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More than half of young Belgian men are very familiar with unlicensed online gambling brands, according to new research from the Belgian Association of Gambling Operators (BAGO).

The legal gambling age in Belgium rose to 21 as of September this year, but the has stoked fears that there remains a high risk of young men in particular seeking offshore websites.

When asked to name the first online gambling brand that came to mind, 29 percent of men surveyed between the ages of 18-21 named an offshore operator. When asked to name other brands, 59 percent included illegal companies.

That compared with only 4 percent of the general population who named an offshore brand when prompted to think of their most recognisable gambling operator.

“This is particularly worrying. Young people under 21 are rightly no longer allowed to play with licensed operators. But even before the ban, almost half of them were already involved in the illegal circuit,” said BAGO chairman Tom de Clercq. 

“This proves that illegal websites are a major social problem. Because licensed providers apply strict age checks and focus strongly on player protection, young people are turning to illegal sites. It is of great importance that the approach to illegal gambling websites is tightened up to stop this development,” he said.

Young men say they predominantly discover unlicensed websites through social media (31 percent) and sports sponsorship (26 percent).

“The high recognisability of illegal gambling operators among young men between 18 and 21 years old is mainly due to the persuasive power of social media. You only have to open your social media app and you are overwhelmed by advertisements from illegal gambling sites. These unlicensed gambling brands have a dominant presence on these channels that are especially popular among young people,” said BAGO vice chairman Emmanuel Mewissen. 

Gambling advertising is broadly prohibited by law in Belgium. Since July, it has been illegal to advertise gambling on television, radio, websites, social media platforms and newspapers.

“Young people have increasingly easy access to illegal gambling sites, which attract them with tempting bonuses, but which also jeopardise the privacy and security of personal data,” said De Clercq. 

“These platforms not only increase the risk of gambling addiction, but also undermine confidence in a safe, regulated gambling market. BAGO therefore advocates targeted awareness campaigns, a fact-based gambling policy and a stricter approach to illegal websites and measures to cut off the financial flows to these providers.”

BAGO did not publish the full contents of its report or indicate how many respondents were surveyed.