Brazil considers ban on fixed-odds betting advertising to curb youth gambling

Brazil's Sports Commission (CEsp) is set to review a proposed bill on Wednesday that would ban all advertising of fixed-odds betting in the country. The bill, introduced by Senator Styvenson Valentim, aims to amend Article 33 of Law No. 13,756/2018, which currently governs fixed-odds sports betting regulations in Brazil.

The proposed legislation would impose a blanket ban on gambling advertising across all channels and media formats. Senator Valentim justified the proposal by expressing concerns over the increasing number of young people participating in betting. 

“This proposal is justified in view of the sudden change in the profile of bettors, which is now mostly made up of young people, who have at their disposal, 24 hours a day, with just one click, the possibility of placing bets without any barrier to impulsive behaviour,” he said.

The CEsp will hold a meeting at 10:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday to discuss the bill. Should it gain initial approval, the proposal will be forwarded to the Communication and Digital Law Commission (CCDD), which will decide whether to advance the legislation.

This move comes after Brazil's Secretariat of Prizes and Bets introduced new advertising restrictions in December. These measures, originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, include prohibiting gambling advertisements aimed at children and adolescents and banning ads on channels where minors make up the majority of the audience. All gambling ads are now required to display an '18+' symbol or a clear message stating “prohibited for people under 18.”

Senator Carlos Portinho, a previous advocate for excluding iGaming from Brazil’s betting laws, has expressed support for Valentim’s bill. He has introduced amendments that would further tighten advertising restrictions, including a prohibition on betting ads on the radio between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and a total ban on marketing in printed and electronic media. 

Portinho noted the dangers of aggressive gambling advertising, stating: “The rampant advertising in this sector leads the audience to believe that, with a stroke of luck, they will achieve financial independence, when reality has shown the even more pronounced impoverishment of the most economically vulnerable segments of the population.”

Portinho's amendments also seek to prevent the use of athletes, celebrities, and public figures in gambling promotions, as well as banning text messages and mobile notifications for marketing purposes.