Draft ban on online gambling ads pending Belarus approval

The Telegraph Agency of Belarus has reported that there are ongoing talks to introduce a package of reforms concerning gambling ads. Though far from one of Europe’s main gambling markets and hardly a big target for the major regulated players, the topic of gambling finds itself on the Belarussian political agenda from time-to-time. In the latest instance, draft legislation prepared by the Belarussian Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade envisions a nation-wide ban on online gambling adverts encompassing lotteries, sports betting, and online casino – with some exceptions. There would also be strict restrictions imposed on the still-allowed marketing. Gambling promotions on public transport will be prohibited. Operators will also be unable to use people nor animals in promotional material, as well as any type of bonus messaging. Gambling firms will also have more narrow time windows for broadcasting and a reduced number of advertising channels available to them. The targeted outcome is to reduce problem gambling rates by reducing the appeal and visibility of gambling. The draft has been submitted for review. It echoes similar regulatory developments across Europe where gambling advertising has been severely limited over the last few years, such as Italy where gambling marketing has been fully banned since 2018. Spain is another jurisdiction that imposes strict rules around advertising, however the country is seemingly looking to slightly relax the regime following a Supreme Court decision which highlighted that licensed operators need to be better represented on the market in order to counteract a rampant illegal gambling market. The most recent example would be the Netherlands, where a long-running clampdown on gambling advertising since the re-regulation of the market in 2021 has seen a ban on sports sponsorships, on marketing on TV, in print, in public places and on social media, and on the use of ‘role models’ like footballers in adverts. This has come to a head with a ban on all forms of gambling advertising proposed by the government. In contrast to Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, Belarus is a much smaller gambling market – it is ranked 35th on Blask’s index, for example, while Italy, the Netherlands and Spain are eighth, 14th and 23rd respectively. Nonetheless, the Belarussian government is no less keen to maintain control over the sector than its counterparts to the west. The government reportedly expressed a desire to tighten rules in mid-2025, specifically to prevent gambling revenue from exiting the country.