Belarusian president criticizes the country’s iGaming advertising boom

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has ordered ministers to bring gambling advertising under control, saying the country has turned into “a casino.” For high-risk operators and PSPs, that is the sort of political signal that can quickly turn into tighter marketing rules, payment scrutiny, or both.

1. The comments came after a local debate on gambling marketing that had already been launched by the Ministry of Antimonopoly Regulation and Trade, known as MART. Lukashenko joined in and told ministers to take control of ads for gambling services.
2. His line was blunt: according to control checks, “huge amounts of money” in the gambling industry are leaving Belarus. That matters for payment flows because it frames the sector not just as a consumer issue, but as money moving out of the country.
3. Lukashenko also rejected claims that his family is partly behind the country’s gambling business. The state-linked operator Belbet, run through Belarusian Lotteries, has previously been noted for offering full iGaming products alongside lottery services.

For PSPs and acquirers, the practical takeaway is simple: when a head of state publicly singles out gambling ads and capital outflows, the next move is often closer supervision of merchants, media spend, and the payment rails attached to the sector.