Pressure builds in Brazil for advertising restrictions

Senator Carlos Portinho has called, in a speech in the Senate plenary, for progress in the Chamber of Deputies on bills approved by the Senate concerning the regulation of sports betting advertising.

He asked Senate President Davi Alcolumbre to engage in dialogue with Chamber President Hugo Motta to advance the proposals.

Portinho highlighted Bill No. 3,405/2023 on sports betting. According to the senator, the proposal establishes rules for betting advertising, including measures such as restricting ads during sports broadcasts and limiting the participation of influencers, artists, and other public figures in promotional campaigns.

“This bill prohibits the participation of individuals in advertising, and in doing so, we address the problem of influencers, artists, and idols who unfortunately play a role in encouraging betting and the indebtedness of Brazilian families. The bill also bans animations,” he said.

PL 3.405/2023 is one of several overlapping initiatives seeking to harden the advertising environment for betting  in Brazil.

Two Senate bills to tighten betting advertising rules—PL 2.985/2023 (put forward by Senator Styvenson Valentim) and PL 3.405/2023 ( put forward by Senator Eduardo Girão)—were ultimately folded into a single proposal. PL 2.985/2023 initially sought a total ban on sports betting advertising, while PL 3.405/2023 targeted ads featuring athletes, celebrities, and influencers.

Because both amended Law 13.756/2018, they were debated together in joint hearings. Rapporteur Carlos Portinho then drafted one substitute text under PL 2.985/2023, softening the absolute ban but keeping strict limits and incorporating the influencer/celebrity bans. PL 3.405/2023 was archived as a standalone bill, and the unified PL 2.985/2023 was approved by the Senate and sent to the Chamber of Deputies.

Meanwhile Brazil’s Finance Minister, Dario Durigan, recently indicated that the federal government plans to tighten controls on sports betting advertising during the World Cup.

Speaking at a press conference held at the Brazilian embassy in Beijing, Durigan suggested that new rules could be introduced quickly. “There may even be a Provisional Measure for the second phase of the World Cup, already with these limitations,” he said.

Momentum is also gathering in the Chamber of Deputies. Last month Brazilian federal deputy Kim Kataguiri introduced Bill 3,287/2026 , proposing a nationwide ban on advertising, sponsorship and commercial promotion for online betting.

The initiative would align the treatment of betting promotion with the strict regime already applied to tobacco products. The bill would amend Brazil’s online betting framework to establish a general prohibition on commercial communication, marketing, sponsorship and promotion linked to online betting and their operators.