Brazil's Government has introduced a new package of advertising restrictions for licensed online betting operators, marking another step in the country's wider effort to strengthen oversight of its regulated gambling market.
The measures, announced by Finance Minister Dario Durigan, take effect on July 17 and require all advertising by authorized operators to carry mandatory consumer warnings stating that gambling can lead to addiction, causes financial losses or should not be viewed as an investment.
The regulations also prohibit campaigns that portray betting as a way to make easy money or encourage consumers to gamble through artificial urgency.
The rules further prohibit commentators, experts and influencers from using their perceived authority to encourage betting activity.
Operators will also be barred from highlighting previous winning bets or historical prizes in ways that could encourage gambling, while advertising directed at children and teenagers is explicitly prohibited.
The announcement comes as Brazil continues tightening controls following the introduction of its regulated fixed-odds betting framework.
Although sports betting was legalized in 2018, the market operated for several years without a comprehensive federal licensing regime before legislation approved in 2023 established the current regulatory structure.
The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting began overseeing licensed operators from 2025, with consumer protection and enforcement becoming central priorities.
Authorities have increasingly focused on illegal operators alongside the regulated market. Last month, the Government introduced additional measures allowing financial institutions to block funds linked to unauthorized betting businesses, while directing recovered assets toward organized crime enforcement.
Officials have also expanded action against illegal prediction markets and online gambling platforms operating outside Brazil's licensing framework.
According to Durigan, enforcement has already resulted in the removal of 56,000 illegal gambling websites, approximately 1,000 influencer profiles and around one million self-excluded bettors found to be in breach of existing restrictions.
Operators that fail to comply with the new advertising requirements may face administrative sanctions including fines of up to 20% of revenue, suspension of operations for up to 180 days or revocation of their operating license in cases of repeated serious violations.
The latest measures follow scrutiny of the Finance Ministry's public messaging in June, when officials revised a responsible gambling social media campaign after criticism that it appeared to encourage betting rather than discourage it. The episode illustrated the Government's ongoing effort to balance consumer protection with maintaining a regulated betting market.
Brazilian authorities also said 37 fintech firms have been notified this year over suspected links to financial transactions involving illegal betting operators
