Belgian gambling advertising ban not sufficient: experts speak out

The Belgian government took an important step in July 2023 by banning most forms of gambling advertising. They wanted to tackle the intrusive advertising on TV shows, radio broadcasts and on social media.

Despite opposition from the gambling industry, media and sports clubs, a law was passed. But, as is often the case, there are some exceptions and transitional arrangements that mean the ban is not completely watertight. For example, sports clubs may still be sponsored by gambling companies until the end of 2024. And even after that, some advertising may still be on the shirts until the end of 2027, as long as it is not on the front.

Bram Constandt and Steffi De Jans, two researchers who have delved deeply into this, have just published their research. Constandt says: “I am very happy that we can share our latest research, entitled ‘Insights into the Belgian gambling advertising ban: the need for a broad policy approach’, together with Steffi De Jans, published in Health Promotion International (Oxford University Press)!

Gambling advertising is less visible, but sports remains a big exception

The ban has been officially in effect since 1 July 2023, but the real impact is still difficult to measure. What we can already see is that gambling advertising is much less visible on TV, radio and social media. This is a big step forward, but the biggest exception remains sports sponsorship. A lot of money revolves around this, and vulnerable groups, such as young people, are still exposed to subtle forms of gambling promotion. 

Think of a football shirt with a gambling company on it or advertisements during sports broadcasts. People see it, but often do not even realize that they are being influenced. Steffi De Jans emphasizes that sports sponsorship is a sneaky way to reach consumers, and that makes it extra dangerous.

According to Constandt, gambling companies are meanwhile trying to make clever use of the loopholes in the law. They are moving their advertising budgets to places where they are still allowed to advertise, such as their own websites or through sponsorship of charities. Constandt says enthusiastically about all this.

 “This research delves deeply into the Belgian gambling advertising ban and shows how much a well-thought-out policy is needed to truly reduce gambling harm. It provides important lessons for policymakers and public health experts worldwide.”

A total ban is urgently needed to reduce gambling harm

Although the current ban is a good first step, research shows that it does not actually go far enough. To truly protect vulnerable groups, gambling advertising must disappear altogether. It has been proven that gambling advertising influences the way people, especially young people, think about gambling and their behavior. The more advertising, the more problems arise. Less advertising simply means fewer gambling problems.

Gambling companies often claim that a total ban would drive people to illegal gambling websites, but that turns out not to be true at all. In Belgium, there has been no increase in illegal gambling to date. People who search for gambling options via search engines are still neatly referred to legal providers.

Enforcement of the ban is inadequate

But even a good ban only works if it is also enforced. And that is where the problem lies in Belgium. The rules are in place, but fines for violations are not always issued or collected. In 2023, for example, only 21% of fines for gambling law violations were actually collected.

The Gaming Commission, which is supposed to monitor this, does not have enough staff and resources to do it properly. As long as that does not change, the ban will remain a paper tiger in many cases.

Belgium can serve as an example for other countries

Although Belgian policy is not perfect, other countries considering a ban on gambling advertising can learn a lot from the Belgian approach. As Constandt emphasizes: “This research provides valuable insights for policymakers and public health experts worldwide.”

Official figures show that the gambling market in Belgium will experience enormous growth in 2023, with a gross gambling turnover of €1.7 billion. This makes it clear that more measures are needed, such as stricter rules for online gambling, banning gambling bonuses and raising the minimum age to 21.

It is a major challenge, but the lessons learned by Belgium can help other countries to prevent and limit gambling-related harm much better.