FIFA reiterated on 1 August that betting advertising is prohibited on referees’ shirts and in VAR cabins and review areas, including graphics shown during televised reviews. The rule applies to Brazilian football assets that have carried competition sponsors; the CBF said it would comply with FIFA’s requirements.
The restriction may require the CBF to remove betting-brand placements from referee and VAR-related assets.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
Licensed operators linked to ANJL and IBJR displayed protest messages at Brazilian top-flight football matches after Provisional Measure 1,394 banned online betting. They warned the ban could push bettors towards illegal operators and disrupt sponsorships and investment planning in sport.
Licensed betting companies displayed protest messages on advertising hoardings at Brazilian top-flight football matches, in a joint action against Provisional Measure 1,394, which banned online betting in Brazil. Companies associated with the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) gave up space on the boards around the pitch during matches on Friday and Saturday. The signs read "To prohibit is not to protect" and "The ban doesn't end gambling".
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s government was considering a provisional measure to restrict betting advertising and potentially ban online casinos, according to the report published on 23 September. The government was not considering a complete halt to authorised operators at that stage, and the measure remained under review.
Minas Gerais governor Mateus Simões announced a decree to prohibit betting-company advertising on state property and roads, including stadiums granted to private operators. The ban is due to be signed on 20 August and published the following day; Simões also said the state lottery would be barred from offering sports betting. The Mineirão concessionaire said it had not yet been informed of the measure.
Brazil’s Senate Committee on Science and Technology approved a bill that would prohibit betting advertising nationwide; the proposal is due to go before the Committee on Constitution and Justice. Estimates cited in the report put potential losses for Série A clubs at more than R$842 million, while the bill would also cover broadcast and social media advertising and pre-installed betting apps.
Brazil’s Senate Science and Technology Committee approved a proposal to ban betting advertising nationwide, sending it to the Constitution and Justice Committee for review. The proposed restrictions would extend across media and sponsorships; the source estimates losses of more than R$842 million for Série A clubs alone.