Alex Smith
Sophia NovakivskaRegulator: SPA/MFPlayers: illegalLicensed market ran from 1 Jan 2025; authorisations ended after the October 2026 ban, wind-down until 15 Dec 2026.
Fixed-odds betting was legalised by Lei 13.756/2018 and regulated by Lei 14.790/2023, with the Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance as federal regulator; only SPA-authorised companies could operate from 1 January 2025. On 25 September 2026 Medida Provisória 1.394 prohibited the operation, offer, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting nationwide and ended existing authorisations. The SPA is now managing refunds to bettors and the wind-down, while Congress considers the measure.
At a glance
- Legal for players
- Players: illegal Medida Provisória 1.394 of 25 Sep 2026 bans fixed-odds betting nationwide, including state-licensed betting; still to be voted on by Congress (deadline 23 Nov 2026).
- Licence types
- Federal authorisation for fixed-odds betting (up to 3 brands, .bet.br domain); now ended
- Who is punished
- Operators and advertisers (the page does not state player penalties)
- Penalties
- Account and fund blocking, forfeiture, administrative sanctions, site takedown
Law-change timeline
- Lei 13.756/2018 legalises fixed-odds sports betting
- Lei 14.790/2023 covers online games and sets the authorisation regime
- Portaria SPA/MF 827 sets the rules for obtaining authorisation
- Only SPA-authorised companies may operate nationally
- Decreto 13.033/2026 regulates blocking of funds of illegal operators (art. 21-A, Lei 14.790)
- Portaria SPA/MF 2.750/2026 published: payment-account blocking against irregular betting
- MP 1.394/2026 bans fixed-odds betting and its advertising nationwide
- Portaria SPA/MF 3.005/2026 sets wind-down and refund obligations for operators
- Betting sites and apps must be unavailable; banks refund players' balances 9–14 Oct
- Upcoming End of Congress's deliberation period for MP 1.394
- Upcoming Deadline for former operators to settle financial and regulatory obligations
Enforcement (3)
| Date | Who | Penalty | Why | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Three individuals (Lotseridó / Bodó, RN group) | Agreement with MP-RN: R$ 200,000 payment plus R$ 1.2 million forfeited; compliance programme within 180 days for linked companies | Alleged illegal gambling via a municipal lottery, shell companies and hacked .gov.br pages; case began with SPA analysis | notice | |
| Group investigated in Operação Arena | 17 search warrants in five states; court order to seize assets and funds of up to R$ 1 billion | Alleged tax evasion and money laundering in fixed-odds betting | notice | |
| Illegal operators (Operação Conto da Sorte) | About 50,000 sites blocked, 350 operators halted, 37 financial institutions identified | Unauthorised fixed-odds betting | notice |
Regulator
Sources
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Deadline for former operators to settle financial and regulatory obligations · gov.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — End of Congress's deliberation period for MP 1.394 · congressonacional.leg.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Betting sites and apps must be unavailable; banks refund players' balances 9–14 Oct · gov.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Portaria SPA/MF 2.750/2026 published: payment-account blocking against irregular betting · agenciagov.ebc.com.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Decreto 13.033/2026 regulates blocking of funds of illegal operators (art. 21-A, Lei 14.790 · gov.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Only SPA-authorised companies may operate nationally · gov.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Three individuals (Lotseridó / Bodó, RN group) · gov.br · checked
- Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas do Ministério da Fazenda — Group investigated in Operação Arena · gov.br · checked