Bill No. 3,915 , which prohibits the promotion of gambling by digital influencers, was approved by the Communications Committee of the Chamber of Deputies last Wednesday (6).

The opinion given by rapporteur Fred Linhares was favorable to the approval of the project and the appendices PL No. 4,302, PL No. 4,394 and PL No. 4,933 in the form of a substitute, adapting the wording of the texts that dealt with the same subject.

The opinion establishes rules for advertising bets involving digital influencers, imposing fines of up to R$50 million in the event of non-compliance.

“This measure aims to protect the public against the risks associated with betting activities, including the mental and financial health of the followers of these influencers and artists,” Fred pointed out in the opinion.

Bill 3,915 was authored by Congressman Ricardo Ayres and must still pass through the Finance and Taxation Committee (CFT) and the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) before going to the Chamber’s plenary.

Advertising ban

The project prohibits the dissemination of illegal games through videos, images, live streams or stories by digital influencers.

The promotion of regulated betting houses is permitted, as long as the advertising content of the publication is explicit and the content is not aimed at minors.

“Our text expressly prohibits the promotion of gambling to this audience and requires influencers to inform about the risks of betting ,” he highlights.

The bill also states that companies that hire influencers for advertising purposes must publish on their websites a list of all influencers hired in the last year, including those hired through intermediaries.

The substitute presented by rapporteur Fred Linhares defines a digital influencer as “a natural person who uses social networks to influence the behavior, opinions and decisions of their audience”.

Penalties for non-compliance

The bill also states that digital influencers are responsible for ensuring that their content does not contain references or encouragements to unregulated gambling activities.

In the event of non-compliance, the penalties provided for are varied, including warnings, progressive fines based on the offender’s income, up to R$50 million, educational guidance, compensation for damages, and even the suspension of activities for a maximum period of six months, extendable for the same period.

Trust in influencers

Research carried out by Opinion Box at the request of Aposta Legal Brasil shows that 7 out of 10 Brazilians do not trust recommendations made by influencers.

According to the data, 67% of respondents who do not follow influencers linked to the betting niche do not trust the recommendations of bookmakers.

The distrust comes amid a scenario of controversy involving the manipulation of results and criminal schemes linked to the tiger game .