Draft legislation proposes new restrictions on gambling adverts in Belarus
The proposed reforms include a ban on online gambling adverts and tight restrictions on other channels.
Belarus.- The Belarusian Telegraph Agency (BelTA) has reported that discussions are under way on a package of reforms aimed at severely tightening rules around gambling advertising in Belarus. The state news agency says that draft legislation prepared by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade proposes a nationwide ban on gambling adverts online covering lotteries, sports betting and online casinos, with some limited exceptions.
The legislation would also impose rules on types of marketing that remain permitted on other channels. Promotions on public transport would be outlawed completely, while gambling operators would be barred from using people or animals in campaigns, as well as from deploying bonus-related messaging.
Meanwhile, additional restrictions would narrow the time slots permitted for broadcast advertising and reduce the number of channels available. The stated objective is to curb problem gambling by reducing its visibility and appeal.
The draft has reportedly been submitted for review. It largely mirrors regulatory trends across Europe, where advertising has been progressively curtailed. Italy introduced a blanket ban on gambling adverts in 2018. More recently, Belgium and the Netherlands also imposed bans on untargeted adverts. Spain also has tight restrictions but is reportedly considering a modest relaxation following a Supreme Court ruling that emphasised the need for licensed operators to be more visible in order to counter the illegal market.
The Belarus gambling market is relatively small at least among regulated offerings, ranked 35th on Blask’s index. Officials in Minsk appear determined to rein in gambling activity, although some of the motivations may differ to an extent. The government previously highlighted a desire to reduce gambling activity to prevent gambling revenue from flowing out of the country.
Last year, President Aleksandr Lukashenko called for a range of gambling reforms in Belarus. He suggested that banks should be ordered to block payments to foreign gambling operators. He also proposed a ban on gambling using credit and suggested that family members could be allowed to request exclusions for compulsive gamblers.
