São Paulo City Council has approved the first reading of legislation that would prohibit betting and online gaming advertising at sporting events across the city, adding to a wider tightening of gambling marketing rules in Brazil.
Bill 560/2025 passed through a symbolic vote, without individual votes being recorded, and must clear a second and final reading before it can proceed for sanction.
The proposal covers events organised by public or private entities, including professional and amateur competitions. Advertising restrictions would apply to billboards, banners and panels at stadiums, arenas and other sporting venues, as well as municipal public transport and public spaces administered by the city.
Violations would carry a BR$50,000 (US$9,670) fine. Repeat offences could result in organisers being prohibited from holding sporting events in São Paulo for up to two years.
The bill also provides for a 90-day transition period following regulation, with revenue from fines directed towards gambling harm prevention campaigns and educational sport.
The proposal could still be modified before its final vote. Its author, councillor João Jorge, has raised the possibility of extending restrictions to betting logos on player shirts.
The municipal debate comes two months after Brazil's Federal Government strengthened national advertising requirements for fixed-odds betting. Rules effective from 17 July require gambling advertisements to carry Ministry of Finance warnings covering addiction, financial losses or the status of betting as a non-investment product.
Federal rules also prohibit advertising directed at children and adolescents and restrict content suggesting easy money, rapid enrichment or links between gambling and personal, social or financial success.
Commentators and analysts are additionally prohibited from using their perceived expertise to recommend specific bets during sporting coverage.
Advertising restrictions have become part of a broader national debate over Brazil's regulated betting sector. The Federal Government is considering further intervention in online gambling, while football clubs and broadcasting groups have argued that tighter advertising limits could reduce sponsorship and media revenue.
The São Paulo proposal follows further political scrutiny of betting in the state. Governor candidate Fernando Haddad has pledged to ban betting platforms in São Paulo if elected, arguing that the social costs of the sector outweigh its contribution through taxation.
The bill would also require municipal educational campaigns addressing the social, financial and mental health risks associated with sports betting and online gambling, with particular attention given to children and adolescents
