend enforcement across six additional layers. Internet service providers will now be required to block access to illegal gambling sites. Content delivery networks like Cloudflare must stop providing services to these illegal sites. Search engines such as Google are obligated to remove links to illegal gambling sites. Platforms like Meta will need to cease advertising on illegal gambling sites.

Domain registrars will be required to suspend and/or revoke domains linked to illegal gambling sites. Other DNS providers will also be targeted for enforcement to prevent users from bypassing the restrictions.

The system imposes significant penalties on intermediaries that fail to comply. Intermediaries will face fines of up to €500,000 per instance of non-compliance with the required enforcement measures.

According to the official announcement, intermediaries who do not adhere to the framework’s measures will be subject to a one-time penalty of €500,000 for each non-compliance incident.

Paul Laurant from the Belgian Anti Online Piracy & Illegal Gambling Office notes that the aggressive launch of this framework’s enforcement has already resulted in the blocking of 49 websites.