Belarus Introduces Gambling Ban for Debtors

In Belarus, starting January 1, 2026, court enforcement officers were granted the right to ban debtors from accessing gambling activities without a court decision; previously, this required a separate petition and a court order.

New Powers of Court Enforcement Officers

Amendments were made to the Law on Enforcement Proceedings. Under the new rules, court enforcement officers can impose restrictions on debtors independently, without mandatory court approval.

Previously, such measures could be applied only by a court decision and required a separate request from the enforcement service.

What Restrictions May Be Imposed

The ban applies to participation in gambling activities across all licensed platforms.

The restrictions cover betting shops, gaming halls, poker rooms, online casinos, totalisators, and lotteries involving cash stakes.

Mechanism for Implementing the Ban

Cooperation with the Monitoring Center

The enforcement of these restrictions will be carried out through cooperation between enforcement authorities and the Gambling Business Monitoring Center.

This mechanism will provide the technical means to restrict debtors’ access to gambling activities.

Purpose of the Restrictions

Impact on Debtors

The initiative is intended to prevent situations where individuals with significant outstanding debts continue to spend money on gambling.

The gambling ban imposed by a court enforcement officer is viewed as a measure that encourages faster repayment of outstanding debts.