Belgium Announces First Three Online Poker Licenses

The Belgian Gaming Commission announced the recipients of the small European country's first three online poker licenses and warned illegal operators that the gaming commission would work to block access to unauthorized domains.

The approved sites for online poker in Belgium are PokerStars.be, Partouche.be, and Casino777.be. The three initial sites are going to be joined by four internet casinos that have associations with land based locations inside Belgium as well as two sports books.

Belgium's four main internet service providers have announced their support in helping the country block illegal operators, despite objections from the European Commission over the country's gambling regulations. The new online gambling regulations also have not clarified tax issues on player winnings, showing that much work remains to get the market stabilized in the new year.