Belarus Adopts Amendments to the Law on Advertising

The Belarusian Parliament has adopted amendments to the Law on Advertising in the first reading. The Belarusian Hockey Federation was the initiator of the amendments.

The fourth part of paragraph two of Article 23 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Advertising” prohibited placement of advertising of gambling establishments and gambling on television and radio from 7.00 to 22.00, in buildings of sports education. Now the clarification was added: “with the exception of advertising for bookmakers and totes.”

It is also planned to allow bookmakers to advertise during contests, lotteries, games, other gaming and promotional events.

The BFH insisted on these changes, arguing that sports betting will allow the domestic sports industry to find new sources of financing, thereby eliminating the absurd bias in which the betting industry made money on sports without offering anything in return.