The Ministry of Finance is looking into possible irregular advertising by Esportes da Sorte (Esportes Gaming Brasil Group) aired by SBT during the World Cup. The operator says it has corrected the issue flagged and will not comment on other aspects of the case.
The investigation began after an ad aired before the match between England and Croatia, during the group stage.
The MF is assessing whether the ad encouraged bettors to take risks without presenting adequate warnings about the risks of gambling, as required by the responsible gambling rules of the regulated sector.
In the ad, presenters recommended a specific bet on English goals, highlighted the financial return of the wager, and pressured viewers to bet before a QR Code displayed on screen disappeared.
The Treasury also officially requested SBT to clarify whether there was coordination between the broadcaster and the operator regarding the airing of the content.
When contacted by staging-latam.next.io/ and asked whether there was prior coordination with SBT about the commercial’s content and whether the company instructs commentators to promote live betting, Esportes da Sorte only said it was notified and that it “made the flagged adjustments.” SBT declined to comment.
The process remains under investigation. Esportes da Sorte may still present a defense, and the case may result in punishment or be closed, depending on the Treasury’s analysis.
The situation is similar to the investigation opened against bet365, Betnacional, and KTO over ads aired on CazéTV during the same tournament.
The 2026 World Cup is the first since the regulation of sports betting in Brazil, which imposes obligations to combat gambling addiction and requires responsible gambling policies from licensed operators.
Similar case: CazéTV
Betting advertising on CazéTV is also the target of investigations during the World Cup. Senacon is examining whether the advertising insertions by bet365, Betnacional, and KTO during broadcasts clearly distinguished sports content from advertising, including the use of live odds and QR Codes by commentators.
Conar, in turn, ordered the suspension of advertising insertions during the channel’s presenters’ commentary, which featured content about odds and winning probabilities.