More than 60 organizations say they won't accept advertising from an industry they argue is fueling a national epidemic and demand independent scrutiny.
More than 60 Brazilian news organizations have jointly agreed not to accept advertising money from the country’s rapidly expanding online sports betting industry, saying that accepting it would compromise their ability to scrutinize a sector fueling a national epidemic.
The outlets signed and co-published an editorial — an unprecedented collaboration in Brazilian news media, according to the organizations that signed it — arguing that the sports betting industry’s surging profits give the companies an outsized influence and could undermine journalism’s integrity. The editorial was initially published by 15 media organizations; less than a week later, the number of signers quadrupled.
“We publicly reject this influence, particularly over journalism, which must be committed above all to serving the public interest,” the editorial said. “Our role is to defend society by independently investigating and exposing the industry's undue influence and by calling on authorities to adopt stricter rules governing both betting advertisements and the operations of betting companies.”
The sports betting industry’s monthly transaction volume has climbed to an estimated 30 billion reais ($6 billion), more than seven times higher than three years ago, according to an analysis by Brazil’s National Confederation of Commerce based on Central Bank data.
The World Cup saw a significant spike in sports gambling in Brazil, where the Justice Ministry launched an investigation into whether a TV broadcaster was showing betting advertisements during matches while ignoring its mental and public health consequences.
The outlets signing on to the initiative range from national news organizations and local publications to investigative outlets and websites covering startups, technology and financial markets. Many said they already have turned down tempting advertising deals.
Natalia Viana, executive director of the investigative journalism nonprofit Agência Pública, said the response to the editorial has been surprising, and that news organizations in Brazil are prioritizing the integrity of the information they report to the public.
“This is already a historic mobilization”, she said in a statement.
Vinícius Martins, multimedia director at Alma Preta, which reports news from a Black perspective, said sports betting has caused extensive damage in Brazil, especially among Black families.
“The data shows that Brazil’s Black and poor population is one of the most vulnerable to aggressive advertising by betting companies. And that has impacts on multiple levels” Martins told LJR.
The outlet reported on the impact of betting on early childhood, with a focus on Black children.
“Many households are already in low-income or vulnerable situations, and money that should be used to maintain basic living standards is often going toward this economic infrastructure — namely, betting houses in Brazil,” Martins said, adding there’s data that shows the flow of money from people receiving social welfare benefits toward betting apps.
Pedro Dória, founder of the digital news outlet Meio, said in the editorial that 44% of Brazilians want betting companies to be barred from operating, and nearly 60% blame them for the population’s debt.
“It’s not an easy decision for us. 2026 has been a very difficult year for the press. Money is tight for everyone. But we feel we have no other choice,” Dória said.
Many journalists say public relation firms representing betting companies reach out to them aggressively. Rodrigo Borges, editor at MigraMundo, told LJR that he gets such proposals once a week.
“It ends up being kind of annoying when you have to decline the email, and then they’re replying back,” he said.
The news outlets that signed the editorial say they’re seeking to have a public conversation about betting companies. They hope the editorial will reach news organizations that cover the advertising industry as well as the Conselho Nacional de Autorregulamentação Publicitária, an independent advertising regulation body, Viana said.
It is “a problem that must be addressed head on,” Viana said.
The editorial can be signed by any news organization that plans on refusing advertising from betting companies.
