Brazil's Online Betting Ban Extended to March 2027

Brazil's National Congress has given lawmakers 60 additional days to review the government's temporary measure on the online gambling ban. The extension, signed by Senate President Davi Alcolumbre, was published in the Official Gazette on November 11. As a result, measure 1.394/2026 will remain in force.

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued the measure on September 25, suspending online sports betting, casino games and related advertising across the country. The ban took effect immediately. Licensed operators stopped accepting new bets and were required to refund unpaid customer balances. For the measure to become permanent, Congress must still approve it.

The bill will be examined by a joint committee made up of senators and members of the lower house, and then submitted to a final vote in both chambers. Committee members have been appointed, but the committee has not yet started its work. Congress has received 99 amendment proposals, five of which have been withdrawn. Some lawmakers want regulated sports betting to be restored, while online casino games remain banned. Government officials said the issue should be resolved by the end of 2026.

Industry representatives warned that the withdrawal of licensed operators could push players toward offshore sites. The research firm Blask had estimated that 21.6 million Brazilian bettors could move to unsupervised platforms. According to earlier reports, more than 3,500 people lost their jobs after the ban. The Constitutional Court (STF) is also examining whether the measure can impose such broad restrictions in this way.