Sports betting companies invested R$ 2.12 billion in Brazil’s free-to-air and pay television markets between January 2025 and June 2026, according to a survey by media intelligence company Tunad. The figures highlight the scale of the betting industry’s role in the country’s advertising market before the government introduced restrictions on betting operations and advertising.
The data, reported by iGaming Brazil on October 22, 2026, show that betting operators became the leading category of television advertisers during much of 2026. Between January and August, the sector invested R$ 542.4 million in linear free-to-air television alone, ranking first among advertising categories in five of the eight months analysed.
The regulatory changes have since forced broadcasters to remove betting advertisements and reconsider commercial agreements with operators, creating uncertainty over how the vacated advertising inventory will be sold.
How Much Did Betting Companies Spend on TV Advertising?
Tunad’s research provides an indication of the betting industry’s advertising expenditure across Brazilian television.
Between January 2025 and June 2026, operators invested approximately R$ 2.12 billion in free-to-air and pay television. The figures indicate that the sector relied heavily on traditional broadcasting to reach audiences.
The main findings include:
- R$ 2.12 billion: Total investment in free-to-air and pay television from January 2025 to June 2026.
- R$ 542.4 million: Investment in linear free-to-air television between January and August 2026.
- Five out of eight months: Number of months in which betting companies ranked as the leading television advertising category.
- 93.1%: Share of television advertising budgets allocated to free-to-air TV by the ten largest betting advertisers.
- 94.2%: Proportion of the sector’s television advertising investment accounted for by the ten largest companies.
The figures show that betting advertising was not only a major source of demand for Brazilian broadcasters but also a concentrated market, with a relatively small group of operators accounting for most spending.
Which Betting Companies Invested the Most?
According to the reported data, advertising expenditure was concentrated among the industry’s largest operators.
Betano and Bet do Milhão together accounted for approximately 40% of the sector’s television advertising investment in the period covered by the relevant Tunad analysis. The ten largest advertisers represented 94.2% of the total, leaving a comparatively small share for other operators.
This concentration means that the withdrawal of advertising from a limited number of major brands can have a substantial impact on broadcasters’ commercial revenues.
The figures also show the importance of free-to-air television in operators’ marketing strategies. Among the ten largest betting advertisers, 93.1% of television budgets went to free-to-air channels, while 6.9% was allocated to pay television.
Betting Advertising Spending Was Already Declining
The industry’s advertising expenditure had begun to fall before the restrictions took effect.
Tunad’s figures show that betting companies’ television spending declined from R$ 234.2 million to R$ 153.5 million across two comparable 39-day periods following the World Cup, a reduction of 34.5%.
This trend suggests that the market was already undergoing an adjustment before the government’s intervention.
Nevertheless, betting companies remained major advertisers during the first eight months of 2026. Their R$ 542.4 million investment in linear free-to-air television put the sector approximately R$ 100 million ahead of streaming services, the second-largest advertising category.
The distinction is important: the decline in spending preceded the restrictions and should not be attributed entirely to the subsequent regulatory measures.
Brazil’s Betting Restrictions Create Challenges for Broadcasters
The Brazilian government introduced restrictions affecting betting operations and advertising through Provisional Measure 1.394, signed on September 25, 2026. Under the measures reported at the time, betting operators were required to remove advertising and related promotional activity by October 5.
The changes affected television commercials, sponsorship arrangements, and other forms of brand exposure associated with betting companies.
For broadcasters, the immediate challenge is to find replacement advertisers for commercial slots previously purchased by betting operators. However, replacing the volume of advertising demand does not necessarily mean replacing the revenue generated by the sector.
César Sponchiado, CEO and founder of Tunad, noted that broadcasters can attempt to sell the available inventory to other advertisers, but they may not achieve the same prices.
The impact extends beyond conventional commercial breaks. Betting companies have also invested in sports programming, sponsorships, and other advertising formats connected with football coverage.
Can Other Advertisers Replace Betting Industry Revenue?
Some advertising categories had increased their media investments before the restrictions were introduced.
Tunad’s comparison of July and August 2026 with September to November 2025 showed the following increases:
| Advertising category | Increase in investment |
|---|---|
| Digital platforms | 54% |
| Pharmaceuticals | 50% |
| Streaming services | 32% |
| Telecommunications | 20% |
These figures do not demonstrate that other sectors have directly replaced betting advertising. The comparison covers periods before the restrictions took effect, and increased spending in one category does not necessarily translate into equivalent demand for the advertising slots previously purchased by betting operators.
Broadcasters will need to negotiate new commercial agreements and adjust pricing to attract replacement advertisers. The pace of this process will depend on demand, audience reach, advertising budgets, and the availability of alternative campaigns.
What Happens to Existing Sponsorship and Advertising Contracts?
The restrictions have also raised questions about agreements already signed between betting companies, broadcasters, advertising agencies, football clubs, and other media partners.
Some arrangements involve advance payments or long-term sponsorship commitments. When regulations change, the consequences depend on the wording of each contract, the responsibilities of the parties, and the applicable legal framework.
Legal experts cited by iGaming Brazil noted that the regulatory change could lead to disputes over contract termination, penalties, compensation, and the allocation of financial losses.
The outcome is not necessarily the same for every agreement. An agency acting solely as an intermediary may have different obligations from one that has directly committed to purchasing advertising inventory or providing services to a media company.
Consequently, the financial impact of the restrictions may extend beyond the betting operators themselves to agencies, broadcasters, football clubs, and suppliers involved in the advertising ecosystem.
What the Advertising Figures Mean for Brazil’s Media Market
The R$ 2.12 billion investment total illustrates how dependent parts of Brazil’s television advertising market had become on betting companies.
The sector’s withdrawal creates a significant commercial challenge, particularly for free-to-air broadcasters, which received the overwhelming majority of the television budgets allocated by the ten largest betting advertisers.
Although other industries have increased their advertising spending, it remains uncertain how quickly they can absorb the available inventory or whether they will pay comparable rates.
The regulatory situation also remains subject to political and legal developments. The provisional measure was expected to undergo congressional review, while legal challenges could affect its implementation. Any future changes would need to be assessed separately from the historical advertising data.
Source: https://igamingbrazil.com/en/bookmakers/2026/10/22/betting-companies-invested-r-2-12-billion-in-brazilian-television-over-18-months/
