Brazil Prepares Online Casino Ban as Casino Makes Up 75% of Operator Revenue
Reuters reported on September 17, citing people familiar with discussions inside the presidential office. Three sources said President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is expected to sign off on the final text before the October 4 first round of Brazil's general election. Two said sports betting and sponsorship agreements involving clubs and competitions would not be included in the ban.
The text has not been published. Discussions with ministers are still taking place, meaning the scope can change before any measure is signed.
Finance Minister Dario Durigan said on September 17 that no decision on restrictions or a ban had yet been finalized.
Casino Can Account for Most Revenue at Some Operators
Online casino games account for about three-quarters of operator revenue, according to ANJL. The current federal authorization model does not separate sportsbook and casino into two independent licenses.
The same Reuters report put government receipts from betting at nearly R$10 billion ($1.95 billion) in 2025, including license fees and taxes. There is no reliable way to apply the roughly 75% revenue-share estimate directly to that R$10 billion. The ANJL figure describes operators' revenue mix, while the government figure combines different forms of sector payments.
ANJL also argues that removing activities already covered by paid authorizations could trigger reimbursement and compensation claims. Its legal adviser put the potential exposure at up to R$120 billion in a preliminary estimate.
85 Companies Sit Behind Brazil's Licensed Brand List
A 15M check of the SPA authorization list, updated on September 16, found 85 authorized companies. Reuters refers to 188 authorized betting operators.
Those figures should not be read as 188 separate legal entities. Brazil's licensing rules allow one authorization to cover as many as three betting brands, with a R$30 million fee attached to an authorization. The Ministry of Finance explains the structure here.
That distinction becomes important if the government changes which products can sit under an existing authorization rather than closing sports betting altogether.
Legal Market Faces a Separate Policy Move
The reported casino proposal follows a different measure aimed at unlicensed operators. Earlier this week, the SPA published Portaria 2,750/2026, expanding procedures for identifying and interrupting payment flows linked to illegal betting. It allows measures including account blocking and restrictions on new transactions connected to unauthorized activity. The proposed MP would instead affect products currently offered inside the licensed market.
No ban is in force at this stage. If an MP is published, Congress normally has 60 days to consider it, with one possible 60-day extension. Until the government releases the text, there is no confirmed implementation date or final definition of which online games would be removed.