Sports sponsorship restricted for gambling from 2025
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7 Nov 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes As of 1 January 2025, new restrictions will come into force in Belgium regarding sports sponsorship by gambling companies. It aims to better regulate their visibility in the sports world. In the crosshairs of these restrictions: the protection of vulnerable groups and, in particular, young people against the risks of gambling addiction.
Stricter rules
Professional and amateur clubs will now have to follow strict rules regarding the display of gambling brands. In particular, the affixing of gambling company logos will be limited to the sportswear of players aged over 21, with specific restrictions: the logo will no longer be able to appear on the front of the jersey, and its size must be limited to 75 cm². These measures are temporary and will apply until 31 December 2027.
The rules on sports sponsorship go even further: all forms of advertising related to gambling will now be prohibited in stadiums and around pitches. Whether in the form of banners, posters or other visual media, gambling sponsorship will no longer be directly visible in the sports environment. Similarly, this ban extends to the online platforms of clubs and sporting events, thus preventing the dissemination of gambling logos or brands on their websites and social networks.
What exactly is changing?
As of 1 January 2025, here are the main changes that apply to sports sponsorship by gambling companies in Belgium:
- Ban on logos on the front of jerseys: The logos of gambling companies may no longer appear on the front of jerseys, but only elsewhere on the equipment.
- Logo size limitation: The size of logos on sportswear is now restricted to 75 cm².
- Restrictions on young players: No gambling logos may appear on the equipment of players under 21 years of age.
- Removal of advertising in stadiums: All advertising for gambling is prohibited in stadiums and around the pitches, in the form of banners, posters, etc.
- Blocking on clubs’ digital platforms: Logos of gambling companies may no longer appear on the websites and social networks of clubs and sporting events.
These temporary measures will apply until 31 December 2027.
Major challenge for sports clubs
For sports clubs, these new rules represent a major financial challenge. The reduction in sponsorship sources could affect their budget, particularly in Belgian football, where gambling companies are important commercial partners. These clubs will therefore have to turn to new partners to compensate for this loss of income and avoid possible long-term economic difficulties.