Belgian regulator calls for blanket ad ban over “omnipresent” gambling advertising

The Belgian Gambling Commission (BGC) has called for a total ban on advertising by sports betting firms following operators’ “omnipresent” marketing during the Belgian football league play-offs.

Prohibition of football club sponsorships involving gambling brands, as well as restrictions on the maximum percentage of public spaces that can be taken up by gambling advertising, are also among a number of recommendations published by the regulator in a 230-page report.

The comments follow the release of a qualitative analysis by the BGC into gambling advertising during the play-offs, which found supporters were “confronted on a large scale” by gambling ads.

Researchers from the BGC chose the Jupiler Pro League football play-offs due to its high media exposure and, consequently, its high proportion of gambling advertising. Of the 14 teams in the Jupiler football league, 11 are currently sponsored by a gambling operator, with Kindred Group’s Unibet brand sponsoring the league.

The report says a significant proportion of betting ads are screened on TV in the period up to and following live sport, as well as during match analysis programmes screened after matches. The BGC claims viewers were confronted with advertising for Unibet 15 times during the average play-off match, through advertising boards, the displaying of betting odds and sponsorship branding.

Gambling ads allegedly also feature heavily on several of Belgium’s football content websites, including Voetbalkrant.be and Voetbalnieuws.be.

The BGC claims the presence of gambling adverts for gambling operators on football club websites is leaving web visitors “literally one click away” from gambling. Researchers found that club websites often advertised specific promotions and included gambling-related incentives for individuals participating in club competitions.

It also cited a high proportion of gambling advertising on football club social media feeds, alleging that some clubs include the logos of their gambling sponsor with every social media communication.

The report claimed there was a 28% increase in sports betting during the play-off period, with total stakes rising from an average of €3.34m per day in the period prior to the play-offs to €4.27m during the tournament itself. The report also said 138,697 new sports betting accounts were opened during the play-offs.

“In order to elaborate a targeted control and sanction policy and to combat gambling addictions, the Gaming Commission wants clear rules on gambling advertising,” the BGC said.

In May 2019, all online sports betting advertising was outlawed during live sport, with all other sports betting advertising restricted to after the 8pm watershed.

Adverts are limited to one per commercial break and are not permitted 15 minutes before the start and 15 minutes following the conclusion of programmes that specifically target children.