SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The government of Belgium is set to press forward with a stricter national gambling advertising code, which will see the introduction of a blanket ban on all forms of gambling-related promotions during live sports broadcasts.
Belgium’s Parliamentary Chamber of Representatives (De Kamer), is reported to have approved the new gambling advertising standards code tabled last June by Christian Democrat CDV MP Koen Geens.
Concerned by the increased exposure of gambling-related services to Belgian minors and vulnerable consumers, Geens had put forward a new ‘five-point mandate’ to limit industry advertising.
Provisions include an outright ‘all-vertical ’ban on betting/gambling advertising during sports broadcasts, which would be supported by the introduction of an 8 pm Belgium watershed.
Additionally, Geens and CDV further want to limit the number of advertisements served by individual operators and include new consumer provisions related to tackling and raising awareness of problem gambling.
The CDV’s stance on stricter betting advertising has been supported by national regulator the Belgium Gaming Commission (BGC), who has stated that the country’s needs a higher standard of policy for its regulated market stakeholders.
However, in June, Belgian media owners criticised the BGC for not providing clarity on advertising standards, which have remained vague with regards to viewer provisions and digital marketing practices.
