Brazil to tighten rules on sports betting advertising

Brazil’s federal government is moving to sharply restrict how licensed sports betting operators can advertise, introducing cigarette‑style health warnings and tougher sanctions for non‑compliance.

Finance Minister Dario Durigan said new ordinances, will oblige all licensed betting operators to carry prominent warnings in every advertising format, including TV, radio, online and digital platforms.

The mandatory messages are: “betting makes you lose money,” “betting can cause addiction,” and “betting is not an investment.” The aim is to counter campaigns that portray wagering as easy money, a financial planning tool or a route to supplementary income.

The measures form part of a broader strategy to tighten oversight of Brazil’s regulated fixed‑odds betting market.

Alongside the new advertising rules, the government plans to step up action against unlicensed operators, expanding administrative sanctions and holding both platforms and those who promote them accountable.

Durigan stressed that the administration continues to apply a “zero tolerance” approach to illegal betting, and that advertisers and media outlets are barred from carrying marketing for operators without authorization.

Under the new framework, betting companies will be prohibited from using urgency cues and pressure tactics in their campaigns, such as “bet now” messages or suggestions that an offer will disappear unless consumers wager immediately.

They will also be banned from presenting betting as an investment product, a way to top up household income or a solution to financial difficulties, and from using past payouts or high‑value wins as promotional hooks. Durigan said such practices mislead consumers by implying a high probability of financial gain.

The rules extend into live sports coverage. Commentators, analysts and other broadcast professionals will be prevented from recommending specific bets or odds during programmes, in order to avoid sports analysis being framed as quasi‑expert betting advice. Durigan argued it is not acceptable for specialists to guide viewers towards particular wagers under the guise of technical commentary.

Sanctions for breaches are significant. Licensed operators that flout the advertising rules may face fines of up to 20% of revenue, temporary suspension of their authorization for up to 180 days, and, in serious or repeat cases, permanent loss of their licence.

Media companies and advertisers can also be penalised under consumer protection legislation, with fines around BRL 14 million for abusive advertising. Licensed operators will be held responsible for campaigns run through contracted influencers, with penalties applying to the platform if promotional content posted by creators violates the rules.

A separate ordinance reinforces the crackdown on illegal betting. Media outlets are expressly forbidden from promoting unlicensed platforms.

Authorities say enforcement efforts have already led to the blocking of more than 25,000 illegal betting websites and the removal of hundreds of influencer profiles, while officials report that hundreds of thousands of users have been excluded from authorized platforms for failing to meet legal requirements, including beneficiaries of federal social programmes and participants in debt‑restructuring scheme.