Sub-brands and sponsorship: the position of the GC

The Belgian Gaming Commission (GC) recently clarified its position on the use of sub-brands by gaming operators in the context of sports sponsorship.

In order to comply with the judgment handed down by the Tournai Court of First Instance on 20 June 2023, and pending a possible amendment to the Royal Decree of 27/02/2023, the GC has stated that it will not initiate sanction proceedings if a sub-brand (such as a television channel, website or application) is displayed on sports shirts.

However, the GC has specified that these sub-brands may not contain any reference, link or mention relating to gambling, betting or sites allowing their exploitation.

Current regulation of sports sponsorship by gambling companies

Since January 1st 2025, Belgium has tightened its restrictions on sports sponsorship by gambling operators. Indeed, the Royal Decree of 27/02/2023 is gradually leading to a total ban on this type of sponsorship. The aim of this ban is to reduce public exposure, particularly among young people, to gambling incentives.

What new rules have been in force since 1 January?

Sports clubs, whether professional or amateur, must now comply with new sponsorship rules.

The logos of gambling companies may no longer be displayed on the clothing of players under the age of 21. For other players, the logo must be displayed on the sleeves or back, but may no longer appear on the front of the shirt. The size of the logo is also limited, to a maximum of 75cm².

All forms of advertising are prohibited in and around the stadium. This restriction also extends to sports clubs’ online sites, their sporting events and their social networks.

These measures are provisional: from 1 January 2028, no gambling company will be able to sponsor sports teams.

Circumvention strategies

Sports clubs, which previously benefited from these lucrative partnerships, now have to find alternatives to compensate for the loss of this funding.

Faced with these restrictions, some clubs have found new sponsors, such as RSC Anderlecht, which was sponsored by Napoleon and is now sponsored by SunWeb, or RFC Liège, which has switched from Star Casino to BigMat. Others, on the other hand, have adopted strategies to circumvent the legislation.

U-Expert, Golden Palace News, the use of sub-brands

One method is to use sub-brands, i.e. affiliated entities that do not explicitly refer to gambling, to continue sponsoring sporting events. For example, a betting company could create a television channel or an application dedicated to sport, without mentioning its gambling activities, and use it as a sponsor.

These sub-brands include, among others:

• Unibet, which launched the U-Expert app,
• Golden Palace with Golden Palace News
• Circus, which offers Circus Daily
• BetFirst, which created AntwerpFirst

XXL logo

Another tactic observed is the use of oversized logos on sports team shirts or equipment. To do this, only the printed surface of the logo is measured, without taking into account the empty spaces (such as the empty circle of the letter O). In this way, the logo occupies a much larger surface area than it should.

Reactions and implications for the sporting world

These strategies have met with mixed reactions. On the one hand, they enable sports clubs to maintain essential sources of revenue in a difficult economic climate. On the other hand, they raise ethical questions about the indirect promotion of gambling, especially among young fans.

The GC has indicated that it is closely monitoring these practices and will assess their compliance with current legislation. It also indicated that sanctions could be considered if these strategies were deemed to be contrary to the spirit of the law.