In the midst of the regulation process, bets have started to address the dangers of excesses and emphasize that betting should be seen as entertainment. The words responsibility, moderation, authorization, and safety have become more frequently part of campaigns and advertisements in recent months. The advertising-specialized newspaper Meio & Mensagem publishes an analysis of the recent actions of major brands.
In the midst of debates about the effects of these bets on the population's indebtedness – and with the Ministry of Justice acting directly to prevent the targeting of advertising messages to groups considered more vulnerable – the sector has been recalculating its positioning before the public.
If before the imperative tone dominated the messages, with repeated appeals for people to play and get to know the bets, now, more measured speeches come into play. The invitation to the public remains evident, however, it is accompanied by reminders that playing excessively is not appropriate and that bets should not be seen as a source of income.
In August, Betnacional gathered Olympic champions Bia Souza (judo) and Ana Patrícia and Duda (beach volleyball) in the first commercial that would mark a change in positioning.
In the scene, the athletes argued, for example, that to go far in life, it was necessary to bet on education. And that, to prosper and earn money, it was necessary to bet on hard work. Finally, the message emphasized that betting at Betnacional should only be for fun.
The following month, when it presented its new visual identity to the public, the betting company continued the theme in a new commercial, with the presence of the athletes and other of its ambassadors, such as Vinicius Jr, Ludmilla, Thiaguinho, and Seu Jorge.
The most recent campaign of Betnacional, featuring Galvão Bueno and Tino Marcos, now addresses the fact that the company has obtained government authorization to operate in Brazil. From 2025, only companies that received authorization from the Ministry of Finance this year will be able to continue operating in the segment.
The company will be one of the sponsors of the 2025 edition of BBB. By announcing the commercial agreement, Betnacional declared that, with this partnership, “reaffirms its commitment to responsible entertainment, while innovating in seeking new ways to interact with the public”.
Regulation and new rules
The renewal of positioning and advertising language of betting companies is in line with the creation of specific guidelines for the sector's advertising, which began to be debated still in 2023 and which had direct participation from the National Council of Advertising Self-Regulation (Conar).
In December last year, Conar published Annex X, a set of rules specifically designed for the betting sector. Among the determinations, for example, is the prohibition of any advertising message that suggests that a person can get rich from the games. Or, still, that conveys the idea that earning money through that means is easy.
Among the guidelines is also the prohibition of young people under 21 years old participating in any advertisement or publicity of a betting company. In addition to being over 21 years old, Conar reinforces that the actors or influencers need to “appear” to be older than that.
Government bans betting advertising to children and adolescents
This month, the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), linked to the Ministry of Justice, determined the prohibition of any sports betting advertising directed at children and adolescents. Companies that violate the Law are subject to a daily fine of R$ 50,000.
Before, the STF also highlighted the importance of the government establishing more effective measures to control the actions of betting companies. The body also determined that resources from social programs (such as Bolsa Família) cannot be used for betting.
This movement of the authorities caused a reaction by Conar, which published a statement defending the self-regulation of the sector. According to the advertising entity, measures for the creation of ethical and responsible advertising messages are already provided for in the Conar regulations.
Without excesses
This greater attention of the government to the subject, along with the growing debate about the possible financial and psychological damages resulting from the habit of betting, are impacting the communication of the sector.
On the night of this Tuesday, 26, Esportes da Sorte aired, during the break of Jornal Nacional, from Globo, a commercial that highlights that “Betting is in our nature. Betting excessively is not”.
To support the argument, Suno, the agency responsible for the campaign, made an analogy with the arrival of man on the Moon. Before the trip, friends told the future astronaut that they doubted he would be capable of such a feat, thus starting a bet.
According to Esportes da Sorte, the new message “aims to raise awareness among the public that betting should be treated only as entertainment”. The brand also reinforces that, well before Conar established the ethical guidelines for the advertising of the segment, it already adopted the text “Play Responsibly” along with its slogan.
“The idea was precisely to draw attention and invite people to reflect that betting has always been part of human nature, that we are driven by the challenges that life imposes on us. But making it clear that, in the case of Esportes da Sorte, the act of betting is about fun and entertainment”, says, in a statement, CMO of the Esportes da Sorte Group, Sofia Aldin.
At the beginning of the month, Superbet took advantage of popular wisdom to express to the public that anything, in excess, can be harmful – including betting.
“We adopted the tone of speech as everything in excess is harmful. Work, food, fun. And with the game, it is no different”, explained, at the time Patrícia Prates, marketing director of Superbet Brazil. The campaign was conceived by the agency Pullse RJ, from the Dreamers Group and will be worked until December 31.
Superbet, moreover, prepared for this week a new campaign, in which it informs the public that it has been “the first fully regulated betting house in Brazil”. The company made the payment of the grant of R$ 30 million to the federal government this week.
For this campaign, the company enlisted presenter Getúlio Vargas (GV) and the former football referee Sálvio Spinola. Singer Ferrugem and player Thiago Silva will also participate in the actions on social networks.
Identification of authorized bets
Amid the communications of the betting companies themselves, the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR), an entity formed precisely by companies active in the sector, began to publish this week a new campaign on its social networks to highlight the importance of sector regulation.
The IBJR highlights that, from January 1, 2025, companies granted by the government will have to use the .bet.br domain on their digital platforms. This will be, according to the Institute, a way for the consumer to distinguish the companies that will be regularized.
“These are essential measures to strengthen what the IBJR advocates: a transparent, regulated, and responsible betting market”, says the text. At the beginning of the month, the IBJR had published an announcement in the main newspapers of the country detailing the importance of regulating the sector.
Source: Meio & Mensagem
