Belgium’s government has proposed completely banning ads for gambling. The ban must still be approved by the EU.
It would apply to all forms except the National Lottery, which accounts for 40 percent of gaming in the country. The ban, which will go into effect before the end of the year, would include commercials on screens or loudspeakers, broadcasts and print.
The leader of the opposition party MR has criticized the proposal: “MR completely opposes the draft ban on games of chance. This is an excessive measure that will, for example, put the sports sector in great difficulty. Should football really be destroyed in our country?”
He added, “Attention should be paid to people with a gambling addiction, who represent a small minority. By liquidating a regulated sector, those people will move to platforms on the dark web, without any regulation.”
Federal Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne declared “Gambling is the new smoking. The gambling industry is making more and more profit in our country, all ‘thanks to’ people with a gambling addiction.”
He said that the Covid-19 pandemic had led to the increase of gambling among youth by 43 percent. He also pointed to the statistic of 100,000 Belgians being problem gamblers.
He added, “the damage is already done, often with enormous financial, spiritual and social consequences,” he wants to severely restrict gambling advertising in future. “From now on, the philosophy is that only people who want to gamble and actively look for information about games of chance will be confronted with gambling advertising in the future.”
The new law would also prevent gambling companies from sponsoring sports teams, except for logos on shirts and in stadiums.
The Belgian operator association Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) criticized the proposal as hurting the consumer and added that it won’t affect companies that advertise but don’t hold legal licenses.
The result, says BAGO, could be more consumers gambling with illegal operators who don’t offer consumer protections.
The government previous introduced restrictions on stakes and betting times. Bets can only be accepted between 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.
