Brazilian Senate Sports Committee passes bill that would limit gambling ads
Operators and football clubs have expressed opposition to the bill 2,985/2023, which would restrict the times at which gambling ads can be aired.
Brazil.- The Senate Sports Committee (CEsp) has approved Senator Styvenson Valentim’s (PSDB-RN) Bill 2,985/2023, which aims to restrict online betting advertising in Brazil. The proposal approved was an alternative text presented by senator Carlos Portinho (PL-RJ).
According to the Senate Agency, the bill prohibits athletes, artists and influencers from advertising betting via any media outlet. The times at which advertisements can be aired would be restricted.
Since it is a substitute text, the bill will still require a supplementary vote by the Committee. Senate president Leila Barros (PDT-DF) has suggested that after that, the bill could pass directly to a plenary vote in the Senate and then to the Chamber of Deputies before presidential sanction.
The proposal would restrict the broadcasting of advertising on open and subscription television, streaming, social networks and the internet to the time between 7.30pm and midnight with an exception for advertising broadcast live in the 15 minutes before the start of the match and in the 15 minutes after the end of the game. Radio advertising would be allowed in two periods: from 9am to 11am and from 5pm to 7.30pm.
Other measures in the bill include a ban on displaying odds in real time during the live broadcasts and on promoting bets on referees and other members of the refereeing team. Operators would be prohibited from using content aimed at children and young people and from advertising fixed-odds bets in stadiums, with an exception to allow naming rights.
Opposition to the bill
Brazilian football clubs have published a joint statement opposing the bill, warning that the measure could cause an estimated financial impact of R1.6bn (US$ 239m) per year. They say smaller clubs could face major difficulties as a result.
Industry body the Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável (IBJR) has also expressed strong opposition arguing that the bill could compromise the regulation of the sector and favour the illegal market. It said: “The proposal harms the communication between legal betting companies and bettors, compromising the sustainability of a regulated sector and responsible gambling.
Defending the bill, Portinho argued that current gambling legislation passed in late 2023 was insufficient, requiring only the use of simple labels like “play responsibly” or “product for those over 18” in ads. The bill would replace these with more active statements like “Gambling causes addiction and harms you and your family”.
