The Belgian government wants to ban almost all gambling advertisements, including via sports sponsorship. Possibly this year, gambling advertising will no longer be allowed on TV and radio, on websites and social media, via SMS, in newspapers, magazines, printed advertising material and on posters in the street. From 2025, all gambling brands must have disappeared from football and other sports shirts.

TV gambling advertising VRT

The public broadcaster VRT will drastically cut down gambling advertisements. As of 1 January next year, there will be significantly fewer advertisements for gambling. Flemish Minister of Media Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) reacts with satisfaction. "Too many people are still addicted to gambling and gambling advertisements play an important role in this.

In the new management agreement between the VRT and the Flemish government, it was already agreed that the public broadcaster would develop a stricter policy on gambling advertising by the beginning of 2022. That exercise has now been made, in consultation with media users, organisations such as the Flemish expertise centre Alcohol and Drugs and after intensive consultation with the cabinet of Minister Dalle. Sports tournaments may still be advertised on television until 1 January 2025. But also here a maximum duration of 5 seconds per advertisement applies.

In 2025, the VRT will only rarely promote gambling. A minimum, but not a complete abolition.