Brazil committee backs bill banning minors from gambling advertising

Brazilian lawmakers have advanced a child-protection bill that would prohibit children and teenagers from appearing in advertisements for lotteries, gambling products and other goods or services they are legally barred from consuming.

Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies has taken another step toward tightening safeguards for minors in the gambling sector. The Committee on Social Security, Social Assistance, Childhood, Adolescence and Family approved Bill No. 3,724/2024, which amends the Statute of the Child and Adolescent to ban the participation of children and teenagers in advertising or promotion of lotteries, games of chance and products legally prohibited for their age group.

The proposal was originally introduced by Deputy Túlio Gadêlha and approved in the form of a substitute text drafted by rapporteur Meire Serafim. The ban would apply across physical and digital media, including electronic video-sharing platforms and other internet applications.

The committee’s reasoning is that Brazilian law already prohibits minors from buying lottery tickets or participating in fixed-odds betting, but there was no specific rule preventing their image or participation from being used in promotional content. The rapporteur said the bill is meant to close that advertising gap and strengthen protection for children and adolescents in digital environments.

The draft adds two new provisions to the Statute of the Child and Adolescent. Proposed Article 60-A bans the participation of children or adolescents in advertising or promotion of lotteries, games of chance or other products whose consumption is prohibited for them by law. Proposed Article 258-D classifies violations as an administrative offence.

The penalty would range from R$3,000 to R$10,000. The fine would double in the case of repeat offences within 12 months. If the violation is committed by a person responsible for managing or representing the child or teenager, such as an agent of a child influencer, the fine would be multiplied by 10. If the violation is committed by a gambling company or supplier of the prohibited product, the fine would be multiplied by 100.

The measure is part of a broader political push in Brazil to reduce minors’ exposure to betting and gambling marketing. Law No. 14,790/2023 already prohibits people under 18 from participating in fixed-odds betting, but lawmakers are now focusing on the promotional ecosystem around gambling, including influencer content, social platforms and digital advertising.

The bill is not yet law. After approval by the social policy committee, the proposal was sent to the Constitution, Justice and Citizenship Committee, where it is awaiting the appointment of a rapporteur. The bill is being reviewed under a conclusive committee procedure, meaning it can move forward through committees unless there is an appeal for a plenary vote; it would still need to pass the Senate before becoming law.

For Brazil’s betting industry, the vote is another sign that advertising compliance will remain a central regulatory issue. Operators, agencies and influencer managers may soon face higher legal risk if children or teenagers appear in gambling-related campaigns. For lawmakers, the goal is clear: minors should not be bettors, and they should also not be used to normalise or promote gambling products to wider audiences.