Zona de Azar Belgium – Belgium Raises the Minimum Age for Sports Betting

Belgium.- August 9, 2024 www.zonadeazar.com Belgium sparked a global debate by raising the legal age to play from 18 to 21 years old. The main justification is concern about addiction to gambling and sports betting. In this way, the measure distinguishes Belgium from other EU countries, such as Sweden, Germany, Finland and Austria, where the legal gaming age is 18.

Sports betting for Belgium is the worst of vices

Miranda Raaff, head of iGaming insights at casino resource portal Minimum Deposit Casinos (MDC), highlighted discrepancies in legal age limits for activities such as driving, smoking, drinking, gambling and viewing adult content.

She questioned: “If Belgian lawmakers believe that 21 is the appropriate age for gambling, why not apply the same limit to other high-risk activities such as drinking, smoking, driving and watching pornography? It seems arbitrary to focus solely on sports betting and leave other equally risky behaviors less regulated. “Perhaps the same logic should be applied to all of these activities.”

Raaff also noted that in most countries, 18-year-olds can access pornography, indicating that this is the perceived level of maturity despite online dangers.

She stressed that alcohol poses great health risks and that driving requires even more responsibility, with possible fatal consequences, but is still permitted for 18-year-olds. In some countries, even the youngest people can drive.

Raaff concluded that addiction is not limited to gambling, as it can also occur with alcohol, smoking, and pornography. To her, it makes no sense to allow 18-year-olds to drive, smoke, drink and watch pornography, but require them to be 21 to bet on sports.

Belgium’s decision therefore raises important questions about young adults’ perceptions of maturity, and the debate on the issue is just beginning.

She edited: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com