SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Pressure mounts on the government of Brazil to impose stricter advertising rules and marketing restrictions on the plans to launch a federal sports betting marketplace.
New developments have seen Ricardo Ayres, the Deputy of the State of Tocantins and member of the República Party, sponsor new Bill 3915/2023.
Ayres has called on Congress to intervene on the advertising make-up of ‘provisional measure No-1182’, endorsed by President Lula da Silva and needed to ensure “a responsibility in protecting audiences”.
As proposed by Ayres, Bill 3915/2023 calls for the government to impose a “ban on the promotion and advertising of betting companies and casinos by digital influencers and artists”.
On Twitter, Ayres explained that the “bill doesn’t prohibit betting but restricts its advertising, mirroring federal cigarette advertising restrictions imposed in 2020.”
Put forward to Congress, Ayres seeks to impose tougher penalties on advertising breaches/infringements which include “progressive fines based on prior year’s revenue, asset reversals, and business suspensions for up to eight years”.
Further protections would see Brazilian media owners required to help authorities monitor and remove unauthorised content.
Fines collected from advertising penalties will be redistributed to educational projects such as the Student Financing Fund (FIES) and the University for All Program (ProUni).
At present, Congress carries its 120-day review of the provisional measure proposed by the PT (Workers) government, in which it allows for elected deputies to propose reforms and amendments.
Signed-off on 25 July by President Lula, the provisional measure outlined the government’s preferred policies on the taxation and licensing fees of a federal sports betting marketplace.
Further commitments saw the government outline the need for a ‘Special Secretariat’ assigned to supervise licensed operators, market size and authorised bets.
However, Lula’s desired measures detailed no policies related to advertising standards, as the government awaits for The National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (CONAR) to submit its market recommendations.
In August, Congress updated stakeholders that it had received over 200 reforms on the ‘provisional measure’, primarily challenging Lula’s desired tax framework.
Wider developments have seen Arthur Lira, President of the Chamber of Deputies threaten an intervention of legislative proceedings. In the interest of Brazil’s legislature, Lira demands that the government merge all modalities and reforms into a single bill to ensure sports betting has federal mandate.
