RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazil on Friday made it mandatory for gambling advertisements to carry warnings about addiction and money loss, tightening regulations on a sector that has exploded in recent years, dragging many into debt.
Brazil’s betting market has boomed since a regulatory framework was established in 2023, accompanied by aggressive advertising both on the streets and online from influencers and sports stars.
Controversy soared during the World Cup, with YouTube channel CazeTV — which streamed all matches live to millions of people — showing QR codes to place bets and recommending specific wagers.
After a probe from the country’s consumer protection agency, the channel scaled back such ads.
The goal is to “treat betting like…