PokerStars First to Get Belgian Online Poker License
PokerStars, the largest online poker room in the world, has emerged as the first online poker rooms to be licensed and regulated by the Government of Belgium.
Belgium recently awarded a “casino de namur A+ license,” following which PokerStars can launch online poker gaming services in Belgium under the domain name www.pokerstars.be.
Voicing his opinion about this move, Belgian Gaming Commission Chairman Etienne Marique said, “This is an important step forward for the regulation of online gambling. Not only is the legal framework offering the possibility for operators to offer their online games of chance, but from an economical point of view gambling operators are given opportunities in Belgium. And all this in an environment that protects players more than illegal websites do – for example, excluded players cannot play at licensed websites and an average hourly loss is applicable to each player.”
Belgium is the latest member of the European Union (EU) to regulate and license its online poker industry, following in the footsteps of Italy and France, which recently made similar moves. PokerStars has also been licensed and regulated by the regulatory bodies in France and Italy.
According to an official statement released by PokerStars, Belgian players can participate in PokerStars most popular and lucrative online poker tournaments, such as the Sunday Million, the Spring Championship of Online Poker (SCOOP), and World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP). Belgian online poker players can also enjoy cash games at PokerStars.
Speaking about this development, Guy Templar, the business development chief at PokerStars, said that the online poker gaming company is proud to be among the first to be licensed and regulated by the regulatory body in Belgium, enabling it to offer locally licensed online real money poker services to the people in Belgium through the partnership deal it signed with Circus Groupe. Revealing that PokerStars aims to obtain online poker licenses in all countries that have newly regulated the industry, he said that PokerStars also looks forward to working in collaboration with the Gaming Board and Circus Groupe.
Since the online poker law in Belgium does not segregate its players, Belgian online poker players can compete with international online poker players. PokerStars has also announced that its rake structure will remain the same for its Belgian customers although its VIP Program will be changed slightly to deal with the rise in operational costs.
The European Commission had rejected several drafts submitted by the Government of Belgium on grounds that the restrictions placed on licensing are in violation of EU laws. In spite of these hurdles, Belgium passed its Gambling Act and transformed it into law last year. Accordingly, the government has made it mandatory for Belgian players to play only at online gaming sites licensed and regulated by the Government of Belgium. It has also criminalized the act of playing at any unlicensed site. The government has also instructed its internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to online gaming sites not licensed by the Belgian regulatory body and re-direct players to the licensed sites instead.
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