Belgium’s New F2 Press-Shop Rules: What Changes for Betting in 2026?
Belgium has introduced new rules for press shops that accept bets under an F2 licence. The Royal Decree dated 30 August 2026 was published and entered into force on 14 September 2026. It sets out what an F2 applicant or renewing licence holder must document and how betting must remain connected to the press-shop activity.
The change matters mainly for operators and shop owners. It does not turn every newspaper shop into a sportsbook, and it does not change the separate rules that apply to online betting sites. For customers, the practical point is to understand what the F2 licence covers and why a licensed retail location is not the same thing as an online operator.
Why the rules were needed
The federal government explained that the Council of State had annulled an earlier decree, creating a legal gap for new and renewing F2 applications. The new decree was designed to restore a clear framework for press shops that accept bets while keeping the betting activity ancillary to the shop’s main role.
That distinction is important. An F2 press shop is not intended to operate as a standalone betting shop under a newspaper-shop label. The rules connect the betting activity to the press-shop business and require evidence that the two activities remain proportionate.
What an F2 application must include
The decree requires an F2 applicant or renewing holder to provide several documents. The application must be supported by a contract with an F1 licence holder. That contract can run for no more than three years. The file must also include the relevant municipal opinion form and accounting documents.
The accounting evidence is not a formality. Betting turnover may not exceed 20% of the press shop’s total turnover. The rule gives the Gaming Commission a measurable way to check that betting remains an ancillary activity instead of becoming the shop’s main business.
Reporting after the first year
A new F2 licence holder must report the share of turnover generated by betting within three months after the first twelve-month period. The same information is then relevant at each three-year renewal. This creates a recurring check rather than a one-off declaration at the moment the licence is granted.
For shop owners, the message is practical: keep the accounting records that separate betting turnover from the rest of the business. For the regulator, the requirement creates a consistent basis for checking whether the 20% ceiling is respected.
What this means for customers
The decree does not change the legality of a Belgian online sportsbook. Online services are assessed through their own Belgian licence and domain arrangements. An F2 press shop is a physical retail setting with its own licence category and conditions.
Customers using a retail location should therefore check that the venue displays the appropriate licence information and that the betting route is operated through the licensed F1 relationship described in the rules. Customers should also keep the ordinary safeguards in place: set a budget, use limits where available and do not treat a retail location as evidence that every betting product is legal online.
Our page on legal gambling operators in Belgium explains how to verify legal status. The best sports betting sites in Belgium ranking covers the separate online comparison.
How long the decree applies
The Royal Decree states that the framework expires on 31 December 2028. That end date does not make the rules optional before then. It gives the government and the regulator a defined period in which to apply the framework and decide whether it needs to be renewed or replaced.
Bottom line
The 2026 F2 rules clarify the paperwork and accounting behind betting in Belgian press shops. The key points are the F1 contract, the municipal opinion, accounting evidence, the 20% turnover ceiling and recurring reporting. For customers, the distinction between a licensed retail press shop and a legal online sportsbook remains essential.
Gambling in Belgium is restricted to adults aged 21 and over. Use the legal checks and limits available, and take a break if gambling stops feeling manageable.
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