Belgian football clubs must fully comply with new rules banning betting and gambling sponsors from being displayed to audiences.
The Kansspelcommissie, Belgium’s Gambling Commission, has issued direct warnings to Pro League clubs RSC Anderlecht and Club Brugge FC. Both clubs are now under scrutiny and could face heavy fines for violating new laws introduced on 1 January 2025.
Since 2023, Belgium has rolled out strict advertising reforms under former Justice Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne. Phase 1 banned gambling ads (except the national lottery) from public spaces and national media, including TV, radio, billboards, and newspapers.
From 1 January 2025, sports clubs can no longer display gambling sponsors on the front of team shirts and must limit their presence in stadiums. However, clubs can still place gambling logos on the back of shirts, provided they don’t exceed 75 cm². They can also work with indirect promoters like foundations, fan networks, apps, football websites, and online broadcasts.
Anderlecht & Club Brugge accused of rule-bending
Anderlecht and Club Brugge allegedly tried to bypass the rules by enlarging sponsor logos (Napoleon Sports and Unibet). Both clubs deny wrongdoing, claiming they have followed the regulations.
Other clubs have also been accused of exploiting loopholes, such as renaming gambling companies on jerseys to appear unrelated while still linking to betting platforms (e.g., “U-experts” for Unibet and “Circus Daily” for Circus Casino). Some have manipulated logo size rules by counting only the letters and ignoring spaces to fit within the limits.
Marjolein De Paepe from the Gambling Commission made it clear:”Only the total space occupied by the sponsor’s name counts, not the size of each letter.”
She warned clubs to comply strictly, stating: “Further violations could lead to warnings, temporary suspensions, or even license revocation.”
Dutch Gambling Authority to close loopholes
The Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the Netherlands’ Gambling Authority, is monitoring sponsorship restrictions and will ban all gambling sponsorships from 1 July.
KSA Chairman Michel Groothuizen assured Dutch lawmakers that all loopholes will be closed to prevent a repeat of Belgium’s situation.
