King Philippe of Belgium has appointed 12 new members to the country's gambling regulatory body, the Belgian Gaming Commission (Kansspelcommissie), for a term of six years. The appointments of the new members took effect from September and have been officially published in the Royal Decree in the "Official Gazette".
The commission consists of 6 full members and 6 alternate members, coming from five major departments: the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Public Health. Each department is represented by one Dutch-speaking and one French-speaking member, ensuring linguistic balance in regulation. The Ministry of Finance has obtained two additional seats due to its responsibility for the national lottery.
Anne-Laure Mouligneaux and Ignace Vandewalle represent the Minister of Finance, Pensions, and Lotteries, Joseph Jeanfils, focusing on gambling compliance; Caroline Dujacquier and Tom Van Caeckenberghe are dedicated to the regulation of the national lottery. The Ministry of Justice has appointed Nathalie Patoussa and Daisy Vervenne, focusing on player protection; the Ministry of Public Health's Ferdinand Van Der Gracht and Lena Boons are pushing policies to mitigate gambling addiction. Michaël Stokard and Sahin Yazici from the Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasize the contribution of the gambling industry to the economy and employment, while the representatives from the Ministry of the Interior are Stéphane Obeid and Béatrice Vossen.
This appointment comes at a time when Belgium is tightening its gambling policies. Since 2022, the country has introduced loss limits, completely banned gambling advertising in 2023, subsequently abolished sports betting sponsorships, and raised the legal gambling age to 21. However, the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) warns that these strict restrictions are driving players towards the black market. According to their data, 25% of players use unlicensed sites, and among male players aged 18 to 21, this percentage rises to 65%.
