The Brazilian Senate's Science and Technology Committee (CCT) has approved legislation that would substantially tighten the country's regulated betting framework, including broad restrictions on advertising, sponsorship and certain online casino products.
PL 2.470/2026, authored by Senator Damares Alves and six other senators, received a favorable substitute report from Senator Alessandro Vieira.
The committee also approved an urgency request, sending the proposal towards consideration by the Senate Plenary.
The measure would prohibit direct and indirect betting advertising across television, radio, print publications, streaming services, social media, search engines, websites and other online environments.
Restrictions would extend to affiliates, tipsters and comparison sites, while bonuses, free bets, cashback and loyalty programs used to encourage gambling would also be prohibited.
Sports sponsorship would face similarly extensive restrictions. Operators would be prevented from sponsoring clubs, leagues, competitions, athletes and sports broadcasts, with existing agreements given a 24-month transition period.
The proposals go considerably further than advertising requirements introduced by the Brazilian Government in July. Those measures made standardized gambling-risk warnings mandatory and increased responsibility for operators and other parties involved in advertising.
The Ministry of Finance said 85 companies were authorized by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) at the time.
PL 2.470/2026 would also establish a risk-classification framework for gambling products. Games with characteristics including rapid repetition, random outcomes and variable rewards could face additional harm-reduction requirements.
Products deemed excessively risky could be prohibited, with the bill specifically identifying roulette, slots, crash games and simulated virtual sports.
The committee vote followed a public hearing where government and betting-sector representatives presented opposing positions on the proposed restrictions.
The legislation would additionally create a criminal offense for promoting unauthorized operators, carrying a prison sentence of one to five years, with higher penalties possible when promotion involves influencers, athletes or other well-known individuals.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has meanwhile signaled that further action on online betting could be imminent, saying the Brazilian Government's position was already "two-thirds decided" following discussions about gambling-related harm.
Authorized operators would retain limited institutional communication through their own websites, apps and customer-service channels under the proposed legislation
