The Brazilian Senate has approved Bill PL 2.985/2023, introducing sweeping new restrictions on gambling-related advertising. Initially, the bill proposed a total ban on gambling ads but has since evolved into a more targeted effort to curb the promotion of fixed-odds betting promotions.
Part of broader gambling regulation
The new legislation will enforce restrictions on direct advertisements, promotional activities involving athletes, artists, media, personalities, influencers, or public figures. It comes as part of a broader conversation around gambling regulation that has gripped Brazil in recent years.
Discussion on limiting gambling ads picked up pace in April, owing much of its momentum to Senator Styvenson Valentim, who has been a vocal advocate for tighter controls on gambling advertising. He brought the issue back to the forefront of national politics, citing serious social concerns about the impact of betting on vulnerable individuals. Valentim noted the harmful impact of gambling, from financial ruin to mental health deterioration, and even suicide.
While Bill PL 2.985/2023 called for a total advertising blackout for all forms of gambling, the revised version now zeroes in on live broadcasts, influencer campaigns, and deceptive promotional tactics. The law also bars any campaign that portrays gambling as a solution to financial woes, a legitimate source of income, or an aspirational lifestyle. The bill also bans direct or indirect sponsorship of referees, the use of drawings, animations, mascots, or characters, as well as unsolicited messages, calls, or notifications sent to customers. It also prohibits ads containing sexist, misogynistic or discriminatory content.
Criticism on the bill
Although the bill has passed the senate, critics like the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming’s (IBJR) have expressed concerns, arguing that such drastic restrictions will actually do more harm than good, possibly pushing consumers toward illegal gambling operations. Various soccer clubs have stood up against the bill. According to estimates shared in a joint statement with Games Magazine Brazil, they said the Brazilian sports sector could face a financial loss of over R$1.6 billion (USD $310 million) annually if the new rules go into effect.
In related news, during the recent Brazilian Senate plenary session, Senator Eduardo Girão requested an outright prohibition of all kinds of betting, referring to it as a “humanitarian tragedy.” The request was made in the aftermath of the recent legalisation of online betting, lending weight and controversy to his remark. In the course of the plenary session speech, Girão blamed the increase in addiction and family borrowing on the newly introduced regulated online gaming industry, which opened on 1 January 2025.
