Brazil bans online betting: key dates and what it means for football
September 29, 2026 · JICA LABS
Brazil, one of the world's largest online betting markets, has decided to shut it down entirely. On September 25, 2026, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed a provisional measure banning fixed-odds sports betting and online casinos, including the popular "jogo do tigrinho". Finance Minister Dario Durigan announced it.
The dates that matter
- From publication: no operator may accept deposits.
- By October 5: bettors must request withdrawal of their money.
- October 6: all licensed sites and apps are blocked.
- October 9–14: operators must refund requested balances; from the 14th, a state bank helps with pending refunds.
- 120 days: Congress's deadline to approve the measure. If it does not, the measure lapses.
Lula also announced a bill creating criminal offenses for those who operate or advertise betting. He said the existing regulation "did not work" and called the industry "a cancer".
The hit to football
Betting companies had become Brazilian football's main sponsors. Top-flight clubs received about $212 million from them in 2025. Flamengo alone gets 268.5 million reais a year from Betano, its main sponsor, and the club warned the decision "eliminates neither the activity nor the illegal market". Almost 90 companies had paid 30 million reais each for their licenses and are expected to go to court.
The arguments
For: the government argues betting was draining household income, especially among the poorest, and regulation failed to control it. Against: the industry and clubs warn bettors will move to illegal sites with no protection, and that tax revenue and sponsorships will be lost. The measure also comes nine days before the first round of the presidential election.
Why it matters for the region
Online betting grew across Latin America with the same model: heavy advertising and club sponsorships. Several countries, such as Chile, have debated for years how to regulate it. What happens in Brazil — whether Congress confirms the ban and whether the illegal market grows — will be the case everyone watches.
If you bet in Brazil: request your balance before October 5. Be wary of any site or message offering to keep betting or to "recover" your money for a fee: that is the typical bait of scams that appear after changes like this.