Pedro Cortés and Luis Portela de Carvalho recently contributed with an article to Lexology about the Portuguese Parliament’s current discussion on a bill proposed by the minority party Livre aiming to impose a near-total ban on gambling advertising.
While the intent is to address rising public health concerns related to gambling, the article raises critical points about potential unintended consequences, including:
• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀: a near-ban may inadvertently drive consumers to unregulated operators.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝘀𝘆𝗺𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: State-run entities might gain an unfair advantage over private operators due to advertising exemptions.
• 𝗘𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: The complexity of modern advertising landscapes poses significant hurdles for regulatory compliance.
As discussions progress, it’s crucial to strike a balance between protecting vulnerable groups and ensuring licensed operators can communicate responsibly.
Access the full article on Lexology (registration required) or contact us directly for a copy.