In a landmark transfer, Brazil’s Senate has handed Invoice PL 2.985/2023, introducing sweeping restrictions on how fixed-odds sports activities betting could be marketed throughout the nation. Initially proposed as an entire ban on playing promotion, the invoice has been reshaped to impose focused limitations on promoting practices, together with using public figures, stay broadcast placements, and in-stadium branding.
Spearheaded by Senator Styvenson Valentim and refined by Senator Carlos Portinho, the invoice goals to handle what lawmakers are calling a public well being disaster pushed by extreme publicity to playing advertisements. “A yr after the regulation handed, our society is sick—completely hooked on bets,” mentioned Portinho. “Soccer golf equipment are addicted. Media firms are hooked on the cash from bets.”
The laws now awaits additional evaluation and approval within the Chamber of Deputies, with an pressing request already positioned to expedite its assessment.
Influencers and In-Stadium Adverts Amongst Fundamental Targets
The invoice explicitly prohibits using photographs of athletes, influencers, artists, and public figures in sportsbook commercials. Exceptions apply solely to former athletes who’ve been retired for not less than 5 years, following a proposal from Senator Romário to supply struggling ex-players with potential earnings alternatives. “This might assist them,” Romário mentioned, emphasizing that many are usually not financially safe.
Promoting inside stadiums and sports activities arenas can also be restricted. Betting operators will solely be allowed to show advertisements in these venues if they’re official sponsors of the membership, competitors, or facility. The transfer has drawn robust opposition from greater than 50 Brazilian soccer golf equipment, who warned of a projected annual income lack of R$1.6 billion. “The ban on displaying operators’ manufacturers… removes essential income streams from the golf equipment,” learn a joint assertion.
Portinho countered these claims by pointing to the sector’s poor monetary administration. “The golf equipment have been financially damaged for a very long time resulting from poor administration,” he mentioned, including that the invoice’s purpose is to scale back ambush advertising and emphasize authentic sponsorships.
Promoting Hours and Content material Restrictions
The invoice enforces strict time home windows for sportsbook commercials. TV, streaming, and web advertisements are restricted to between 7:30 p.m. and midnight. On radio, advertisements might air from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Betting promotions throughout stay sports activities broadcasts shall be permitted solely quarter-hour earlier than and after the occasion.
Content material restrictions are equally stringent. Adverts can not painting betting as a path to non-public success, monetary stability, or job alternate options. Visible components reminiscent of animations, mascots, or AI-generated characters focusing on minors are additionally banned. Betting advertisements should embrace the warning: “Playing causes dependancy and hurt to you and your loved ones.”
Sponsorship Guidelines and Platform Legal responsibility
Underneath the brand new framework, betting firms are forbidden from sponsoring referees or match officers. Logos might seem on crew uniforms provided that gamers are over 18, and youth-sized jerseys can not show playing branding. Sponsorship of cultural, information, or sports activities packages will stay permissible, offered it doesn’t embrace promotional content material or incentives to wager.
Digital platforms and advertisers should act shortly to take away unlawful advertisements upon notification from the Finance Ministry. Failure to take action will end in shared authorized legal responsibility, additional reinforcing the federal government’s push to regulate playing publicity on-line.
Lawmakers Name for Accountability and Future Motion
Senator Leila Barros, President of the Senate’s Sports activities Fee, mentioned the widespread nature of betting advertisements introduced “completely nothing” optimistic. “In actual fact, it introduced lots of people with dependancy issues, greater suicide charges,” she famous.
Styvenson Valentim, the invoice’s unique creator, acknowledged that whereas the ultimate model was a compromise, it nonetheless sends a robust message. “We couldn’t reduce the issue on the root, however we trimmed it to see what occurs,” he mentioned. “This can be a warning to the market and the general public that betting is dangerous.”
Senator Eduardo Girão, who had pushed for a whole ban underneath a separate proposal, supported the adopted restrictions, evaluating playing dependancy to nicotine. “It’s self-cannibalism,” he mentioned, referring to the dependence of golf equipment and media on betting income.
The accepted textual content now strikes to the Chamber of Deputies for additional deliberation.
Supply:
Senate Sports activities Committee restricts promoting of ‘Bets’ in stadiums and bans influencers, gamesbras.com, Might 28, 2025.
