The Belgian government has been urged to provide more funding and resources to the Kansspelcommissie to enhance Gambling Commission’s enforcement of new regulations and combat illegal gambling websites.
This recommendation was endorsed by the commission reviewing the implementation of the “Gambling Advertising Ban Act in Belgium,” primarily funded by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
As of September 1, Belgium’s Royal Decree on Gambling introduced several key changes, including raising the minimum gambling age to 21 across all segments and instituting a strict ban on bonuses.
In July 2023, the Belgian government approved a Royal Decree that prohibited gambling advertising across all media, including television, radio, outdoor spaces, print, and public venues. Online ads on websites and social media were also outlawed.
From January 1, 2025, gambling advertisements in sports stadiums will be prohibited, and by January 1, 2028, all forms of sports gambling sponsorship will be banned.
The advertising restrictions were proposed by former Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborn, who introduced what he described as “the toughest measures in Europe to tackle gambling addiction and debt.”
One year after the decree’s implementation, the commission observed that many Belgians remain unaware of the ban, as gambling sponsorship remains visible, particularly in football stadiums and on sports broadcasts.
The report highlighted the limited scope of the ban: “Gambling advertising has become less prominent in public spaces, radio, television, and social media. However, key forms of marketing, such as sports sponsorship, are still prevalent, continuing to expose vulnerable groups to gambling promotions.”
It also noted violations of the ban through “incidental advertising during sports broadcasts, product placement, and ads on websites and social media of rights holders,” none of which have been penalized by the Gambling Commission.
The Commission expressed concern over the ongoing exposure of vulnerable groups, especially children, to gambling ads through these channels. The upcoming bans on stadium and sports event sponsorships are viewed as essential to curbing the normalization of gambling and preventing related harm.
Contrary to industry claims that a blanket ban on gambling ads would drive consumers toward unregulated and unsafe markets, the report found no evidence to support this. In Belgium, where gambling remains legal, no such shift has been observed.
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