Brazil publishes self-regulated gambling advertising rules
The National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation details key expectations including protecting young people and use of safer gambling messaging
Brazil’s National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation, CONAR, has released its self-regulation rules for gambling advertising in the country ahead of sports betting and igaming regulation.
Named Annex ‘X’, the publication lays out the expectations and requirements for licensed operators for when the regulated Brazilian market goes live.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva rubberstamped sports betting and igaming regulation on 29 December, with the Ministry of Finance now working to issue final regulatory decrees.
The code, according to CONAR, represents a “set of proportionate rules, based on the main international references […] which serve the central purpose of improving the commercial communication environment in the betting segment”.
The code has been developed with a working group which included the likes of the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR), a lobby group representing a handful of international and domestic companies.
The opening article of the code states: “Every advertisement must be respectful and in accordance with the country’s laws; it must also be honest and truthful” in what is a prelude to efforts to protect children and young people and drive responsible gambling best practice.
Highlights from the code include:
- Advertising must not be associated with personal or professional success or suggest a solution to financial issues.
- Advertising must not target children or young people. 18+ symbols must be included and people featuring in marketing materials must be older than 21.
- Advertising must also include warnings such as “Game responsible” or “Betting can lead to the loss of money”.
- Advertising must also clearly state the associated operator, and all materials must explicitly state that they are of an advertising nature.
CONAR confirmed that the code will come into force on 31 January.
Sergio Pompilio, CONAR president, said: “Our proposed rules serve the central purpose of improving the commercial communication environment in the fixed-odds betting segment, contributing to commitments to respect consumer rights and socially responsible advertising.”
The Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming commented: “During the last few months, under the experienced guidance of CONAR, we participated in the working group that discussed the best practices and strategies for the creation of a code that would establish clear rules for all betting operators, always aiming at security, information and clarity of messages to Brazilian consumers.
“With the certainty that a betting market with properly regulated activities and communications are the best choice for Brazilian bettors, the IBJR congratulates the publication of the text of Annex X by CONAR, which from now on will guide the advertising of the betting sector in a responsible, ethical and safe way for the public,” the lobby group added.