Among the new rules, regulations and measures that come into force from Saturday is a ban on the advertising of gambling products on TV, radio, websites, posters and in magazines and newspapers. The wide-ranging ban on the advertising of gambling products is part of the efforts by the authorities here in Belgium to reduce the number of people that are addicted to gambling.
Later the ban will be extended to cover sports club sponsorship. The ban is coming into force despite the sectors that will be affected by it trying to get it stopped in the courts.
The ban will specifically apply to advertising on television, radio and in cinemas. Ads and video-advertising on websites; digital and social media platformsn, advertisements in magazines and newspapers; advertising posters and billboard hordings in public places; personalised advertising via mail, post, messaging services, text message or social media and all printed advertising for gambling products will also be banned from 1 July. Furthermore strict ethical rules will govern the forms of gambling advertising that are still allowed to continue.
The ban has come in for criticism from the gambling and sports sectors and legal action has been taken. However, the Federal Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne (Flemish liberal) has already said he is "confident" that the ban will withstand the test of the legal action.