Brazil betting ad ban leaves half of Série A clubs without main sponsor

Brazil's ban on betting advertising has left seven of the 14 Série A clubs that had betting brands as main shirt sponsors without one, citing a Poder360 survey. The survey covered the last two rounds of the 2026 Campeonato Brasileiro. The federal provisional measure prohibited advertising, marketing and sponsorship related to fixed-odds betting in the country.

Betting firms accounted for 34% of marketing revenue at Brazil's 20 biggest clubs in 2025, according to consultancy Sports Value. The clubs recorded R$3.2bn in marketing revenue that year, of which about R$1.1bn came from contracts with betting companies. Bahia, Cruzeiro, Grêmio, Vitória, Palmeiras, Chapecoense and Atlético-MG played matches without any brand in the main shirt space after the betting marks were removed.

Clubs took different approaches to the empty shirt space. Corinthians displayed Shopee as its new main sponsor after a one-off action with Jota.ai, with the e-commerce agreement covering the remaining 2026 Brasileirão matches. Santos announced Agibank for the space until the end of the season, after using the shirt to promote the Instituto Leão do Mar in an institutional initiative. São Paulo and Fluminense replaced Superbet with Superscore; both clubs had the betting company as main sponsor. Botafogo and Vasco used the space to promote their member programmes, Camisa 7 and Sócio Gigante respectively, and Athletico-PR also promoted its member programme in the same space. Internacional has had no fixed main sponsor since terminating with Alfa Bet in January 2026 and displayed Shopee on its shirts in the last two rounds. Red Bull Bragantino and Mirassol did not need to make changes, having displayed Red Bull and Guaraná Poty respectively in the main space.

Flamengo and Fluminense printed the phrase "Proibir não é proteger" on their shirts during the clássico played on Saturday 11 October, in direct protest against the provisional measure. The same message appeared on stadium advertising boards. Flamengo had Betano as main sponsor and sought to suspend the ban in court but did not obtain an injunction before the deadline to remove betting marks from shirts.

Clubs and betting industry representatives are pressing the Supremo Tribunal Federal to suspend the provisional measure. Minister Luiz Fux, rapporteur of the actions on the matter, is due to examine the case only after the second round of elections, scheduled for Wednesday 25 October. Among the organisations that have gone to the STF against MP 1.394 are the ANJL (Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias) and the IBJR (Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável), which filed on Wednesday 28 September asking for the rule to be suspended until Congress or the STF plenary examines the text. The Associação Brasileira de Emissoras de Rádio e Televisão filed an action on Friday 30 September, arguing that media companies were prevented from performing contracts already signed and citing revenue losses. On the same day, Flamengo was admitted as amicus curiae in three actions dealing with betting regulation.

On 1 October, São Paulo, Ponte Preta, Guarani, Portuguesa and Vitória asked the STF for a period of up to one year to adapt to the rules, arguing there was a risk of the Campeonato Brasileiro being halted. Botafogo also requested admission as amicus curiae on Monday 1 October, stating that the measure affects "o futebol e aquilo que ele sustenta: o futebol feminino, as modalidades olímpicas e paralímpicas e as categorias de base". On Tuesday 2 October, Cruzeiro, Fluminense and 14 other clubs asked to be heard in the process and requested suspension of the measure until Congress examines it. The Advocacia-Geral da União defends maintaining the ban and asked the STF to hear the Procuradoria-Geral da República and consider holding a public hearing before deciding.

Organisations opposed to the measure question its constitutionality and say the ban creates legal uncertainty and losses to advertising and sponsorship contracts without ending betting. The Secretaria de Comunicação Social da Presidência authorised on Wednesday 5 October the sale of shirts already produced with betting brands. The guidance permits sale of uniforms manufactured before the provisional measure provided the sale is not used as new betting advertising; new promotional campaigns and the extension of contracts with companies in the sector remain prohibited. The STF decision and Congress's examination of the measure may change the situation for clubs and the sports sponsorship market.