Affiliates regaining popularity in Belgium due to ad ban

It is no longer news that Belgium's cabinet has approved a comprehensive ban on gambling ads. While this ban may seem like a huge inconvenience or a setback in the gaming industry, it is an advantageous opportunity for affiliates. They have made it possible for Belgium's iGaming market to continue to expand and flourish despite harsh regulatory conditions. In just a short time, affiliate marketing will regain popularity in the country. 

Belgium's ban on gambling advertising 

Due to the exponential increase in gambling addiction and debt, the Belgian government decided to place a ban on all gambling advertising across multiple platforms from July 1st, 2023. The government has nursed a deep concern about the negative impact of gambling in society, especially on the youth, as they spend so much money and time on iGaming, and this is a result of the high influx of enticing adverts people see. This ban will help those struggling with gambling addiction as they will now see the ads less often. 

iGaming ads have been banned in cinemas, radio, TV, newspapers, magazines, and public places. The ban covers all forms of advertising, both from land-based and online casinos. Ads in stadiums, social media, and websites will be banned at a later date. 

Vincent Van Quickenborne, the then minister of Justice, welcomed the decision of the government, stating that it is a necessary step to promote responsible gambling and protect individuals from addiction and debt due to their vulnerability. 

However, there is an exception to all this: the country's national lottery is allowed to run ads as it normally does. So, can you still enjoy casino games even with this ban? Of course. You can easily access the best online casino Belgium for a wide range of casino games, rewarding bonuses, and the opportunity to bet on games and win real money. These casinos offer games to players with the opportunity to win real money by playing games such as slots, roulette, blackjack, dice games, etc.

The three stages of the ban

The ban will be implemented gradually over five years to ensure a smooth transition for casinos. As of July 1, 2023, advertising on radio, TV, and other traditional media was prohibited. From January 1st, 2025, it will be followed by a ban on football stadium ads. When this is fully affected, all sponsorships for shirt ads will still be allowed, but only with the name, slogan, and logo of the sponsor. 

The final phase of the ban will come into play on January 1st, 2028. It is a total ban on all gambling ads, including shirt sponsorships. However, according to Georges-Louis Bouchez, the president of the Francophone liberal MR party, who previously expressed dissatisfaction with the government's decision, there could still be some changes since it has not been fully implemented yet.

Backlash from the Belgium gambling ad ban

The Belgian government announced the ban on May 10, 2023, and the news spread very quickly. In the subsequent months, citizens, ministers, and gambling agencies criticized it and characterized it as a boon to the illegal gambling market. 

In June 2023, Franc Weerwind, the minister for legal protection, criticized the action and called for a more regulated gambling market instead of an outright prohibition. However, before this ban, the Belgian Gaming Commission already called for a limit on gambling ads in the country because they saw the negative impact it was having. 

Most importantly, the Belgium Association of Gaming Operators (Bago) stated that it is unfair to allow the national lottery, which is the country’s largest gambling operator, to continue advertising freely because the company alone covers about 40% of the gaming market in the country.  So, the Belgian National Lottery disputed the allegations and claimed they didn’t have any unfair support from ministers and had not influenced the decisions of the ban in any way. 

BAGO highlighted that instead of an advertising ban, player protection methods such as increased awareness, age regulation, and the use of AI are possible alternatives. But all this criticism and backlash didn't stop the government; however, the good news is that after much contemplation, they left affiliate marketing out of the ban. 

The role of affiliates in iGaming marketing

Due to these regulations, traditional marketing has been significantly limited, making affiliate marketing the only smooth and easy option for running gambling ads. It is now a popular traffic source in Belgium, and all gambling operators use it daily because the success of their business now depends on it.

Affiliate marketing is a method of advertisement in which a company hires third-party agencies like influencers, celebrities, or bloggers to generate leads for their products and services. The affiliate earns a commission for every lead they bring or every sale they complete. These affiliates go over and beyond to convince people to try a product or service, and the strategies they decide to implement are solely their concern. The company only worries about the clients they get from the deal.

The opportunity for affiliate marketers 

The Belgian Gaming Commission has clarified that affiliate websites are allowed to promote licensed gambling companies. They can use logos and brand names to run ads that will appear as paid search results when users search using gambling-related keywords. 

Affiliate marketers have a strong ability to generate organic traffic because their audience trusts them and follows their recommendations on products and services; they provide an effective way to promote gambling services while adhering to all of Belgium’s regulatory standards. These affiliates go as far as creating content in different languages like French, Dutch, and German just to engage diverse players, so the advert model is a great tool for the gambling industry. 

Affiliates are benefiting greatly from this ban, and they are regaining popularity after struggling to keep their place all these years due to the diverse media and advertising tools available for businesses. However, the gambling industry is also grateful that it has something reliable to fall back on, so it is a win-win situation for everyone. Hopefully, as the other aspects of the ban roll out over the next few years, the government will continue to allow affiliates to run ads for gambling companies to enable the smooth running of their businesses.