Rio de Janeiro has banned betting advertising from public spaces, extending the restriction to municipal events, Government campaigns and any advertising displayed on public property.
The measure follows similar mandates taken by other Brazilian municipalities.
Signed by Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere, the decree took immediate effect following its publication in the city’s Official Gazette. Enforcement will be carried out by Rio’s Licensing and Inspection Coordination Office (CLF), which will oversee compliance with the new rules.
The ban applies to both sports betting and online gambling platforms and goes beyond traditional advertising.
Rio de Janeiro recently accounted for 1.8 million registered betting users, leading the activity in the country.
Operators are prohibited from displaying commercial brands, mobile applications, promotional campaigns, bonuses, prizes, mascots, slogans or any other visual elements that identify betting services in public spaces controlled by the municipality.
The restrictions also extend to events organized, sponsored or contracted by the city, including internationally recognized celebrations such as Rio Carnival and the city’s New Year’s Eve festivities.
Companies found in breach of the rules may face fines, the cancellation of advertising permits and orders requiring the immediate removal of non-compliant material. However, the municipality has granted a 10-day grace period before penalties begin, allowing operators and advertisers time to remove existing campaigns.
The decree mentions the “severe impacts resulting from the overexposure to betting advertising” on public mental health as one of the main reasons behind the measure.
Announcing the policy, Cavaliere said Rio should not become “an open-air gallery for betting operators”.
“This is not against people who choose to place a bet,” the mayor said. “It is against an industry that has occupied streets, avenues, bus stops and other public spaces to encourage behavior that can lead to debt.”
Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has revealed that 925,000 people have now enrolled in the country’s self-exclusion program
