Rio bans sports betting ads in public spaces

RIO DE JANEIRO (CN) — Commuters exiting the busy Siqueira Campos stop on the Rio de Janeiro Metro found a billboard advertising a sports betting platform had been replaced with a municipal banner Monday.

“Sports betting ad removed,” the banner read.

Below, another message said outdoor advertising for sports betting platforms had been banned under Rio Decree No. 58,274. A warning printed on the side stated “online betting can cause addiction, debt, financial instability and family breakdown.”

Published Monday in the city’s official gazette, the decree prohibits advertising for betting platforms in public spaces, on street furniture, at city-sponsored events and anywhere advertising depends on municipal authorization.

Rio de Janeiro is the first Brazilian state capital to enact such a ban.

The city’s decision came three days after the federal government published two new ordinances tightening restrictions on betting advertising.

Interministerial Ordinance No. 73, signed by the Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry and the Presidential Communications Secretariat, bars advertisements that portray fixed-odds betting as an investment, extra income or a solution to financial problems. It also prohibits messages encouraging immediate wagers and sports analysis capable of inducing viewers to bet during live events.

Separately, Finance Ministry Ordinance No. 1,964 amended advertising rules for licensed betting operators by requiring mandatory warning labels on advertisements, including messages such as “betting is not an investment” and “betting makes you lose money.” The new warning requirements take effect July 17.

The new rules followed a series of investigations into betting advertisements aired during World Cup broadcasts.

In June, Brazil’s National Consumer Secretariat, known as Senacon, opened a preliminary inquiry into advertisements aired by CazéTV, while the National Advertising Self-Regulation Council, known as Conar, opened three proceedings and recommended suspending commercials highlighting betting odds and encouraging wagers during matches.

The Finance Ministry’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets also notified four betting operators and two media outlets to explain advertising campaigns suspected of violating betting regulations.

The cases fueled a broader debate over advertising formats that blend commercial promotions, sports commentary and real-time calls to place bets.

In a statement sent to Courthouse News on Thursday, Senacon said it maintains constant coordination with the Finance Ministry’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets, saying the two agencies have complementary responsibilities.

Senacon also said it has expanded its scrutiny beyond CazéTV by opening a marketwide investigation involving other broadcasters and websites.

The agency said it is examining advertising practices that encourage immediate betting during live broadcasts, misrepresent the risks of gambling or blur the distinction between commercial promotions and independent sports commentary.

“The growing integration of sports broadcasts and betting advertising is a relatively recent phenomenon that requires constant oversight by the agencies responsible for consumer protection,” Senacon said.

Eduardo Bruzzi, a partner at Rio de Janeiro’s BBL Advogados specializing in regulatory law, said the new rules extend beyond betting operators to platforms, influencers, content producers and media companies involved in advertising campaigns.

“As a minimum verification standard, those individuals and companies must obtain and retain the advertiser’s legal name, taxpayer identification number and the authorization number issued by the Finance Ministry or the relevant authority,” Bruzzi said.

He added the ordinance also prohibits wagering strategies, forecasts and sports analysis capable of inducing viewers to place wagers during live matches.

Gisele Karassawa, a partner at São Paulo’s VLK Advogados specializing in digital law and advertising, said the authorization of the betting industry and the regulation of its advertising are complementary policies.

“Allowing an activity that may affect consumers’ financial and mental health also means the government assumes responsibility for establishing conditions for responsible advertising,” Karassawa said.

She said the new ordinances do not seek to undermine a lawful market but to reduce the risks posed by potentially abusive marketing strategies.

“The ordinances do so by banning messages presenting betting as a source of income, an investment, a solution to financial hardship or a symbol of personal success, while also requiring that only authorized operators may be advertised,” Karassawa said.

Karassawa said the effectiveness of the new restrictions will ultimately depend on enforcement.

“The challenge is finding a balance that allows authorized operators to advertise lawfully and transparently without encouraging risky behavior or exploiting vulnerable consumers,” she said.

Announcing the decision on social media, Rio Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere called sports betting “a plague” and said the city aims to become “a national example” in tackling it.

City officials did not respond to questions about what prompted the decision, how many betting ads are currently displayed in public spaces, how many contracts or permits authorize them, how the removal will be carried out or who will bear the cost.

Three municipal officers assigned to the billboard at Siqueira Campos station said they arrived Monday around 2 p.m., but could not say how long they would remain there or how long the site would continue to be monitored.

The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming, which says it represents about 75% of Brazil’s regulated betting market, declined to comment on Rio’s decision and did not respond to questions about the new federal rules.

Courthouse News reporter Marília Marasciulo is based in Brazil.