Brazil's top football clubs are mobilising against a sweeping proposal to ban betting advertisements across São Paulo, alarmed by the potential loss of hundreds of millions in annual sponsorship revenue. Executives from Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo, Santos and Juventus convened last week at the São Paulo Football Federation with legal, marketing and betting industry representatives to coordinate their response to the measure, which could face a city council vote imminently.

A Proposal with Teeth

The chief concern is Bill 560/2025, currently progressing through the council. It's a sweeping piece of legislation: betting company advertising would be prohibited at any public or private sporting event in São Paulo. Violations carry fines of BRL50,000 ($10,000) and potential event hosting bans lasting up to two years. The scope is comprehensive. No signage, banners or display panels in stadiums or arenas. A complete prohibition on betting brand advertising on public transport including buses.

Notably, the bill does not explicitly target team jersey sponsorships, though some councillors have signalled intent to expand the measure to include apparel branding. This ambiguity has only amplified club concerns.

The Numbers Behind the Fight

The financial stakes are staggering. Corinthians, Palmeiras and São Paulo alone hold betting sponsorship contracts valued at BRL350 million annually. For context, these arrangements represent critical revenue streams that fund player acquisitions, infrastructure investment and operational costs. A localised ban would create what Reinaldo Carneiro Bastos, president of the São Paulo Football Federation, has termed a competitive "disparity that extends to the pitch".

The fear among everyone involved is straightforward: clubs operating outside São Paulo would retain their betting partnerships, enabling greater investment and competitive advantage. Worse still, some worry a ban could force São Paulo-based clubs to relocate matches to other jurisdictions to preserve their existing sponsorship agreements.

Next Steps

The 40 professionals assembled at the federation's meeting have begun sketching a coordinated response. Educational campaigns and collective industry action are under consideration, alongside direct engagement with city political leadership. The clubs have not yet finalised their strategic approach, but the unified front suggests a robust push back is coming.

Whether it will prove sufficient to derail or modify Bill 560/2025 remains uncertain.