Niterói has prohibited sports betting and fixed-odds gambling advertising in public spaces and outdoor media across the municipality, adding a local restriction to Brazil's wider framework governing betting promotion.
Mayor Rodrigo Neves formalized the measure through a decree published on 9 September. Existing advertisements have a maximum of ten days from publication to be removed or adapted, with applicable fines suspended during that period.
The restrictions cover betting brands, company names, websites, applications, promotions, campaigns, bonuses and prizes. Logos, symbols, mascots, slogans and other elements capable of directly or indirectly identifying betting platforms are also included.
The municipality said the measure is intended to reduce exposure to gambling advertising, particularly among children and adolescents, citing concerns around gambling-related harm, indebtedness and compulsive gambling.
Niterói's action is limited to areas under municipal authority. It regulates outdoor advertising and the use of public spaces but does not affect whether betting operators can offer services in the city.
Fixed-odds betting authorization remains under the Brazilian Government's federal regulatory framework.
Brazil's regulated online betting market formally launched in January 2025, with nationally authorized operators overseen by the Ministry of Finance's Secretariat of Prizes and Betting. Federal rules already place restrictions on gambling marketing, including advertising aimed at children and claims portraying betting as a means of achieving financial success.
The country's advertising framework has continued to develop since the regulated market opened. Conar's betting advertising rules include requirements around responsible gambling messaging, age restrictions and the use of influencers, while federal authorities have increased scrutiny of unauthorized operators and their promotion.
Under Niterói's decree, enforcement will be carried out by the Secretariat of Public Order alongside the Municipal Secretariat of Urbanism and Mobility. Breaches can result in sanctions under the Municipal Code of Conduct, withdrawal of advertising authorization and orders for immediate removal.
The restrictions also cover campaigns and events contracted, sponsored or organized by the municipal administration, including cases where betting advertising is visible from outside an event area.
Neves said: "The expansion of online betting is a reality that demands responsibility from the public authorities."
Brazil's Senate Constitution and Justice Committee preserved betting revenue allocated to sport earlier this month, removing a proposal that the Brazilian Olympic Committee estimated would have reduced funding for the National Sports System by around BR$500m ($93m).
Brazil's federal betting framework prohibits advertising that presents gambling as a way to become wealthy or supplement personal income
