BELGIUM PREPARING TO EMBRACE INTERNET GAMBLING?

18 July 2008

Licenses may be issued as soon as 2009


The home of the European Union, Belgium, is preparing to open its Internet gambling market to private providers, reports Markets and Research this week.

Recently, a growing number of European gambling markets have become more liberalised, and although many experts are keeping a close eye on jurisdictions such as Italy and Spain, other markets such as Belgium are showing promising developments, M&R comments.

Belgium has for some time provided a relatively liberalised betting and casino market and apparently is now preparing to open its Internet gambling market to private providers.

If, as planned, the Belgian parliament adopts new gambling legislation this year that seeks to rationalise the management of the National Lottery and give it permission to operate online, foreign Internet gambling operators could be allowed to offer their services in Belgium as early as 2009.

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