Belarus President Calls For Another Overhaul of Gambling Advertising Rules

President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered another review of Belarus’s gambling industry, with advertising placed firmly under the spotlight.

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He issued the instruction during a meeting in Minsk, pointing to the growing frustration among citizens over the visibility of gambling promotions. Lukashenko admitted that even his own family has pressed him to act, saying, “Ads of ‘Spinning the Goose’ are everywhere, and it has already come to the point that [people say] my family is engaged into this. In fact, it is my family that gives me a hard time about it every day. They keep ‘pressuring’ me to pay attention to the issue.”

The President told his administration to take the matter seriously, directing Dmitry Krutoi, his chief of staff, to look closely at the spread of gambling ads. Lukashenko also admitted confusion over the growing number of gambling outlets, noting, “What is this? We have an online casino, casinos in general, and so on. I have got confused about all these definitions.”

Although officials assured him that everything meets regulation, Lukashenko pushed back, remarking, “Well, it’s been regulated, but our country has turned into a casino.”

He singled out betting companies like Fonbet, warning that their presence has become too dominant. Addressing Vasily Gerasimov of the State Control Committee, Lukashenko said complaints about losses reaching $500m were exaggerated, but he stressed that the scale of transactions demanded closer oversight. 

The President concluded by urging regulators to act decisively, reminding them that Belarus must remain a “clean, beautiful country” and not be overwhelmed by gambling promotions. 

“Get the relevant people involved so that we have not just a holistic picture, but ensure that a decision is made. There is no need to get allured by this money everywhere,” Lukashenko said according to SBC Eurasia. 

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Belarus currently in the middle of major gambling ad reforms

The president’s orders come barely weeks after Belarus began drafting new restrictions that would reshape how gambling is promoted across the country.

Last month, the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade introduced a proposal that would ban most online advertising for casinos, betting, and interactive games. The draft law, now under review by government agencies, goes far beyond casino websites themselves, targeting digital platforms, transport spaces, and even the content of ads. 

If passed, gambling businesses would no longer be allowed to use images of people or animals in their promotions, nor highlight bonuses that encourage betting. 

These measures follow earlier steps taken under Presidential Decree No. 226, which required banks to block payments to foreign online casinos and directed activity toward licensed operators inside Belarus. 

The timing of Lukashenko’s latest intervention shows how quickly the country is tightening its grip on gambling visibility. Only months ago, Google had updated its policy to allow ads from licensed operators in Belarus, opening a clearer digital route for the industry. 

Now, the proposed law moves in the opposite direction, narrowing the channels available to reach customers and adding limits on when ads can appear on television and radio. 

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