CONAR suspends advertising self-regulation for fixed-odds betting after federal ban in Brazil

Brazil’s CONAR has paused its self-regulatory advertising rules for fixed-odds betting after Medida Provisória nº 1.394 banned the vertical nationwide. For operators, PSPs, and affiliate-heavy businesses, the immediate issue is not theory; it is whether ad and sponsorship materials now have a 10-day removal window and what happens when a regulatory framework changes overnight.

1. Medida Provisória nº 1.394 was published on Friday 25/9, took effect immediately, and prohibits fixed-odds betting in Brazil. The text also gives 10 days to remove advertising materials and sponsorship signs linked to the segment.
2. In response, CONAR suspended all of its self-regulatory provisions and actions for betting advertising. The council said it will still act against irregular advertising content that falls within its remit, so the pause is not a blanket exit from enforcement.
3. The betting format was introduced into Brazilian law in 2018 and later regulated by Law nº 14.790/2023. On that basis, CONAR built specific self-regulation rules for the sector in Annex X of its Brazilian Code of Advertising Self-Regulation.
4. Annex X set principles and restrictions for commercial communication around betting, including monitoring, compliance, and cooperation with authorities and platforms. CONAR later tightened those restrictions after reviewing thousands of cases and international references, with special attention to children, teenagers, and vulnerable audiences.
5. In a note released on Tuesday 29/9, CONAR said the effectiveness of such rules depends on stability and consistency in the regulatory framework. The council said it is concerned about “abrupt changes in the regulatory framework” that disrupt protective mechanisms and may affect consumer exposure and the fight against irregular practices.

CONAR also said the hardest phase of any regulatory cycle is implementation, especially in a communication environment where content spreads fast and enforcement depends on cooperation between public authorities, platforms, market participants, and self-regulatory systems. It will follow Congress’s review of Medida Provisória nº 1.394 and says it remains available to help promote responsible advertising and consumer protection.