The update is backed by Napoleon, Ardent, Star Casino, BetFirst, and Golden Palace. The shared objective is to align how operators can spot early warning signs of harm and act once risk indicators appear.
One of the most important aspects of the updated Duty of Care Charter is its focus on continuous monitoring instead of waiting for a customer to complain. Operators are supposed to monitor patterns such as sudden changes in playing intensity, prolonged playing sessions, and unusual deposit patterns (like sudden spikes in top-ups or repeated efforts to override limits).
Once risk is identified, the Duty of Care Charter suggests a graduated approach to interventions, which become more specific as the risk level rises. This means automated messages may be followed by contact from trained player protection staff.
EPIS Enforcement and Why Channelization Matters
The charter also re-emphasizes the role of EPIS (the Excluded Persons Information System), which is the national self-exclusion and access ban register in Belgium, run by the Gaming Commission. The parties again confirm that exclusion requests must be implemented immediately in their online environments.
This is important because the most robust protections available in Belgium are within the regulated market. BAGO has repeatedly warned that too-stringent national regulations can open the door for offshore platforms to target consumers who are excluded or limited on licensed sites.
This dynamic is at play in the deposit cap regulations in Belgium. The Gaming Commission indicates that players can upload no more than €200 per week on each website. This is a harm-minimization measure that can also be exploited by unlicensed operators in their communication.
Governance Moves Beyond Tech
In addition to tooling, the new charter focuses on internal governance: employee training and clear lines of responsibility within departments. The aim is to limit “standard-hopping,” where a vulnerable player switches between brands in search of looser standards.
The timing of the new charter is also significant, as Belgium has taken a tougher enforcement stance. This posture is seen in more sanctions and fines reported by the regulator in recent years.
Final Notes
The revised charter in Belgium makes player protection an operational criterion that can be measured. The ability to seamlessly handle detection, escalation, and EPIS is what operators will be measured on. Products that cannot support real-time monitoring, intervention triggers, and audit-ready evidence, will be harder to justify in a regulated environment.
