José Manssur Questions Double Standards Around Betting and Alcohol Advertising During the World Cup

As the 2026 World Cup looms closer, the rising levels of betting-related activity in Brazil have drawn increasing amounts of criticism and controversy. Nevertheless, José Manssur, sports law professor and expert on gaming regulation in Brazil, contends that there may be contradictions in the current discussion as a result of differing attitudes towards various businesses involved in the world of sports entertainment.

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In an article featured by Poder360, Manssur asked why beer advertisements during sporting events have been accepted by society, while advertisements relating to betting have faced greater levels of criticism.

Based on Manssur’s claims, alcohol commercials are equally available online and on TV screens throughout the day, regularly using the love of football to encourage consumers.

Manssur Suggests Retail Sector Interests Behind Betting Criticism

According to the expert, the negative attitude towards betting could stem partially from business concerns within Brazil. Specifically, the professor posited that parts of Brazil’s retail sector were becoming concerned about losing sales revenue to the rising popularity of betting platforms.

The article mentioned estimates by the Confederação Nacional do Comércio (CNC) indicating that Brazilian retail may lose up to BRL 103 billion of consumer income during 2024 because of betting.

“The economic data needs analysis, but it also shows an aspect of the conflict’s underlying reasoning: the consumer’s pocket is just one of them. And if the funds spent on a bet no longer go to the grocery store, to the bar, to retail or even convenience stores, there is high likelihood that a big portion of this struggle also involves products such as beer, which is one of the largest categories in Brazil“, the article states.

In addition, Manssur suggested that betting and beer industries were competing for the same markets in Brazil, while large brands would not confront betting operators directly.

“Betting and beer compete in the same market, and the beer industry will hardly start any campaign under its name. Hence, ‘retail’ appears as a safer option to blame“, the lawyer said.

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Public Health Concerns at the Forefront of Debate

In spite of his stance, Manssur agreed that sports betting posed some risks and deserved critical attention from society.

However, he reminded that the adverse impact of consuming alcohol was already recognized in Brazil, and that the country’s Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) has already seen negative consequences of alcohol abuse.

The article also drew attention to public concerns regarding the increased normality of alcohol consumption in Brazil. Specifically, data gathered in 2019 by PeNSE, a national survey of school students, revealed that 63.3% of students had consumed alcoholic drinks, while 34.6% first consumed alcohol prior to turning 14 years old.

In addition, 28.1% had consumed alcohol in the month prior to taking the survey.

“In short, the intention is neither to minimize risks of gambling nor to ignore them; the objective is to make the society realize the necessity of coherence and consistency in a debate about the negative impacts caused by businesses related to sports entertainment“, Manssur concluded.

Calls for Betting Regulations to Follow Consistent Approach Persist

While betting legislation was established in Brazil recently, allowing researchers and authorities to analyze the economic and social impact of the sector, discussions about gambling advertising and responsible gaming continue.

Manssur finished by calling for a consistent approach when comparing advertising restrictions on betting versus alcohol consumption.

“If the criterion is public health, the advertisement of betting cannot be regarded as a danger to humanity, whereas advertisements about alcohol consumption are an integral part of World Cup culture“, he concluded.

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Source: iGaming Brasil