The Belgian supervisory body responsible for safe gambling has recently began hindering some major gambling names from operating in the country. The gambling operators blocked include 888, Everest Poker, Chilipoker, and Titan so far. These gambling companies are banned from reaching Belgian population as they do not have a license yet. This move by the Government is a latest attempt to stimulate online operators to apply for a Belgian online gaming license.

The regulatory body has reported the sites to Internet Service Providers within the country, who are now obligated to prevent access to the sites. The European Commission has already objected to this new legislation, as it creates unfair rivalry in Belgium leaving little chance for offshore casino operators to obtain a license. On the other hand the Belgian government believes that legalized gambling is good for an annual revenue source of approximately 54 million pounds.

The blacklisting has seemingly been transferred to Belgium’s main Internet Service Providers, who will be required under the country’s new regulatory regime to block admission by Belgian residents.

Peter Naessens, Chief of the Belgian Gaming Commission, who will be appearing at the ICE International Casino Conference (Earls Court, London, 23-26th January 2012) as part of the Green Paper – What’s Next on the Agenda for the European Commission, European Parliament and Member States’ regulatory panel, reiterated: “After the 1st January, 2012 ISPs will be required to block the access of Belgian citizens to unlicensed internet gambling websites. Belgian banks will also be required to block the financial transfers coming from and going to these unlicensed websites.”

It’s also been reported that some gambling operators have escaped the inclusion on the black list. This is supposed to be for the reason that they have specified an objective to license notwithstanding the previous objections that the Belgian guidelines are in struggle with European Union principles and law.