Crackdown on Sports Betting Ads

A new Brazilian Bill that would introduce sweeping new restrictions on betting advertisements in Brazil is headed to the Senate Plenary after gaining approval from the Senate Sports Commission on Wednesday. The legislation, which has been amended to soften an initial total ban, reflects growing political momentum to rein in gambling promotions amid mounting public concern over the industry's social impact.

Bill 2,985/2023, authored by Senator Styvenson Valentim, originally called for a complete prohibition on betting ads. However, following review, Senator Carlos Portinho introduced a revised version that scales back the ban but still imposes strict limits on when and where betting ads can appear.

Key Restrictions Under the New Proposal

Under Portinho’s substitute bill, advertising for betting services would be prohibited during live sports broadcasts across all media platforms. The use of celebrities—including athletes, artists, and digital influencers—would also be barred, with a narrow exception for retired athletes who ended their careers at least five years prior.

Broadcast advertising would only be allowed during limited hours:

• TV, streaming, and internet: 7:30 p.m. to midnight
• Radio: 9–11 a.m. and 5–7:30 p.m.

Print media advertising would be banned outright. Static and electronic ads in stadiums would also be prohibited, except in cases where operators are official event sponsors, stadium naming rights holders, or sponsors of team kits—limited to one operator per team.

In addition, all betting ads would be required to include responsible gambling warnings using the phrase: “Gambling causes addiction and harm to you and your family.”

Online ads targeting adults over 18 would still be permitted, provided that users are verified and can easily opt out of receiving promotional content.

Operators would also be allowed limited brand placement in promotional materials for sports broadcasts airing between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.—but only if they do not explicitly encourage betting or promise winnings.

Senator Portinho defended the restrictions as a necessary response to what he described as a failure of industry self-regulation. He cited the July 2024 introduction of Normative Ordinance No. 1,231 by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), which set guidelines for gambling ads, but which Portinho says have proven inadequate.

The Hearing

“One year after this law was passed, our society is sick—it is completely addicted to betting,” Portinho said during the committee session. “Football clubs are addicted to betting. Communication companies are addicted to the money they receive from betting. And with this pandemic, it is up to us to impose discipline.”

Portinho dismissed criticism from several football clubs that signed a letter opposing further advertising restrictions, saying the clubs have become “accomplices in an epidemic that is destroying families.”

Though the bill would typically pass through the Communication and Digital Law Committee (CCDD), the committee has not yet been installed. As a result, the proposal is expected to proceed directly to the Senate Plenary for debate and vote. If approved, it will then move to the Chamber of Deputies for further consideration.

Senator Valentim, while disappointed the original full ban was not preserved, expressed cautious support for the revised bill. “Your vote was balanced,” he told Portinho. “It wasn’t what I wanted, but it achieved its purpose in some points. Maybe we’re giving the market a chance to adapt and a warning to the population.”

Context & The Future

Brazil’s betting industry has grown rapidly in recent years, spurred by legalization measures and a surge in online gaming platforms. However, with increased visibility has come increased scrutiny—especially from lawmakers and public health advocates worried about the sector’s influence on youth, sports, and vulnerable populations.

The Senate’s push to regulate advertising is part of a broader recalibration of how Brazil manages legalized gambling. While the industry has become a major sponsor of football and other sports, policymakers are now questioning whether the current model adequately protects the public.

If passed, the new rules would mark a significant shift in how betting companies operate in Brazil, potentially setting a precedent for further regulation in Latin America’s largest market.