Senator proposes rise in minimum age for gambling in Brazil
Bill 3754/2025 also seeks to impose new deposit limits and advertising restrictions.
Brazil.- Senator Humberto Costa has presented a bill in the Senate that would raise the minimum legal age for betting from 18 to 21 and impose new limits on player deposits.
Bill 3754/2025 would allow players to deposit no more than the equivalent of one minimum monthly wage per month. The Ministry of Finance would have the power to establish additional daily and weekly spending thresholds.
The bill would also add new restrictions for marketing. Gambling adverts would be prohibited between the hours of 6am and 10pm, and gambling operators would not be allowed to sponsor public events, such as sports, cultural and artistic events and festivals, regardless of whether they receive government funding. Marketing that targets under 21s would also be banned.
Senator Costa claims that the measures are needed to mitigate the negative effects of an online gambling sector that’s been growing rapidly since the regulated market launched on January 1, 2025. He cited troubling incidents, such as a homicide case in Minas Gerais that’s been linked to gambling debts. Costa also expressed concern over students misusing tuition funds, sometimes provided through the Fies programme, for gambling purposes, leading to delays or withdrawals from university.
The industry has already expressed concern after the Senate approved legislative changes in May to ban gambling endorsements by influencers and athletes, in-stadium advertising and commercials during live sports broadcasts. However, a blanket ban on advertising was avoided. Some argue that the restrictions were needed to avoid a backlash against the newly regulated industry.
Brazil casino bill back on agenda
Meanwhile, the long-delayed proposal to regulate land-based casinos in Brazil will be back on the Senate agenda after the current recess. Bill 2,234/2022 would allow the operation of a sector that has been illegal since 1946, paving the way for regulated land-based casinos, bingo halls, instant wins and horserace betting.
The bill has faced years of delays. It was resurrected by senator Irajá Abreu (PSD-TO) last year but plans for a Senate vote were ultimately postponed. The president of the house has now included the topic among those expected for the second half of 2025.
