Meta faces scrutiny after more than 700 betting adverts are found in Brazil

More than 700 advertisements promoting betting platforms were identified across Meta‘s platforms in Brazil during November 10 and 11, according to an investigation published by BBC News Brasil. The findings emerged several weeks after the Brazilian Government introduced a nationwide prohibition on fixed-odds betting activities and related advertising under Provisional Measure 1,394/2026.

The investigation raises questions about the effectiveness of advertising oversight and the ability of digital platforms to identify and restrict promotional material that may conflict with local regulations.

Some advertisements identified by the BBC reportedly originated from pages that had already been brought to Meta's attention by Brazilian authorities. The findings also indicate that removing previously identified advertisements may not, by itself, prevent similar promotional material from appearing again.

The issue has brought renewed attention to Meta's advertising controls, Brazil's enforcement framework and the wider challenges associated with monitoring commercial activity across major social media platforms.

Brazil introduces a nationwide betting and advertising prohibition

The regulatory background dates back to September 25, 2026, when President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed Provisional Measure 1,394/2026.

The measure established a prohibition on the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting lotteries throughout Brazil. Its provisions cover both physical and digital activities, including sports-related betting and online games falling within the legal definition of fixed-odds betting.

The restrictions also apply to foreign-based operators offering these services to individuals located in Brazil.

A particularly important element concerns advertising. Article 16 prohibits communication, promotional activities, marketing and sponsorship connected to fixed-odds betting, regardless of whether the content is distributed through traditional media or digital channels.

The measure also specifies that the prohibition covers content directed towards Brazilian audiences that offers betting products, promotes them or facilitates access to such services.

Digital and physical advertising material already in circulation was subject to a ten-day removal period following publication of the measure. This established October 5 as the deadline for the removal of existing promotional material.

The legislation further establishes responsibilities for internet application providers. Under Article 19, platforms must take appropriate measures to prevent prohibited betting-related content from circulating through their services. Article 20 also addresses the removal of third-party material following notifications from competent authorities.

The provisions include potential administrative consequences for non-compliance. However, determining whether a particular platform has breached its obligations requires an assessment of the relevant circumstances and applicable legal procedures.

Importantly, the measure concerns fixed-odds betting lotteries rather than every lottery category or all forms of gaming in Brazil.

Government records had already identified hundreds of advertisements

The BBC investigation indicates that the November findings were not the first occasion on which Brazilian authorities had raised concerns about betting promotions appearing on Meta's services.

Documents obtained through Brazil's Access to Information Law reportedly show that the Ministry of Justice and Public Security had previously identified hundreds of advertising records connected to betting promotions on the company's platforms.

The investigation reported that the ministry had compiled 501 advertising records associated with 130 profiles.

The material was examined by the National Secretariat for Digital Rights, known as Sedigi, which operates within the Ministry of Justice and Public Security.

According to the reported documents, the ministry contacted Meta during October and requested the removal of the identified advertisements. It also sought information about the company's procedures for preventing similar promotional material from appearing again.

Meta responded that all the links identified in the government notification were inaccessible to users in Brazil.

This response forms an important part of the regulatory discussion because it illustrates the difference between restricting access to specific advertising destinations and preventing the appearance of replacement advertisements.

The authorities' concerns therefore extended beyond the removal of individual links. They also wanted to understand what measures were being implemented to prevent similar promotional campaigns from returning through different pages or advertising accounts.

BBC identifies more than 700 betting advertisements

The subsequent investigation conducted by BBC News Brasil on November 10 and 11 identified more than 700 advertisements promoting betting-related services.

The promotional material reportedly included invitations to register with online casinos, bonus offers and messages suggesting that users could multiply their money through betting activities.

Some advertisements were associated with pages that had previously been identified in government records. Other material appeared to represent additional promotional activity directed towards Brazilian audiences.

The investigation also reported that advertisements continued appearing through the same pages even when earlier promotional material had become unavailable.

A further review conducted on November 12 indicated that some advertisements had disappeared following contact with Meta. However, other promotional material had appeared in their place.

This sequence raises questions about the effectiveness of identifying individual advertisements without examining the wider activity of the accounts and pages responsible for publishing them.

It also demonstrates the practical difficulties involved in enforcing advertising restrictions across digital platforms where promotional campaigns can be modified, replaced or distributed through different advertiser profiles.

The findings do not, by themselves, establish the legal responsibility of individual advertisers or determine whether Meta has committed a regulatory infringement. Nevertheless, they provide additional information for authorities examining how prohibited betting promotions may continue reaching Brazilian audiences.

Meta responds to the advertising concerns

Meta has maintained that it does not permit illegal advertisements on its platforms and removes such material when it is identified.

The company also previously informed Brazilian authorities that the links included in the government's notification were inaccessible to users in Brazil.

These statements are relevant to understanding the company's position in the matter. The appearance of advertisements in a platform's public advertising records does not automatically establish the precise extent of their distribution, audience exposure or the circumstances surrounding their approval and removal.

However, the BBC's follow-up observations indicate that the removal of certain advertisements was not necessarily followed by the disappearance of all similar promotional activity.

The distinction matters because regulatory enforcement may require more than the removal of individual advertisements. Authorities may also need to examine how advertiser accounts are established, how promotional material is reviewed and whether repeated attempts to publish restricted content can be detected.

For Meta, the issue creates a challenge involving advertising verification and regulatory compliance across a large digital advertising environment.

It also highlights the importance of providing clear information about the handling of government notifications and the procedures used to prevent repeated publication of prohibited material.

NetLab researchers highlight advertiser identification problems

The investigation also drew attention to research conducted by NetLab, the Laboratory for Internet and Social Network Studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

NetLab coordinators Bruno Mattos and Nicole Sanchotene discussed the challenges associated with identifying advertisers and assessing potentially connected promotional activities.

Their observations suggest that the concerns extend beyond betting advertisements. Similar monitoring difficulties can arise in other areas where questionable or prohibited commercial promotions appear across digital platforms.

According to Mattos, Meta holds information that could help improve advertising oversight. This includes the history of changes to page names, changes in account administrators and periods during which pages remain inactive.

Such information could help investigators identify recurring activity and assess whether different advertising profiles display similar operational characteristics.

Sanchotene also highlighted the importance of distinguishing suspicious patterns from demonstrable connections between advertisers.

The laboratory stated:

“Without this level of transparency, it is possible to identify suspicious patterns and operational similarities, but not reliably demonstrate the existence of a coordinated structure,” the laboratory stated.

This distinction is particularly relevant from a legal and investigative perspective. Similar advertising material or repeated promotional patterns do not necessarily prove that separate accounts are controlled by the same individuals or organisation.

Establishing such connections may require access to additional information, including verified advertiser identities, payment records and relationships between advertising accounts.

The researchers also highlighted the potential value of retaining historical advertising information after campaigns have been removed. Preserving details about previous advertisements, their financial backing and their intended audiences could help investigators understand how promotional networks operate over time.

Regulatory scrutiny continues as legal questions remain

The implementation of Provisional Measure 1,394/2026 has also developed alongside constitutional challenges and parliamentary discussions.

On November 9, Supreme Federal Court Justice Luiz Fux ordered the nationwide suspension of judicial proceedings questioning the constitutionality of the measure. The decision was intended to prevent conflicting rulings while the Supreme Federal Court considers the matter.

This procedural decision did not constitute a final judgment on the measure's constitutionality.

The Brazilian National Congress subsequently extended the measure's validity for another 60 days through an act published on November 11. Parliamentary consideration of the measure therefore remains an important part of the regulatory process.

Against this background, the advertisements identified by the BBC add another dimension to the discussion surrounding the implementation of Brazil's betting restrictions.

The authorities face the task of determining how the advertising provisions should be enforced in practice, particularly when online promotions can be distributed through accounts and pages that are difficult to identify or verify.

For digital platforms, the situation highlights the importance of effective advertiser identification, transparent moderation procedures and cooperation with relevant regulatory authorities.

Conclusion

The discovery of more than 700 betting advertisements on Meta's platforms has brought renewed attention to the practical difficulties of enforcing Brazil's restrictions on fixed-odds betting promotions.

The reported findings are particularly significant because they emerged after government authorities had already identified hundreds of advertising records and contacted the company about their removal. The subsequent appearance of additional promotional material suggests that addressing the issue may require more comprehensive oversight than simply blocking individual advertisements or restricting specific links.

For Meta, the matter highlights the importance of strengthening advertiser verification, improving the monitoring of recurring promotional activity and maintaining clear procedures for responding to regulatory notifications.

For Brazilian authorities, the investigation provides another reason to examine how existing enforcement mechanisms operate across major digital platforms. Greater transparency could also help distinguish isolated advertising violations from genuinely coordinated activity.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of Brazil's regulatory approach will depend not only on the restrictions established by Provisional Measure 1,394/2026 but also on the ability of authorities and digital platforms to implement them consistently. The outcome could have wider implications for advertising transparency and the enforcement of online gambling restrictions beyond Brazil.

FAQs

How many betting advertisements were identified on Meta's platforms in Brazil?
BBC News Brasil identified more than 700 betting-related advertisements during searches conducted on November 10 and 11, 2026.

When did Brazil introduce Provisional Measure 1,394/2026?
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed the measure on September 25, 2026.

What does Provisional Measure 1,394/2026 prohibit?
It prohibits the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting lotteries in Brazil, including covered sports betting and online games.

When was the deadline for removing existing betting advertisements?
The ten-day removal period established under the measure ended on October 5, 2026.

How many advertising records had Brazilian authorities previously identified?
The BBC reported that the Ministry of Justice and Public Security had compiled 501 advertising records associated with 130 profiles.

What was Meta's response to the government notification?
Meta informed the authorities that the identified links were inaccessible to users in Brazil. The company also stated that it does not permit illegal advertisements and removes them when identified.

Did all the identified advertisements disappear after Meta was contacted?
No. The BBC's November 12 follow-up checks found that some advertisements had become unavailable while other promotional material appeared through the same pages.

What is NetLab UFRJ?
NetLab is a research laboratory at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro that studies internet platforms, social networks and issues including digital disinformation and advertising transparency.

Why is advertiser transparency important in this case?
Verified advertiser identities, payment information and account relationships can help authorities investigate suspicious advertising patterns and establish whether separate campaigns are connected.

Has Brazil's betting prohibition received final constitutional approval?
The measure has faced constitutional challenges. On November 9, 2026, the Supreme Federal Court ordered related judicial proceedings suspended nationwide pending a final decision on the constitutional dispute.