Rio de Janeiro bans public sports betting ads, Belo Horizonte follows

The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Cavaliere, signed Decree No. 58.274 on 13 July 2026 prohibiting all advertising of fixed‑odds sports betting platforms in public spaces. The ban covers outdoor billboards, street furniture, municipal venues and any place that requires city approval, and it aims to protect children and curb gambling‑related debt. Cavaliere said “bets are a plague… like tobacco” and stressed the city’s duty to act for public health.

A day later, Belo Horizonte’s mayor Álvaro Damião enacted a similar decree, forbidding static or digital betting ads on municipal assets and within 100 metres of schools, museums and other facilities for children and adolescents. Damião added, “we need to raise awareness that betting is addictive.” Both municipalities will enforce the rules through their licensing and inspection offices, applying fines and contract penalties for violations.

The municipal measures align with newly issued federal regulations that, from 17 July, require betting advertisements to display mandatory warnings such as “Apostar pode causar dependência” or “Apostar faz você perder dinheiro.” Rio’s action is the first city‑wide ban in Brazil and may set a precedent for other local governments.