Minas Gerais Governor Mateus Simões, who is running for reelection, will sign a decree banning betting advertising on state-owned public property and roads, as well as at stadiums the state government leases to private operators.
The ban also includes the Mineirão, a major football stadium in Belo Horizonte and home to Cruzeiro's matches in the Brazilian Championship.
The decree, set to be published in the state's Official Gazette on Friday (21), will also cover the Mineirinho, a multi-sport arena hosting volleyball and other events.
State officials say the ban extends to pitch-side advertising boards during matches, even though the Brazilian Championship itself is sponsored by betting operator Betano.
"The ban applies to displays in that space, through any means. It applies at the Mineirão, at the Mineirinho and at stadiums under our state concession," Simões said, adding that he would pursue legal action if the Mineirão attempted to keep betting ads running.
"The property belongs to the state. It's not theirs. They have to follow whatever rules we set for them," he said.
The company that manages the Mineirão said it had not yet been informed of the measure.
Advertising rights around the pitch are sold by the clubs themselves, in Cruzeiro's case to Brax Sports Assets; neither the club, the company, nor the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), which organizes the championship, had commented as of publication.
The stadium ban is one of several measures planned by the state. Simões said the state lottery, Loteria Mineira, will be barred from offering sports betting, and he will send all 853 municipalities in Minas Gerais a draft decree suggesting they adopt similar bans on municipal property.
The Federal Government tightened betting advertising rules last month, banning ads that present betting as a source of income, an investment or easy money
