Belgium's ad ban will go into effect on July 1

The Belgian government has announced that advertising for gambling would be prohibited from July 1 of this year.

The date became official following its publication in the Official Gazette of Belgium.

With the exception of the country's National Lottery, the ban applies to all types of advertising by land-based and internet gambling organisations.

The Belgian minister of justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne, applauded the announcement of a date.

“With the publication in the Belgian Official Gazette, the decision is now clear: gambling advertising will be seriously restricted from 1 July 2023,” he said “This is necessary because the normalisation and banalisation of gambling must finally stop.”

The impact of the severe rules will be immediate. A transition period is granted to the sports industry so that it may adapt to the new reality."

On January 1, 2025, sports advertising in stadiums will be prohibited, and on January 1, 2028, gambling businesses will no longer be permitted to sponsor sports teams.

Backlash

The prohibition was announced for the first time on May 10, and attracted substantial criticism in the following months.

Franc Weerwind, the Netherlands minister for legal protection, criticised the ban in June, arguing for a better regulated gaming environment as opposed to a complete ban.

The Belgian National Lottery denied that it improperly lobbied ministers to approve the prohibition.

The Belgian Gaming Commission – Kansspelcommissie – advocated for a restriction on gambling advertising in the country weeks before the ban was announced.

By fLEXI tEAM