Responsible Gaming

If you have children or teenagers in your household, take extra care to secure your computer and mobile devices.

• All Windows computers can be set up to have password control so that you must enter a password to get to the desktop, and mobile devices can be set up to require a passcode to unlock. In general, this is a good practice, but it’s even more important when there are children or teenagers in your household. Also, keep your username and password private. You can elect to have the software not remember your password each time you log-in. If you have any concern that somebody else might attempt to access your Stars Account, you should not allow the software to remember your password.
• If you have children or teenagers in your household, use protection software that allows you to limit the websites to which they have access, prevent file sharing, and generally give you detailed control over how your children use the Internet. Here is a list of some of those programs:
  • SafeKids
  • NetNanny
• If you are aware of an underage person using our platform, let us know. Simply visit our Help Center and we will get right on it. Our first step is to investigate, and if warranted, freeze the player’s account and request identification from that player. We take these reports seriously.
• Be a responsible parent. In many ways, this is nothing more than keeping your eyes and ears open. If you hear your children talking about online gambling accounts, deposits, and withdrawals, start asking questions. If you see the software on your child's computer, uninstall it and ask more questions. A responsible parent is the best start to preventing underage gaming. You can find advice on how to talk to a young person about gambling here.

Prevention film for youngsters aged 14-18

Under the header of BLUFF!, the Gaming Commission has set up a prevention campaign aimed at youngsters aged 14-18.

For the campaign, the Gaming Commission also made a film, an educational kit and an educational board game. The aim of the campaign is to reach the widest possible number of young people. As such, they have put together a prevention kit that is available free of charge to all secondary schools in Belgium. Furthermore, a free prevention kit is also available to help organisations and youth associations.

The Gaming Commission takes the protection of players to heart. An important aspect of this protection is seeing to it that young people stay on their guard when it comes to gambling. Sadly, all too often they are exposed to games of chance and the 'get rich quick' dream that comes with it. Even though poker, for instance, is enjoying huge success, including among youngsters, games of chance are not without risk. The Gaming Commission is keen to do everything it can to keep young people alert by drawing their attention to the dangers that games of chance may involve. The BLUFF! prevention campaign is wholly conducive to this aim.

For more information regarding BLUFF!, please visit the Gaming Commission website here.

Bonus policy

As a poker operator authorised by the Belgian Gaming Commission, Pokerstars.be adheres to the legal requirement to not offer any bonuses to its players.

This bonus restriction has been the case since the 1 March 2020, when the Royal Decree on bonusing came into effect.

Adverting and marketing

PokerStars.be commits to follow the ethical and responsible advertising and marketing outlined in the 2016 agreement on advertising of games of chance of the Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO). PokerStars.be undertakes to bring responsible communication that protects the player and doesn’t encourage problematic gaming behavior.

Advertising to minors is strictly prohibited and age restrictions are highlighted in all communications. The target audience is also reminded to play responsibly and moderately.

The BAGO agreement also states that any advertisements or other communications may not:

• predict any certainty of large profits;
• encourage excessive participation in gaming;
• give the impression that the outcome of the game is purely a matter of skill or knowledge;
• target minors or excluded players;
• encourage attempting to recover loss by playing again;
• be critical or ridicule non-players;
• position games of chance as an alternative to working or saving;
• suggest that gambling is a way to get out of debt.

If you want to block yourself from a particular game, go to the main lobby of the desktop software, select ‘More’ > ‘Tools’ > ‘Responsible Gaming’ > ‘Restrict Table Limit’ ⁱ and set your limit to ‘Don’t play’.

• We offer 12-hour and 24-hour cooling off periods as well as 7 day, 30 day, 60 day, and 120 day time out periods. You will not be able to play any games that we offer for real money or play money on our software. Once you click the button that requests a time out or a self-exclusion period, you will be asked to close all tables at which you're playing. You will be automatically unregistered from any online tournament that begins during the time out and self-exclusion period, with your buy-in refunded per our normal policy. If you are still playing when the self-exclusion period begins, you will not be forced to close the software, but will receive a pop-up asking you to do so – the exclusion period will begin once the software is closed. You will be able to login and access the Cashier, but you will not be able to play, deposit or make inter-account transfers with your Stars Account. If you have won a seat in a live, brick-and-mortar tournament that begins during the exclusion period, you will still be able to play it. You will not receive any marketing emails or newsletters from us.
• 6-month self-exclusion (Time-out). This is identical to the other time out periods, except that we will ask you to withdraw any real money funds from your Stars Account. In addition, you will not be automatically reinstated. If you want to return to playing with us, you can visit our Help Center to find out how. You can only return to playing with us once any time after your self-exclusion period has passed.
• Self-exclusion during tournaments:
  • Players who self-exclude themselves during a tournament will still be able to complete any tournament already in progress in which they are playing.
  • Multi-Day Tournaments: Players who request to be self-excluded from playing during a ‘qualifying for Day 2’ of a ‘Multi-Day Tournament’ will still be able to play in that tournament on any subsequent day of that tournament, even after their period of self-exclusion begins. Players who choose not to play on subsequent days will receive no compensation.
  • Phased Tournaments: Players who request to be self-excluded from playing during a phased tournament will not be able to complete the next phase of the tournament. Make sure you can play the tournament in its entirety before entering the first phase.
  • Please also note that if you win any prizes resulting from any offer that may have started prior to your self-exclusion (i.e. automatic drawings to live events, or live activities), they may be forfeited.

If you would like to close your account or exclude it between six months and three years, please visit our Help Center to find out ways to contact us.

If you wish to self-exclude from all online gambling activity, consider downloading gamban®, software that helps you by blocking access to all online gambling.

You may also wish to investigate GamBlock, a software application that limits a computer’s access to online gaming sites.

Request an access ban with the Gaming Commission

If you are considering a self-exclusion, you may also want to request an access ban from all gambling companies licensed in Belgium. For more information, you may want to contact the Belgian Gaming Commission via their website or by filling out this form.

In Belgium, players can be denied access to real or virtual gaming establishments of class I and II and virtual gaming establishments of class IV for various reasons:

• To protect young people from the possible dangers of gambling.
• Players can have themselves excluded from real and virtual casinos and slot machine arcades, and virtual betting offices when they think they have to be protected from themselves.
• Bans may be enforced pursuant to court decisions (e.g. for persons whose collective debt settlement notices have been deemed admissible).
• People can also be refused entry to a casino or slot machine arcade based on the nature of their profession - take, for example, magistrates, notaries, bailiffs and members of the police.
• The legal representative of a person under tutorship may request to the Belgian Gaming Commission by regular post the upholding of the precautionary gambling ban for the to be protected person whom he is responsible for (see Article 54 § 3.3 of the Act on games of chance).

Since 2004, Belgium has the Excluded Persons Information System (EPIS), an electronic system that bundles all excluded players. When entering a real or virtual casino or slot machine arcade, or a virtual betting office, it is mandatory to register the name, the first name and the date of birth of the player in EPIS to check whether he may be allowed to enter. This is undoubtedly a very powerful instrument in the fight against gambling addiction.

You may also file a complaint by sending an email here.

There are risk factors that can contribute to the development of gambling issues and make it more difficult to stop gambling. Players can be more at risk if they:

• Have easy access to their preferred form of gambling
• Hold mistaken beliefs about the odds of winning (see “Common Myths about Compulsive Gambling” below)
• Do not take precautions to monitor gambling wins and losses
• Have an early big win (leading to false expectation of future wins)
• Have had a recent loss or change in their personal life, such as divorce, job loss, retirement, or death of a loved one
• Often feel bored or lonely, or have a history of risk-taking or impulsive behavior
• Have financial problems
• Have a history of mental health problems, particularly depression and anxiety
• Have a parent who also has (or has had) problems with gambling or other compulsive disorders
• Have (or have had) problems with alcohol or other drugs, or overspending

The more factors that apply, the more likely a person is to develop a gambling problem.

If you are finding it hard to stop gambling, or if you’re already suffering from consequences related to your gambling behavior, it may be time to get help.

The Gaming Commission has also published a brochure for problem players, which is available in four languages. This brochure contains a form with which a player can request exclusion from the gaming establishments. In this way, it is easier for problem players to take a step towards a cure. Pathological gambling is, after all, a genuine illness that was recognized in 1982 by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Myth: A compulsive gambler gambles every day.
Fact: A problem gambler may gamble frequently or infrequently. If a person’s gambling is causing psychological, financial, emotional, marital, legal or other consequences for themselves and the people around them, then they could be displaying signs of a gambling problem.

Myth: A compulsive gambler will bet on anything and gamble at any opportunity on any form of gambling.
Fact: Most problem gamblers have a favorite form of gambling that causes them problems and are not likely to be tempted by betting on other things. For example, a gambler who makes weekly trips to the race track may not be tempted by lottery tickets or slot machines. Some compulsive gamblers also engage in secondary forms of gambling, but these are not usually as problematic.

Myth: Gambling only becomes a problem when you lose every last penny. Compulsive gambling is just a financial problem.
Fact: How much money you win or lose does not determine if you have a gambling addiction. Compulsive gamblers may win big and then lose all their earnings the next day, or they may only bet a certain amount each time. Typically, those with gambling problems will incur enough debt that the financial consequences of their behavior begins impacting their lives, but that is not always the case.

Myth: It’s not possible to become addicted to something like gambling.
Fact: Certain activities, such as gambling, can be just as addictive as drinking or doing drugs. Gambling may produce a euphoria that encourages a compulsive gambler to keep repeating the behavior to achieve that effect. As with drugs and alcohol, a gambling addict may develop a tolerance for gambling and take bigger and bigger risks to achieve that euphoria. A compulsive gambler will give in to a craving for gambling by doing it more often, regardless of the negative consequences. As with any other addictions and compulsive behavior, pathological gamblers may also be in denial about their behavior, and may not believe they have a problem at all.

Myth: Only irresponsible people become addicted to gambling.
Fact: Many problem gamblers hold, or have held, responsible community positions. In addition, even people with a long history of responsible behavior are vulnerable to developing a gambling problem. It is common for people to believe that those suffering from addictions are weak-willed and irresponsible. But anybody can become addicted to gambling, no matter how responsible they are.

Myth: Compulsive gambling isn’t really a problem if the gambler can afford it.
Fact: Problems caused by excessive gambling are not just financial. If a person’s gambling is interfering with their ability to act in accordance with their values, then there is a problem. For example, too much time spent on gambling means less time to spend with family, friends and others. It can lead to relationship breakdown and loss of important friendships.

Myth: It’s easy to recognize a compulsive gambler.
Fact: Problem gambling has been called the hidden addiction. It is very easy to hide as it has few recognizable symptoms, unlike alcohol and drug use. Many problem gamblers themselves do not recognize they have a gambling problem. Problem gamblers often engage in self-denial.

Myth: If I keep gambling, my luck will change and I'll win back the money I've lost.
Fact: Each time you place a bet, the outcome is completely independent of the previous bet. This means that the odds are no more in your favour on the tenth bet than they were on the first bet. Risking more, or playing longer, will not improve your chances of winning.

Myth: I have a feeling that today is my lucky day. I just know I’m going to win.
Fact: Hoping, wishing, or even needing to win money has absolutely no influence on the outcome of a game of chance.

If any of these myths are realities for you or a loved one, it may be necessary to consider seeking treatment for a gambling addiction. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please contact one of the organizations that we recommend.