Paulo-based clubs push back against São Paulo bill that could ban betting ads

Corinthians, Palmeiras and São Paulo are tracking a bill in the São Paulo City Council that would ban betting advertising at events held in the city. For high-risk operators, the point is simple: a municipal restriction in Brazil’s biggest city would hit sponsorship inventory, stadium visibility and, by extension, club revenue.

1. According to ge, the proposal cleared the Committee on Constitution and Justice (CCJ) with a favorable legality opinion and is now moving through the São Paulo City Council. The clubs and the Federação Paulista de Futebol (FPF) have been coordinating their response, with representatives meeting on Friday (21/8).
2. The bill was introduced by councilman João Jorge (MDB). It would ban betting ads at “events organized by public or private entities, with or without profit, amateur or professional, held in the Municipality of São Paulo, in public or private spaces.” The text says the ban would apply, “at minimum,” to signs, banners and panels in sports venues.
3. The penalties are not subtle: anyone who violates the rule could face a R$ 50 mil fine or be barred from organizing events for two years. In other words, this is not a polite request to tone down the branding.
4. The clubs’ concern is competitive, not philosophical. Corinthians, Palmeiras and São Paulo together receive about R$ 350 million fixed per year from master shirt sponsorships alone, with additional upside from bonuses, performance payments and pitch-side exposure. Corinthians, for example, went from R$ 17 million a year from a pharmaceutical sponsor in the master shirt slot through 2023 to R$ 150 million from a betting company today, plus performance bonuses.
5. Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, president of the FPF, said that if clubs in the city of São Paulo lose betting-brand revenue while rivals in other states keep it, “there will be a disparity that will reach the field.” He added that a rule limited to the capital would weaken local clubs against national and international competitors and directly affect their ability to win titles.

The bill’s justification cites the impact of betting on household income, especially among poorer families, and refers to debt, family conflict and emotional breakdown tied to gambling addiction. The practical question for operators and clubs is narrower: if the rule stays city-specific, São Paulo could become an odd little island where betting brands are treated differently from the rest of Brazilian football.