National Lottery calls for sector-wide transparency in gambling
The National Lottery called for greater transparency in the gambling sector on Tuesday, at a seminar held in Brussels. The organisation also shared player statisstics and outlined the tools it already uses to protect players.
Tuesday's event, called "Cards on the Table", saw the National Lottery present a series of studies and surveys on player behaviour, covering both its own games and those of other providers. "By sharing our data, we agree to be scrutinised, questioned and compared," said managing director Jannie Haek.
The government organisation is calling for the introduction of an independent, sector-wide measurement tool applicable to all games, which would require all stakeholders to share their data. It is also calling on all platforms to adopt a risk-based approach.
"[Sharing our data] is the price we must pay if we want to pursue a more serious policy, based on facts and the real risks of gambling," Haek added. "The time has come to take proportionate measures and thus achieve a properly regulated sector, in which there is scope for free enterprise without causing harm to the community, a loved one or oneself."
"The time has come to take proportionate measures and thus achieve a properly regulated sector"
AI analyses player behaviour
The National Lottery has already implemented limits on deposits, winnings and losses. It also analyses gambling behaviour using artificial intelligence, which can trigger warning messages or direct intervention when a high-risk case is identified.
According to the Lottery, almost 95 per cent of players never reached those limits. On average, players staked 4.48 euros per play in 2025. Across all accounts of the more than 1.2 million active players combined, the total balance stands at just over 16 million euros, or an average of 12.8 euros per player.
In 2024, a total of 33.7 billion euros was spent on lotteries, games of chance and betting. The National Lottery itself recorded 1.55 billion euros in stakes that year.
© BELGA PHOTO LAURIE DIEFFEMBACQ
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