Brazil’s Sports Committee has just taken a major step toward tightening betting ad restrictions in the country. Lawmakers approved a bill that cracks down on how sportsbooks can promote their products, especially on TV, radio, and social media. If this moves forward, operators will face a much narrower window—and fewer faces—for getting their message out.

  • The bill in question, PL 2.985/2023, originally proposed a full ad ban but got reshaped by Senator Carlos Portinho into something more nuanced. His version keeps betting ads on the air but adds strict rules under Law 14.790/2023, aiming to curb exposure among minors and vulnerable users. It’s a shift from “no ads” to “only ads under tight controls.”

  • Ads can now only run at specific times: 7:30 p.m. to midnight for TV and digital, and two short blocks for radio. No betting ads during live sports, and no more flashy live odds during games—unless you’re on an operator’s own site or app. Print ads? Those are out altogether.

  • Big names are off the table. The bill bans the use of current athletes, celebrities, influencers, and public figures in betting promotions. One exception: retired athletes can appear—but only five years after hanging up their boots. Romário supported this tweak, pointing out that not all ex-players are financially secure.

  • Betting sponsorships aren’t banned but will have to walk a fine line. Teams can still wear betting logos, but not on kits sold in children’s sizes. Naming rights and event sponsorships are fine, as long as the branding doesn’t make gambling look like an easy ticket to wealth.

  • New rules ban ads that glamorize betting or target younger audiences through cartoons, influencers, or gamified content. Operators also need to make it easy for users to disable ads, and every campaign must now carry a bold, visible warning: “Betting causes addiction and harms you and your family.”

  • Platforms that fail to remove illegal content after being flagged by the Ministry of Finance won’t just be warned—they’ll be held legally responsible. This extends liability beyond just the operators and puts pressure on digital platforms to act fast.

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