New rules reshape gambling advertising in Brazil and ban influencer betting endorsements
The Brazilian federal government has announced a new set of rules to restrict fixed odds betting advertising in the country. The new measures, which will take effect on 17 July 2026, introduce mandatory warning messages in all advertising campaigns, prohibit commentators, experts and influencers from encouraging betting, and increase penalties for companies that fail to comply with the regulations. The rules were announced by the Ministry of Finance and will be formalised through two ordinances.
The new rules were created to strengthen sector regulation. The objective is to reinforce responsible gambling policies, reduce practices considered misleading and limit marketing strategies that may encourage impulsive betting behaviour.
Advertising must display mandatory warnings
One of the main changes requires all advertising by licensed operators to display warning messages issued by the Ministry of Finance, following a format similar to that used in advertisements for cigarettes, alcoholic beverages and medicines. The required warnings include:
“Ministry of Finance warning: betting makes you lose money”;
“Ministry of Finance warning: betting can cause addiction”;
“Ministry of Finance warning: betting is not an investment”.
According to the government, the aim is to provide consumers with clear information about the risks associated with betting, making it explicit that the activity should not be regarded as a form of investment or a source of income. The measure also seeks to reinforce the understanding that gambling involves potential financial losses and risks related to compulsive behaviour.
Influencers and commentators banned from encouraging betting
Another significant change concerns the role of digital influencers, sports commentators and experts during broadcasts, programmes and content published on digital platforms.
The second ordinance, drafted jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, will prohibit these professionals from using their credibility to recommend bets or suggest specific betting markets to consumers. The restriction applies to all communication channels, including television, radio, streaming platforms, podcasts and social media.
When announcing the new rules, Minister of Finance Dario Durigan said that experts are regarded by the public as authoritative figures and that this position should not be used to encourage betting. According to Durigan, combining sports analysis with recommendations on which bets to place may mislead consumers by creating a false impression of technical endorsement for decisions involving financial risk.
The new rules also prohibit the promotion of past prizes, previous winnings or any information that could encourage further betting based solely on successful outcomes achieved by other players.
According to the Ministry of Finance, this type of advertising highlights only success stories while failing to show the number of bettors who incurred financial losses, creating a distorted perception of gambling.
CazéTV case intensified the debate
The announcement of the new measures came just weeks after the controversy surrounding CazéTV and its coverage of the FIFA World Cup. CazéTV is a Brazilian sports channel that broadcasts major sporting events online free of charge. The channel covers competitions such as the FIFA World Cup, the Olympic Games and the Brazilian Championship, primarily through YouTube, but is also available on platforms including Disney+, Prime Video and Samsung TV Plus.
During some broadcasts, commentators mentioned odds and suggested bets related to the matches, a practice that drew criticism from viewers and lawmakers. The practice even led to legal proceedings, prompting an investigation by the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon). The channel later changed the format of its betting advertisements and stopped making betting recommendations to viewers.
A survey published by ICL Notícias also attracted attention, which found that 61 per cent of the bets suggested during the broadcasts resulted in losses for bettors. Although the study was not conducted by the government, the findings contributed to broadening the debate over the limits of betting advertising during sporting events.
Penalties may include licence revocation
The new ordinance establishes penalties for operators who fail to comply with the new requirements set to take effect on 17 July. The sanctions include fines of up to 20 per cent of the operator’s revenue, suspension of operations for up to 180 days, and, in cases of serious repeat offences, revocation of the operator’s licence to operate in the Brazilian market.
In addition to supervising licensed operators, the government’s regulatory agenda includes measures to combat the illegal market, strengthen responsible gambling policies, monitor risky betting behaviour, and increase transparency in advertising campaigns. Brazilian legislation already prohibits, for example, advertising that presents betting as a way to become wealthy, associates gambling with financial success or targets minors. The new ordinances specify how these restrictions will be applied in practice, particularly in campaigns involving influencers, content creators and sports broadcasts.
With the new measures, the government aims to reduce the influence of betting advertising on vulnerable consumers, raise standards of responsibility across the sector and establish a stricter regulatory environment for licensed operators. For operators, marketing agencies, media companies and content producers, the changes will require a review of advertising strategies to ensure compliance before the ordinances come into force on 17 July.
This article was first published on the Portuguese SiGMA News page on 10 July 2026.
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