In a united protest, licensed betting companies took their arguments to the pitch of Brazilian top-flight football stadiums, highlighting the consequences of a new betting ban imposed by the government.
During matches held on Friday and Saturday, members from the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) seized the opportunity to express their dissent. They utilized the advertising boards surrounding the fields to display impactful slogans such as "To prohibit is not to protect" and "The ban doesn’t end gambling."
This demonstration specifically addresses Provisional Measure 1,394, which prohibits online betting across Brazil. The teams affected included São Paulo and Santos on Friday and Atlético-MG and Bragantino on Saturday, indicating the far-reaching implications of the government's decision on various clubs.
The provisional measure disrupts not only existing sponsorship agreements but also complicates future planning for the seasons ahead, affecting negotiations and potential investments in Brazilian sports.
Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of ANJL, emphasized the importance of a regulated environment with clear guidelines that would enable clubs and companies to make long-term plans.
Carlos Lima, who leads IBJR, highlighted that discussions surrounding the ban must take into account the predictable nature of a market that operates under state-granted licenses.
According to the manifesto issued by ANJL and IBJR, the action underscores that the ban does not eradicate betting in Brazil; it merely removes regulatory protections for bettors. The Ministry of Finance reported that there were 31 million active users on licensed betting platforms, most of whom participated in gambling responsibly.
Since the ban took effect on September 25, there has been a notable increase in illegal betting markets within Brazil. This has raised alarms, as the manifesto pointed out the growing threat that such markets pose not just to individual bettors but to society as a whole. It warned against the black market being exploited by organized crime, targeting vulnerable individuals.
Data from Legitbet, the ANJL's monitoring platform, revealed that between September 22 and September 28, a staggering 6,401 new illegal betting sites emerged, alongside 811 links to these platforms on monitored channels.
Before the ban, illegal betting already accounted for 41% of total wagers in the nation, and projections suggest this figure could rise to 100% without proper regulation. The consulting firm LCA estimates that up to BRL73 billion (approximately $14 billion) in potential revenue could be compromised from 2027 to 2030 if all betting demand shifts to illegal operators.
Both ANJL and IBJR reiterated their concerns regarding household debt and gambling-related issues, stating that a well-regulated betting environment is best equipped to tackle these challenges. They expressed a willingness to engage in discussions about implementing deposit limits, advertising regulations, mental health support, and stringent measures to counter illegal betting sites—initiatives that would not be possible in unregulated environments.
As the two organizations pointed out, banning sports betting does not offer protection to bettors; rather, it pushes them into unregulated and potentially harmful territories.
