Belarus was moving to sharply tighten gambling marketing, with draft rules prepared by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade and sent for approval. The package would suspend most online casino promotions and advertisements, including ads for sports betting, as part of a broader effort to curb consumer exposure to gambling.
The draft went beyond casinos. It would ban advertising of gambling and electronic interactive games on the internet and in transport, while also limiting when gambling ads could appear on television and radio.
Lottery promotions would also face curbs. The proposed rules were aimed at reducing the overall amount of gambling advertising seen by consumers, not just at blocking illegal promotions.
The ministry also wanted to strip back the imagery used in gambling marketing. Under the draft, the likeness of celebrities, ordinary people and animals would be prohibited in ads for casinos and gambling establishments, and companies would not be allowed to highlight bonuses that could be used for placing bets.
The stated aim was to rein in problem gambling and stop consumers being unnecessarily exposed to excessive gambling, while licensed operators would have far fewer channels and narrower windows for promotion. Reform.news and Nashaniva reported that the bill had already been prepared and sent for approval to relevant authorities, suggesting the proposal is still awaiting formal sign-off. If adopted, it would mark a broad shift in how gambling, sports betting and lottery products can be marketed in Belarus.
