Belgian Football Clubs Under Investigation for Gambling Ads
Belgian football teams have been ordered to fully comply with new regulations that prohibit gambling and betting sponsorships from being displayed to audiences.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:The Kansspelcommissie, Belgium's Gambling Commission, has confirmed that it has issued warnings to two Pro League clubs, RSC Anderlecht and Club Brugge KV.
As Belgium’s two most prominent football teams, Anderlecht and Club Brugge are now “under scrutiny” as authorities consider imposing fines for allegedly violating the new rules for sports sponsorship that took effect on January 1, 2025.
The Belgian government has been implementing gambling advertising reforms since 2023 and the new measures, introduced under former Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne, are designed to combat gambling addiction and apply at a federal level.
The first phase of the reforms banned nearly all forms of gambling advertising, except for the national lottery, across public spaces and national media, including television, radio, newspapers, and billboards. Belgium’s long-term plan requires a complete prohibition on gambling promotions by 2028.
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Strict Sponsorship Rules for Belgian Sports
In the sports sector, sponsorship restrictions took effect on January 1, 2025, preventing clubs from featuring gambling advertisements on the front of their jerseys and limiting the visibility of gambling-related branding within stadiums.
However, teams are still allowed to display gambling company logos on the back of their jerseys, provided they do not exceed a total surface area of 75 cm2. Additionally, clubs can collaborate with groups that indirectly promote gambling brands, such as fan communities, mobile apps, football websites, and online broadcasts.
Authorities suspect that Anderlecht and Club Brugge attempted to circumvent the gambling regulations by enlarging the logos of their respective sponsors, Napoleon Sports and Unibet. Both clubs deny the allegations, insisting they are in full compliance with the permitted guidelines.
Other clubs have also sought ways to bypass the restrictions. Some have modified gambling company names on jerseys to appear unrelated while still linking to betting platforms. For example, rebranding Unibet as “U-experts” and Circus Casino as “Circus Daily”. Others have exploited loopholes in the logo size rules by only counting the letters in a sponsor’s name while ignoring spaces.
Kansspelcommissie Communications Director Marjolein De Paepe has clarified the rules. She explained that “only the total space occupied by the sponsor’s name will be taken into account, not the surface area of each individual character.”
She added that clubs have been informed of these regulations and must strictly adhere to them. If further violations occur, the Gambling Commission has the authority to issue warnings, suspend licenses temporarily, or revoke them permanently.
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