Brazil Senate Panel Advances Bill to Ban Gambling Advertising

Brazil’s Senate has moved closer to imposing sweeping restrictions on gambling advertising after a key committee advanced legislation that would significantly reshape how betting companies can promote their services. The proposal, approved this week by the Senate Science and Technology Committee, would amend the country’s Sports Betting Law to prohibit most forms of gambling advertising across Brazil.

If enacted, the bill would introduce a nationwide ban on advertising for sports betting and online gambling products. It would also prohibit promotional activity tied to betting on election outcomes. While the measure still faces further legislative review, its advancement signals growing political concern about the social impact of gambling in a rapidly expanding market.

Senator Damares Alves, one of the bill’s supporters, linked gambling activity to broader public health concerns in remarks included in a Senate news release. The release noted that Alves associated problem gambling with deteriorating mental health among Brazilians.

“By imposing clear limits on the commercial performance of bookmakers and preventing the exploitation of the electoral environment by this type of activity, the proposition offers a legislative response proportional to the seriousness of the problem diagnosed by the Federal Senate,” Alves said.

The legislation would apply to a wide range of media and promotional channels. Under the proposal, gambling advertisements would be banned on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and social media platforms. Sponsorship arrangements involving sports clubs and sporting events would also fall under the prohibition, cutting off a major marketing avenue for betting operators.

However, the Senate release noted that lawmakers may still consider amendments. One potential change under discussion would allow sponsorships involving Olympic sports clubs, suggesting that some limited exceptions could be carved out as the bill progresses.

Following its approval by the Science and Technology Committee, the bill will now be reviewed by the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee. That body will examine the proposal’s legal and constitutional implications before it can advance further in the legislative process.

If the bill ultimately becomes law, enforcement would include significant sanctions. Penalties could reach up to $2 million, and regulators would have the authority to suspend or revoke licences of operators found to be in violation of the advertising rules.

The legislative push comes less than a year after Brazil formally launched its regulated online gambling market. The country opened the market in January 2025 with 14 licensed operators. Since then, the sector has expanded rapidly, with more than 80 operators now holding licences to offer online gambling services nationwide.

Financially, the early results have been substantial. In its first full year of operation, Brazil’s online gambling market generated $7 billion in gross gaming revenue, underscoring the scale of the industry lawmakers are now seeking to further regulate.

Industry observers have previously described Brazil’s regulatory rollout as largely effective. “I think the market is a huge success,”Udo Seckelmann, head of gambling & crypto at Brazilian law firm Bichara e Motta Advogados, told iGB last month. “I think what Brazil has done especially the past two years with all the ordinances, all the regulations, all the federal laws and all the advancements that we’ve had [has] been great.”

One of the central objectives behind legalization was to push illegal gambling operators out of the market by providing a regulated alternative. However, concerns have emerged that increasingly strict rules could undermine that goal.

Critics worry that a near-total advertising ban, combined with rising tax burdens, could make it harder for licensed operators to compete with illegal platforms. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva approved a gradual tax increase last month that will raise gambling taxes by 1% each year, moving from the original 12% rate to 15% by 2028.

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Brazil’s proposal fits into a broader international pattern, as governments around the world reconsider how gambling is marketed to the public. Several countries have already adopted partial or comprehensive bans on gambling advertising.

In Canada, where single-event sports betting launched in 2022, lawmakers have repeatedly debated tighter advertising controls. More than 40 Canadian senators pushed for stronger restrictions late last year, and discussions remain ongoing.

European countries have gone further. Belgium introduced a ban in 2023 covering gambling advertising on television, radio, newspapers, and in public spaces. The Netherlands implemented similar limits on non-targeted advertising, and policymakers there are now debating whether to eliminate gambling ads entirely.

Spain enacted a strict advertising regime in 2020, keeping gambling promotions largely off television and banning the use of celebrities and jersey sponsorships. Italy has enforced a nationwide prohibition on television, radio, and digital gambling advertising since 2018.

Elsewhere in South America, Argentina is also exploring the possibility of a full ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships, reflecting a regional shift toward tougher controls.

Source:

“Brazil Senate committee sends gambling advertising ban forward“, igamingbusiness.com, February 5, 2026.