Brazilian Senate Commission debates advertising restrictions
At a public hearing of the Sports Commission (CEsp) senators and experts questioned the effectiveness of legal restrictions on gambling advertisements, which took full effect in January 2025.
According to the Senate News Agency the debate will inform discussions on two proposed laws aimed at tightening advertising in the online sports betting sector (PL 2,985/2023 and PL 3,405/2023).
Senator Carlos Portinho, the rapporteur for PL 2,985/2023 and the author of one of the requests for the hearing, stated that the project is a response from lawmakers to the “few results” achieved by the federal government in trying to curb what he considers to be “predatory advertising.”
Daniele Correa Cardoso, a representative from the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) asserted that the legislation already includes several tools suggested by parliamentarians and guests during the meeting, such as facial recognition technologies to prevent bets made by children and the prohibition of linking bets to easy winnings, extra income, or investments.
She also pointed out that advertising in the betting sector involves significant participation from the National Council of Advertising Self-Regulation (Conar), which encourages self-regulation within the industry. According to the official, the partnership between the SPA and Conar has been “very effective.”
However, in the opinion of public defender Thiago Henrique Cunha Basílio, who works in the state of Rio de Janeiro, betting advertisements do not adequately convey the emotional and financial risks involved in gambling.
Alexandre Fonseca, CEO of SuperBet Brasil, agreed that communication regarding the potential harms of gambling must be enhanced. However, he noted that the challenge lies in reaching unauthorized betting companies that will not comply with legal advertising requirements.
Meanwhile Pietro Cardia Lorenzoni, legal director of the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), said that that banning or excessively restricting advertising for betting could hinder consumers in identifying companies authorized by the government. He pointed out that this was the outcome in Italy when advertising in the sector was banned in 2018.
Senator Styvenson Valentim, author of PL 2,985/2023, recalled that his original intention was to ban all types of advertising to prevent influencers and celebrities from excessively increasing the number of new bettors “beyond reasonable limits.”
The involvement of celebrities in promoting gambling is currently under investigation in the Senate’s CPI for Sports Betting, which is investigating irregular sites and the possible links between betting and organized crime.
However, Senator Jorge Kajuru indicated that he would reject any “radical” solution to the issue. He noted that television networks and football clubs are currently dependent on the revenue they receive from betting advertisements.
