Despite being self-excluded from gambling, one in four Belgians still continue to be able to gamble, despite supposedly being blocked.
This statistic is derived from a survey by the Gaming Commission (GC) that included 272 players who had self-excluded using Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS), an electronic system that lists all excluded players.
Although the system seems to leak like a sieve, 90.2 percent of those surveyed said it had helped them better manage their finances, another 87.1 percent said it made them feel better and 80.1 percent said it reduced their desire to gamble.
Of those self-excluded who still gamble, about a third said they used the black market, while 31.1 percent used the National Lottery’s retail products and 24.3 percent did it online. Another quarter played at machines in cafes.
GC Chairman Magali Clavie promised to expand EPIS to include black market gaming. She declared, “Therefore, the EPIS system should be extended to all types of gambling, the fight against illegal gambling should be continued, advertising for these excluded persons should be restricted and both the EPIS system and the specialized assistance should be better known.”
Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they continue to get direct marketing from gaming companies.
The most common reason given for signing up for EPIS is as part of a debt settlement, with the next most common reason being required to do so by law enforcement.
