Zona de Azar Brazil – Brazil: Urgent Request to Ban Celebrity Advertising in Betting

Brazil, November 29, 2024 – www.zonadeazar.com Senator Eduardo Girão (Novo-CE) called for urgency during a speech on Wednesday (27th) in the progress of his proposed bill, which prohibits celebrities from participating in betting advertisements at sporting events (PL 3.405/2023). The bill is currently under review in the Sports Commission (CEsp).

— “PL 3.405, from 2023, drastically restricts abusive betting advertising, banning the participation of sports teams, athletes, commentators, and celebrities in general, who may influence and attract people to the gambling world, especially young people. […] There is significant abuse in this advertising, much like the old cigarette ads that, for decades, led millions of people to addiction and death.”

Girão highlighted other proposals on the matter, such as PL 3.795/2024, which bans fixed-odds betting operations in Brazil, and PL 4.390/2024, which prohibits the use of graphic and playful elements appealing to children and teenagers. According to the senator, the ideal solution would be a total ban on betting due to its severe societal consequences.

— “Pathological gambling, which involves compulsive gambling, has been recognized as a disorder for years by the WHO [World Health Organization], with a disease code similar to any other chemical dependency. The New York Times, one of the world’s leading newspapers, recently published an important study showing that between 50% and 80% of pathological gamblers have thought about suicide. […] Look at what we are exposing our society to—a humanitarian tragedy already destroying jobs, plunging Brazilians into massive debt, breaking families, and driving people to despair and even suicidal actions.”

The senator also emphasized that major oversight entities, such as the Financial Activities Control Council (Coaf) and the National Association of Federal Revenue Auditors (Anfip), have spoken out against legalizing betting in Brazil. According to Girão, this practice facilitates money laundering from drug trafficking and corruption.

Source: Agência Senado (Reproduction authorized with citation)

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