Trade Minister Says New Law Will Minimize Betting Advertising

Tomislav Momirovic (BETAPHOTO/Milan Obradovic)

Trade Minister Tomislav Momirovic on Oct. 29 said that amendments to the Advertising Act sought to prohibit sports betting and gambling houses from advertising on billboards and other open space areas and to overall minimize their advertising activities. 

Speaking to state public broadcaster RTS, Momirovic said that sports betting houses would no longer be able to advertise in the press, aside from sports pages, and only at specified time on TV, nor would public figures be able to promote these houses and encourage people to bet. Momirovic also said that this was not a “crackdown on betting houses,” the number of which was around 3,000 across Serbia. 

He added that games of chance advertising would no longer be allowed within 100 meters of schools and other venues for children, while venues hosting games of chance would not be allowed within 200 meters from venues for children. 

“TV advertising will be allowed from 11 pm to 6 am and during sports events, and promotions 30 minutes before and after the airtime of sports events. We are not into any witch hunt, this is not a war against betting houses. Their business is legitimate, but we as a society need to regulate this,” Momirovic said, adding that the state wanted to limit the games causing addiction and to reduce them to a realistic, European level.