Brazil's Minister of Finance, Dario Durigan, announced on Thursday that new regulations concerning advertising for betting companies will be unveiled on Friday. This development follows the government's earlier plan from late June to modify advertisement practices for the betting sector.
One of the key provisions of the upcoming regulation mandates that all betting advertisements must include health warnings issued by the Ministry of Finance, similar to those seen on alcohol and tobacco ads. Warnings will emphasize critical points such as:
– Betting results in financial losses.
– Betting is addictive.
– Betting should not be viewed as an investment.
Furthermore, according to G1, there will be a separate ordinance created in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice aimed at combating illegal betting operations. Durigan highlighted that media platforms are prohibited from promoting companies that lack authorization to operate within the country.
"We are imposing restrictions on betting advertisements in the country," said Durigan. "I believe it is clear—we have zero tolerance for illegal operators. As such, there is absolutely no authorization for illegal betting activities, and neither advertisers nor media outlets can promote any unauthorized companies."
The new regulations will also restrict commercial practices by preventing companies from promoting a false sense of urgency, presenting betting as a financial investment, showcasing winnings as incentives, or using misleading tactics to entice consumers.
Additionally, Durigan stated that advertising professionals, including commentators, will be restricted from making misleading statements. "Mixing expert commentary with claims that a specific bet is the best option—that cannot happen," he explained. This includes preventing commentators from leveraging their expertise to promote betting.
"No showcasing winnings as bait, and no marketing betting as a route to easy money or a financial solution for families," he added.
Violations of these new rules could lead to significant penalties, including fines up to 20% of a betting operator's revenue, potential suspensions lasting 180 days, and for serious repeat offences, the possibility of losing operating authorization in the online betting space. National Consumer Secretary Ricardo Morishita noted that the maximum fine—around BRL 14 million ($2.7 million)—could be applied to those promoting illegal betting advertisements.
The regulations will also hold companies accountable for any irregular advertisements run by contracted influencers, with the potential for content removal.
Durigan revealed during his address that the government has already shut down over 56,000 betting sites and nearly 1,000 influencer profiles. Approximately one million bettors have been mandated to self-exclude from these platforms after violating regulations.
"There is a ruling preventing government programme beneficiaries from accessing these sites, which has been reinforced by the Supreme Court," he stated, mentioning that those enrolled in the Desenrola debt renegotiation program are included in this ban.
Durigan praised authorized betting companies for their cooperation in reporting illegal operators and detailed a timeline for the evolution of betting authorization in Brazil:
2018: Authorization to operate is granted without established regulations.
2023: Congress implements general advertising rules.
2024: Ministry of Finance launches the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets to oversee the sector.
2025: Government begins enforcing licensing fees and regulations.
