The regulation of sports betting in Brazil ushered in a new era for the sector. With Law No. 14,790/23 and complementary ordinances issued by the Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF), the country now has a robust regulatory framework that balances the main relationships among market stakeholders. The challenge now goes beyond compliance: it is time to build leadership capable of fostering dialogue with public authorities and strengthening legal certainty.
After years of aggressive marketing marked by promises of easy profit, operators must change their narrative, especially because the Brazilian consumer still tends to associate betting with investment rather than entertainment. And it is precisely this perception that regulation aims to correct. Despite the electoral year, industry representatives say that the focus for 2026 will be transforming communication into a tool for education and transparency—pillars of responsible gaming—ultimately enhancing legal security for end users.
Indeed, the success of regulation depends not only on enforcement but also on a cultural shift within operators, impacting how the activity is executed. Advertising must inform—not mislead. Unsurprisingly, international experience shows that the sector’s social legitimacy is directly linked to the clarity and responsibility of its communication.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Madrid conducted a systematic review of 103 academic papers analysing digital communication strategies used by online gambling operators. The research found that the industry’s social legitimacy depends heavily on message clarity and responsibility, as tactics such as normalization, emotional narratives, promises of return on investment, and personalized promotions significantly increase young people’s vulnerability to gambling addiction.
According to the analysis, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Spain lead the global landscape in terms of risk mitigation and good practices. Although Spain’s regulation (Royal Decree 958/2020) remains insufficient, adopting transparency principles and self-regulation tools (alerts when players reach 90% of weekly limits, built-in responsible gaming messaging) can improve ethical perception and social acceptance of the sector.
In Brazil, this transformation is underway. Ordinance No. 1,231/24 detailed the sector’s communication rules, prohibiting campaigns with child appeal, banning any suggestion that betting is a source of income, and requiring responsible gaming warnings. It also reinforced joint liability between operators and affiliates—an especially sensitive point in a market heavily driven by influencer-led marketing.
CONAR, in turn, has gained prominence by working alongside SPA in co-regulating advertising, curbing misleading campaigns and distinguishing licensed advertising from that of unregulated operators. This partnership signals a new standard of self-regulation in the sector, closer to the British model, which for years has combined public regulation with industry responsibility.
Regulatory efforts have also expanded into other areas: blocking illegal websites in partnership with ANATEL, monitoring suspicious transactions through COAF, and obligating operators to prevent betting by beneficiaries of social programs such as Bolsa Família and BPC. Despite challenges, the goal is clear: drastically reduce the illegal market and legitimize betting consumption within a safe, regulated, and socially credible environment.
For operators, the message is direct: advertising compliance and communication governance will be as strategic as technology itself. Reviewing marketing contracts, training teams, enforcing strict affiliate controls, and continuously monitoring campaigns will become mandatory practices for those seeking sustainable competition.
More than complying with rules, the challenge is to rebuild public trust. Communication—which once served mainly as a tool for engagement—now becomes a driver of legitimacy and institutional reputation. The future of Brazil’s regulated market will depend largely on the sector’s ability to communicate with ethics, clarity, and responsibility, showing that gaming, as entertainment, can indeed be clean and transparent.
André Feher
Senior lawyer in the Digital practice at PK Advogados. Master’s degree from the Instituto Superior de Derecho y Economía (ISDE) in Madrid, with specializations in Contracts (FGV-SP) and in Intellectual Property, Entertainment, Digital Media and Fashion Law (ESA-OAB).
PK Advogados
A reference in innovation for 24 years, Pinhão e Koiffman Advogados is a full-service law firm that believes in practicing a form of law that enables technology. The firm has ten partners, around sixty associate lawyers, and a support team of over forty professionals in Brazil and abroad—providing a multifaceted view of client needs and solutions.
