Rio Grande do Sul Betting Advertising Restrictions Take Effect
Brazil.- 27 August 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Rio Grande do Sul State Law No. 16,508 has entered fully into force after the expiration of the 120-day adaptation period granted to operators and advertisers.
The legislation imposes significant restrictions on fixed-odds betting advertising and sponsorship while a challenge to its constitutionality remains pending before Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court.
Restrictions Now Enforceable
The law was signed by Governor Eduardo Leite on 24 April 2026.
With the adjustment period now complete, nationally licensed betting operators must adapt campaigns distributed within the state to the additional regional requirements.
The law has taken effect without Justice Cármen Lúcia, rapporteur in Direct Action of Unconstitutionality 7,971, ruling on the request for an interim suspension.
Advertising Restricted to 9pm-6am
One of the principal measures concerns audiovisual betting advertising.
Commercials may only be broadcast between 9:00pm and 6:00am across:
- Free-to-air television.
- Pay television.
- Streaming services.
- Video-on-demand.
- Radio.
This creates a mandatory overnight advertising window for betting operators in the state.
15% of Advertising Dedicated to Warnings
The legislation also requires at least 15% of advertising space to be dedicated to consumer warnings.
These must address:
- Addiction risks.
- Over-indebtedness.
- The prohibition on underage gambling.
- Psychological-support channels.
For audiovisual advertising, spoken warnings must be delivered using the same volume and speed as the main promotional content.
Protection of Children and Young People
The law establishes additional restrictions intended to prevent betting advertising from appealing to minors.
It prohibits the use of:
- Child-oriented animation.
- Mascots.
- Fictional characters.
- Artificial-intelligence tools designed to appeal to younger audiences.
- Images or voices of minors.
- Personalities with significant influence among young consumers.
Protection of minors is one of the main arguments used by state authorities in defending the legislation.
New Sponsorship Rules
Betting advertising at sports and cultural venues is generally prohibited.
Exceptions apply to:
- Official event sponsors.
- Naming-rights holders.
- Formal sponsors of sports organisations.
In professional sport, betting branding on kits must be limited to basic brand identification without direct incentives to gamble.
Ban in Non-Professional Sport
The legislation adopts a stricter approach where minors are involved.
Betting sponsorship is completely prohibited in non-professional categories involving athletes under the age of 18.
The measure is intended to reduce young people’s exposure to gambling brands within sporting environments.
No Odds or Bonuses During Live Sport
The law also prohibits the promotion of the following during live sports broadcasts:
- Betting odds.
- Promotional bonuses.
- Direct calls to place bets.
This restriction affects one of the most common sportsbook marketing formats used around live sporting events.
ANJL Challenges Constitutionality
The Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias filed Direct Action of Unconstitutionality 7,971 before the Supreme Federal Court on 19 May.
The association argues that regulation of betting advertising falls within the exclusive legislative competence of the federal government.
Its case points to the existing national framework established under Federal Law No. 14,790/2023 and SPA/MF Ordinance No. 1,231/2024.
AGU and PGR Support Challenge
Two major federal institutions have taken positions against the state legislation.
Brazil’s Attorney General’s Office argued in June that the measure is unconstitutional.
On 17 August, Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet Branco also recommended the law’s immediate interim suspension.
Rio Grande do Sul Defends its Powers
The Rio Grande do Sul Legislative Assembly and state government take the opposite position.
They argue that the Brazilian Constitution provides states with concurrent authority in areas including:
- Public health protection.
- Consumer protection.
- Protection of children and adolescents.
The constitutional dispute will ultimately need to be decided by the Supreme Federal Court.
PROCON-RS to Enforce Rules
Enforcement responsibility has been assigned to Rio Grande do Sul’s consumer-protection authority, PROCON-RS.
The agency can impose escalating sanctions for violations.
These include:
- Formal warnings.
- Accumulating financial penalties.
- Corrective counter-advertising.
- Temporary suspension of campaigns for between 30 and 180 days.
- Cancellation of state registration in cases of repeated violations.
Joint Liability
The law also establishes joint liability for parties involved in distributing unlawful advertising.
Potentially liable entities include:
- Betting operators.
- Advertising agencies.
- Media organisations.
- Internet providers.
Internet providers may be required to remove infringing material after receiving a formal notification from the competent authority.
Industry Context
The law’s entry into force intensifies debate around the relationship between federal regulation and state-level legislation in Brazil’s betting market.
Brazil has operated a nationally licensed fixed-odds betting framework since January 2025.
Additional regional restrictions raise concerns within the industry over a fragmented market in which advertising obligations differ from one state to another.
Next Steps or Impact
Until the Supreme Federal Court grants interim relief or delivers a final decision, operators must comply with Rio Grande do Sul’s requirements.
The outcome of ADI 7,971 will be important in determining the extent to which Brazilian states can establish their own betting-advertising rules beyond federal requirements.
The ruling could also affect other states considering similar restrictions and the wider regulatory consistency of Brazil’s national betting market.
Editó: @fonta
