BELGIUM INTRODUCES STRICT NEW FOOTBALL GAMBLING ADVERTISING RULES

The Belgian Gaming Commission has worked with the country’s top football league to develop a series of responsible advertising guidelines.

Under the new rules, Jupiler Pro League clubs must report all gambling sponsorship deals to the commission, and are banned from partnerships with gambling operators not licensed by the commission to operate in Belgium. 

The commission will inform the league when operators commit infringements, or when an operator loses its license, so that the league and any affected clubs can take action. 

More rules include a ban on inducements to bet, and a prohibition on betting “on certain stages of a match” – though which stages specifically have not been made clear at this point. 

A new integrity committee, formed of academic and sports representatives, is also to be formed to monitor club policies and propose new measures. 

In a joint statement, the commission and league said:

“The absolute starting point of communication and marketing around games of chance and betting is the protection of consumers. It is essential that excessive gambling should be prevented as much as possible. That is why the Gaming Commission and the Pro League want to go further than what is legally imposed today.”

AYO.NEWS says:

While all advertising, for any product or service, should always be truthful and responsible, it’s hard not to feel that Belgium is on the same slippery slope that landed Spain and Italy where they are today. 

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