Belo Horizonte also bans street betting advertising
The Belo Horizonte City Hall has banned fixed-odds betting operators from advertising in municipal public spaces, becoming the second major Brazilian city to adopt such a measure after Rio de Janeiro.
The decree, signed by Mayor Álvaro Damião, prohibits the installation of static or digital advertising in any space linked to the municipal administration, and also within a 100-meter radius of schools, museums, and public services intended for the care of children, adolescents, and young people when the advertisements could encourage betting. The restriction applies to both municipal properties and urban furniture, including bus stops, benches, trash cans, public clocks, and informational totems. The prohibition also extends to concessions, permits, and authorizations granted by the municipality, preventing the dissemination of operator advertising in public spaces operated by private companies and at events organized by the city hall.
Damião explained that from now on, betting advertisements are prohibited in Belo Horizonte on urban furniture, bus stops, and municipal properties in areas leased by the city hall and at events promoted by public authorities. He added that operator sponsorship will also not be allowed at public events with the participation of private companies. The administration justified the decision by the growing national debate on the impact of advertising in the sector. According to the mayor, there is a great discussion in the country about how much this advertising encourages many people to fall into an addiction that ends in debt, and while that debate continues at the national level, the city decided to act.
The decree also establishes a period of 15 business days for municipal Executive Power bodies and entities to review current contracts and administrative acts and adopt the necessary measures to remove advertising affected by the new regulations. The decision follows the path of Rio de Janeiro, which days earlier had banned advertising by betting operators in public spaces and in private places whose advertising exploitation depends on municipal authorizations, licenses, permits, or concessions.
Tags: Belo Horizonte, Álvaro Damião, gambling advertising in Brazil, Minas Gerais