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The Belo Horizonte City Council will vote on Monday (10) on a bill that would severely limit gambling advertising in the city. To be passed, Bill No. 362/2025 needs to be supported by at least 21 council members, after which it will be sent to Mayor Álvaro Damião for approval or veto.
Councilor Wagner Ferreira introduced the proposal, which also has the support of other legislators, in an effort to ban ads from bookies city-wide. Once approved, the law would create one of the most stringent gambling-related marketing bans in Brazil.
Bill Targets Multiple Forms of Betting Promotion
The proposed law would ban all forms of marketing by betting companies, issuing branded goods, holding tournaments, and setting up betting access in municipal facilities. The bill would also prevent betting operators from associating their brands with public events.
Additionally, the proposal would not allow for naming rights contracts between the municipality and gambling operators, which further restricts gambling’s presence in city-sponsored and -managed public spaces.
Court Ruling Strengthens Momentum Behind the Proposal
The debate in the legislature comes on the heels of a preliminary court ruling in the state of Minas Gerais, which directed immediate bans on betting commercials on the city’s buses and shelters. The advertising infringed federal regulations and rules of administrative morality, concluded Judge Danilo Couto Lobato Bicalho of the 3rd Municipal Public Treasury Court.
If the companies do not comply, they will face fines ranging from BRL 50,000 for BHTrans, the Municipal Urban Mobility Authority (Sumob), and the Municipality of Belo Horizonte, up to BRL 200,000 for the companies that provide these services, Esportes Gaming Brasil Ltda. and A2FBR Ltda.
The court ruling was the outcome of a public civil action filed in July by Councilor Wagner Ferreira and Councilor Professora Nara, both of whom accused the city of advertising agreements with the company and its support of the Arraial de Belô festival, which is sponsored by Esportes da Sorte, a betting operator.
Lawmakers Seek Permanent Legal Framework
The decision follows the signing of a municipal decree by the city’s mayor, Álvaro Damião, that prohibits advertising of betting platforms on city-managed spaces and within 100 meters of any school, less than a month ago. The bill has been in effect since the decree, but advocates for the law want a permanent measure to give them long-term certainty.
The law is necessary for this “decree” to become a permanent reality, said Councilor Wagner Ferreira. “It is important to make it clear that a decree is not a law and can be revoked depending on the political will of the Executive Branch. Belo Horizonte needs a law that guarantees the population will never again be exposed to this flood of betting advertisements.
Once approved by the City Council, the bill will be presented to the mayor, who will have the option to sign it into law or veto it, thus deciding how to tackle the issue of betting advertising restrictions in Belo Horizonte.
Source: iGaming Brasil
