In 2024, 12,509 people requested voluntary exclusion from gambling through the Gaming Commission, according to data released on Friday by Belga. The list of individuals banned from gambling has now reached nearly 190,000 records.
The Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS) tracks those barred from casinos, gaming halls and online betting. Individuals looking to protect themselves from gambling addiction or for personal reasons can request inclusion on this list.
The number of these requests has been steadily rising, with 12,509 in 2024 compared to about 10,000 in 2023, over 7,000 in 2022, and fewer than 5,000 in 2021.
However, these figures represent the number of requests submitted rather than final exclusions. "The same person can submit multiple requests in one year," explained Stefaan Savenberg from the Gaming Commission. "The significant increase observed since 2022 is largely due to the simplification of the process, which can now be completed via the Itsme app."
The exclusion process is reversible, and in 2024, nearly 6,000 people requested to lift their bans.
Additionally, a third party, such as a concerned family member, can request exclusion on behalf of someone else. In 2024, the Commission received 151 such requests, of which 108 were approved.
Furthermore, the EPIS list includes individuals legally prohibited from gambling due to their occupations, such as bailiffs, or those involved in debt settlement or other legal procedures.
As of 1 August 2025, the Gaming Commission manages 189,848 active records, with voluntary exclusions accounting for approximately one-third of this total, amounting to 63,913 files.
