Genk to Kick Out All Bookies: The First Belgian City to Ban Retail Betting Shops
Kate Marshal
26 September 2023
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The city of Genk in Belgium is planning to get rid of all retail betting shops in the area. The officials have decided not to issue or renew any licenses for bookmaking businesses, according to Casino Nieuws.
If this plan goes through, Genk will be the first city in Belgium to ban brick-and-mortar bookies.
Right now, there are 7 betting shops in Genk, which is the highest number among all Belgian cities.
The city expects to close down all land-based bookmakers by mid-December this year. The last one to go will be Bingoal Retail, whose license expires on December 12th. The other 6 will shut down before that date.
The authorities say they want to protect people from gambling addiction and its negative consequences. But strangely, they are not touching land-based casinos and slot halls, which will continue to operate in the city. It’s not clear why these gambling venues are spared from the crackdown.
It’s worth noting that local bookmakers think the initiative is pointless, as they believe that players will just switch to online betting. Moreover, local bookies plan to challenge the ban in court.
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