The president of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies, Hugo Motta, has called for caution as lawmakers debate proposals to ban advertising for sports betting and online gambling across the country.
Motta reacted to the approval of a bill by the Senate’s Science and Technology Committee (CCT) that would impose a near-total prohibition on betting-related advertising.
The proposal would ban ads on television, radio, print media and social networks, while also ending sponsorship deals with football clubs and sporting events and it has already been criticized by the industry.
According to Motta, the issue remains far from settled in the lower house. He told local media that there is still no consensus among party leaders and that the discussion is likely to intensify in the coming weeks as the bill moves through Congress.
“We have to proceed with a great deal of prudence,” he said.
He highlighted the role betting companies currently play in financing Brazilian football and cultural events, warning that a sudden and absolute ban could have unintended consequences.
In addition to banning advertising and sponsorships, the text would prohibit the pre-installation of betting apps on devices such as smartphones, tablets and smart TVs.
“This is a regulated sector, just like alcohol and tobacco,” he said, arguing that companies are paying taxes and operating under federal authorization.
In his view, the focus should be on combating illegal operators rather than imposing blanket restrictions on licensed firms.
Brazil’s regulator, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting has recently opened a public consultation aimed at formally recognizing service providers that supply licensed fixed-odds operators, part of an effort to strengthen oversight and market standards.
Brazil’s betting regulator has reported that more than 217,000 users have voluntarily opted into self-exclusion tools since the regulated market began
