Belgium’s Gaming Authority, Kansspelcommissie (KSC), has announced new regulations concerning gambling-related sports sponsorships, set to commence in January 2025.
The amended guidelines stipulate that sports clubs may only engage in sponsorship agreements with companies or organizations that do not directly offer games of chance, yet might still utilize the logo or branding of gaming operators in some capacity.
This includes entities such as foundations, fan communities, apps, general football match information websites, online broadcast channels, and others.
Despite these affiliations, promotions of businesses linked to the gambling industry will still fall under the advertising regulations outlined in the Gambling Act of 1999, even if they are not aimed at directly encouraging gambling.
Another modification specifies that gaming operator logos must not appear on the front of sports attire and should not exceed 75 cm² in size.
Recent figures from Belgium’s gambling authority reveal that football remains the leading influence on local sports betting activities. The revenues this year were particularly boosted by the Euro 2024 tournament.
During the competition, there was an average creation of 1,031 new online player accounts daily—a 31% increase compared to the 787 accounts before the event.
Before the Euros, the daily average for total online bets stood at €6.5 million, with redistributed winnings averaging €5.98 million. These figures climbed to €8.6 million in daily bets and €7.54 million in daily winnings during the tournament.
These regulations are a segment of a broader player protection initiative, enacted earlier in September, which received approval from the Chamber of Representatives and was advocated by Green Party Minister Stefaan Van Hecke.
With the implementation of this decree, Belgium joins Greece as the second EU country to enforce a minimum age requirement of 21 for both online and land-based gambling. Additionally, licensed operators are now prohibited from offering free bets, bonuses, or gifts as incentives for players.