Belgian gaming operators push for a “level playing field” on advertising

(AsiaGameHub) –   BAGO has called for “coherent rules” and stronger action against ads for unlicensed gambling.

Belgium. The Belgian Association of Gaming Operators (BAGO) has urged authorities to intensify enforcement against unlicensed gambling providers after new data highlighted public exposure to gambling advertising. The trade group criticised what it describes as a “fragmented” advertising landscape, where licensed operators are subject to strict regulations while the National Lottery enjoys exemptions and unlicensed operators continue to advertise freely.

The latest Health Survey by the Belgian public health institute Sciensano, covering gaming habits in 2023–2024, found that 52.6 per cent of Belgians encountered at least one form of gambling advertisement each week. Television was the most common medium (51.1 per cent), followed by websites and apps (47.3 per cent) and social media (46.4 per cent). Street advertising (45.2 per cent), shop displays (44.1 per cent), newspapers and magazines (28.6 per cent), and email/SMS (19.5 per cent) were also widely used channels.

However, online gambling operators in Belgium have been prohibited from advertising on nearly all platforms since 2023, except on their own websites, points of sale, and search engines (under specific conditions). A ban on sports sponsorship took effect at the start of 2025.

BAGO emphasised that illegal operators remain unaffected by these restrictions, noting that the exposure measured in Sciensano’s survey “does not stem solely from licensed private operators.”

“By definition, this figure also includes advertising and sponsorship from actors who either fall outside the ban, do not comply with it or operate under a temporary exemption,” it stated.

“Illegal providers therefore continue to reach Belgian consumers through social media, affiliate websites, influencers, and other digital channels—without age verification, EPIS [Belgium’s self-exclusion system], deposit limits, or enforceable duty of care,” the association added.

BAGO has called for “consistent rules for all gambling products” and warned that imposing new restrictions on licensed operators could reduce the visibility of legal gambling options. It has urged authorities to take more decisive enforcement action against advertisements promoting unlicensed offerings.

“Only within such a licensed framework can player protection, age verification, EPIS, limits, monitoring, and the duty of care be effectively implemented and enforced,” it said. “Consequently, BAGO supports a level playing field in which the same basic regulations apply to all gambling products, along with enhanced powers for the Gambling Commission to act against illegal providers.”