The Gaming Commission has sent the police to Carrefour hypermarkets to check its slot machines. Het Nieuwsblad and De Standaard are reporting this today (Tuesday). The Commission believes that a special offer by the group inviting customers to insert a token into a slot machine is illegal. Carrefour is strenuously defending that this is simply a tombola.
It works by customers receiving a token at the hypermarket checkout for every 25 euros spent or upon purchasing participating products. They are then invited to insert the token into the slot machine to win prizes, in particular cars and televisions.
The Gaming Commission reacted, “These slot machines are highly addictive and therefore are only allowed in casinos.”
Carrefour says it has the authority of the Development Committee for Belgian Sport (CDSB) which is part of the Olympic Committee.
The CDSB fundraises for sports activities. The Director of PR and Corporate Communication for Carrefour-Belgium, Baptiste van Outryve, comments, “It is simply a tombola and, in any event, we are not the first to organise such a fundraising activity.”
He stresses that the initiative is supporting a charitable association and is the monitored by a court bailiff. Carrefour is also disappointed that the Gaming Commission spoke to journalists first, rather than approaching the group directly.
The Brussels Times
