Belgium is to proceed with a further tightening of its gambling laws, as the Federal Council of Ministers approved the implementation of ‘mandatory verification checks on gaming machines.’

The requirement for retail, hospitality and leisure venues to verify age and ID on gambling machines forms part of the latest amendment to “overhaul Belgium’s Gambling Law” as specified by Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne.

Approved on Friday, a roll-out of new e-ID checks will be mandatory across all gambling slot machines imposed on all venues in the principal regions of Brussels, Wallonia and Flanders.

Van Quickenborne told the national media: “This is an important step in the fight against gambling addiction.”