Belgium Switches on $195 Weekly Deposit Limit

Belgium has officially reduced the deposit limit at online gambling operators to €200 ($195) on Thursday, October 20. Moving forward, players will only be able to deposit up to $195 in their accounts, down from the previous deposit limit which was set at €500 ($488). The measure comes after heated debates about whether this is too restrictive or based on evidence.

Deposits in Belgium iGaming Capped at $195

The rationale behind the move is that anyone who wishes to exceed this depositing limit would need to go through the necessary affordability checks so that operators are sure that they are not inadvertently inflicting harm. While more restrictive in nature, affordability checks are becoming a hot-button topic for many regulators in Europe.

The United Kingdom, which is struggling to reregulate its gambling industry, not least because of the two back-to-back collapses of the country’s governments, is also talking a big game about affordability checks. Opponents argue that the “restrictiveness” of such measures would simply drive players to the offshore gambling sector, which continues to target vital markets such as the UK, the Netherlands, Germany and more.

Nevertheless, affordability checks do make sense on a level. However, the process employed in Belgium could be a little clumsy at first blush. Operators cannot make the decisions on their own whether a player can afford to have their limit back restored to $488. Rather, operators need to remit the information to the National Bank of Belgium which will then weigh in and decide. This should happen within three days, but the system has not been put to a test just yet.

However, the measure does make sense if privacy is a concern. Another key objection against such measures was that operators would be scooping too much information on their players – although this is to be expected as gambling entities are held up to strict standards, which request them to conduct mandatory AML and KYC checks.

Deposit Limits Can Be Reduced Even Further

Players in Belgium, though, will also have the option to request that their deposit limits are lowered below the $195 that is now set as the minimum amount. Belgium’s interactive gambling industry has undergone numerous changes since it was legalized in 2011. The passage of deposit limits has been one of the most contested matters.

A similar measure was adopted in Sweden during the pandemic, and most licensed jurisdictions in Europe are considering passing similar measures all in the name of better player protection. Whether this actually works to reduce