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A major blacklist update to start 2026
Dozens of illegal gambling sites blocked in a single move
The Belgian Gaming Commission (CJH) has begun 2026 with another decisive action against illegal online gambling. In an update published on 15 January 2026, the regulator added 34 new domains to its official blacklist, reinforcing its ongoing crackdown on unlicensed operators targeting Belgian players.
This latest update confirms a clear trend: illegal gambling platforms are resurfacing faster, more aggressively, and with increasingly deceptive tactics.
A familiar pattern of evasion
Lookalike domains and technical workarounds
All newly blacklisted websites operate without a Belgian licence, yet actively target the Belgian market. The methods used are by now well known to regulators and industry observers, including:
- registering domains that closely resemble well-known legal brands,
- adding numbers, hyphens, or country references to bypass DNS blocks,
- copying the visual identity and marketing language of licensed operators.
These strategies are designed to confuse players and delay enforcement, even though the sites themselves remain illegal from the outset.
Brand impersonation hits licensed operators directly
Scooore and Magic Betting targeted by copycats
One of the most concerning aspects of this blacklist update is the deliberate impersonation of licensed Belgian brands.
Several illegal domains were created to mimic Scooore, including variations such as scooores.org, scooore-be.com, and scooorebe.com. None of these sites have any connection to the legitimate operator, yet they attempt to exploit brand recognition among Belgian bettors.
A similar pattern was identified with Magic Betting, whose name was abused through domains like magicbetting.org and magicbettingcasino.eu. The only legal platform associated with the brand remains magicbetting.be, which operates under a CJH-issued licence.
For regulators, this type of fraud creates double harm:
- players are exposed to unprotected platforms,
- licensed operators suffer reputational damage from activities they do not control.
Offshore casino networks remain highly active
The multi-clone model in full effect
Beyond brand impersonation, the blacklist is dominated by offshore casino networks that rely on large numbers of interchangeable domains. Names such as Spinmama, Pandido, Dudespin, FatPirate, VegasHero, and Happy Jockers appear once again in multiple variations.
These operators typically follow a multi-clone strategy: when one domain is blocked, another with identical infrastructure and content goes live almost immediately. This approach makes enforcement more complex, but also easier to identify over time.
Why the blacklist keeps growing
Enforcement versus scale
The January update highlights the scale of the illegal gambling ecosystem. Even with active monitoring, cooperation with technical intermediaries, and repeated domain blocking, offshore operators continue to adapt rapidly.
For the CJH, maintaining and expanding the blacklist remains a central enforcement tool—but one that requires constant updates to remain effective.
A reminder for Belgian players
Only licensed sites offer legal protection
The Belgian Gaming Commission reiterates that only platforms holding a Belgian licence are authorised to offer online gambling services in Belgium. Playing on blacklisted sites exposes users to serious risks, including:
- no protection of player deposits,
- no oversight of game fairness or payout integrity,
- no legal recourse in case of disputes,
- no access to player protection tools such as EPIS registration, deposit limits, or self-exclusion.
For Casinorating, this update once again underlines the importance of verifying a site’s licence status before registering or depositing funds.
Illegal gambling remains a moving target
Why vigilance is essential
The January 2026 blacklist expansion shows that illegal operators are not retreating—they are evolving. Brand impersonation and domain cloning remain central tactics, making it harder for players to distinguish legal platforms from fraudulent ones at first glance.
As enforcement intensifies, staying informed remains the best line of defence for Belgian players navigating the online gambling market.
