Several Brazilian football clubs have taken a unified stance against the proposed restrictions on sportsbook advertising, signing a manifesto that criticizes the Bill currently under consideration in the Senate.
More than half of the 20 teams in Brazil’s top football division, Serie A , have expressed their concern through this document, which highlights potential financial repercussions and broader impacts on the Brazilian football ecosystem. The manifesto was disseminated through the official channels of 11 clubs, ahead of the scheduled Senate vote on the bill this Wednesday (28).
The legislation in question, Bill 2,985/2023, was authored by Senator Styvenson Valentim and has Senator Carlos Portinho acting as rapporteur. It seeks to impose tighter controls on the marketing strategies employed by sportsbooks, including banning direct advertising such as sponsorships on team uniforms. Moreover, it proposes restrictions on the use of athletes and public figures in promotional campaigns, as well as setting specific timeframes for advertising broadcasts and mandating warnings about betting risks. Currently, every team in the first division benefits from sportsbook sponsorships, whether as main sponsors or otherwise, making the potential restrictions a significant concern for the clubs.
In response to the bill, a collective movement emerged among several clubs, culminating in the “Joint Declaration of Brazilian Football Clubs.” This document calls on Senate committees to approach the legislation with caution and responsibility, warning of the possible harm it could inflict on Brazilian football and its cultural importance. The clubs estimate that the sector could face an immediate annual loss of roughly R$1.6 billion should the bill pass, underscoring the economic stakes involved.
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The manifesto also addresses the regulation of the betting market and the importance of promoting responsible gaming. It references the period between 2018 and 2024, during which the government’s lack of regulation contributed to certain negative externalities. The clubs emphasize their support for measures that foster responsible gaming, citing recent initiatives such as the application and oversight of CONAR’s Annex X, which aims to regulate advertising messages and encourage responsible betting behaviors. They argue that, given Brazil’s recent regulation of the sector—effective since January 2025—it is premature to implement the restrictive measures proposed in the bill, which could cause substantial harm to the sport and its stakeholders.
The manifesto was publicly endorsed by clubs including Atlético Mineiro, Botafogo, Ceará, Flamengo, Fluminense, Fortaleza, Juventude, Grêmio, Mirassol, Palmeiras, and RB Bragantino. These teams shared the message through their official pages, with some, like Flamengo, Fluminense, Mirassol, and Grêmio, also posting parts of it on social media. However, other prominent clubs such as Bahia, Corinthians, Cruzeiro, Internacional, Santos, São Paulo, Sport, Vasco, and Vitória had not issued any statement or expressed a position on the issue at the time of this report. Brazilian football clubs sportsbook advertising
