Gambling Laws in Brazil: Legality, Regulators and What Chinese Citizens Should Know

Short answer: as of 26 October 2026, sports betting and online casino-style games (in Portuguese, apostas de quota fixa, popularly called “bets”) are banned in Brazil. On 25 September 2026 the President signed Provisional Measure 1,394 (Medida Provisória 1.394), which took effect the same day on publication in the Federal Official Gazette. Platforms that held federal authorisations under Law 14,790/2023 had to go offline by 6 October, and all authorisations ended on 25 October. Land-based casinos, bingo halls and the “animal game” (jogo do bicho) have been illegal since 1946. What remains legal is mainly lotteries authorised by law, such as the federal lotteries run by Caixa and the state lotteries.

Keep in mind that a provisional measure is not yet a permanent law: Congress must vote within a set period on whether to convert it, and the Supreme Court is hearing several constitutional challenges, so the rules may still change. This page covers law and regulation only: what is legal, who regulates, age and tax, advertising rules, and the Chinese law that PRC citizens should know about while in Brazil and when returning home. We do not promote any operator and do not explain any way around the rules. This page is for readers aged 18 and over.

Is gambling legal in Brazil? Status by type

Brazilian gambling law has long followed a “ban with a lottery exception” model. Law 13,756 of 2018 first allowed fixed-odds betting, Law 14,790 of 2023 set up a federal authorisation system, and the regulated market went live on 1 January 2025. Less than two years later, MP 1,394 shut the whole sector down. The table shows the position as of 26 October 2026:

If you are planning a move, start with our Brazil country guide, then come back here for the gambling rules.

What MP 1,394 says: timeline and transition

According to the official text, MP 1,394 bans the “operation, offering, brokering and advertising” of fixed-odds betting in Brazil. This covers bets on real sporting events and online virtual games whose outcome depends on a random event, whether or not the operator is based abroad. Existing federal authorisations were terminated “in the public interest”, with no refund of the licence fees paid and no compensation (art. 4); pending applications were dropped (art. 6). Banks and payment institutions, including Pix, may not process such bets (art. 14). The Finance and Justice ministries may ask for sites to be blocked, which the telecoms regulator Anatel and CGI.br carry out (art. 23).

The official text sets no penalty for ordinary bettors; sanctions target operators, advertisers and platforms. The Ministry of Finance published this transition timetable:

1. 25 Sep 2026MP published; no new deposits into platform accounts
2. By 23:59 on 5 OctBettors withdraw their balances themselves; advertising must be removed
3. From 6 OctBetting sites and apps must be offline or face blocking
4. 6–7 OctPlatforms report remaining balances by CPF (tax ID) and source account to the banks
5. 9–14 OctBanks return balances to bettors, in principle to the original account
6. From 15 OctCaixa steps in where banks have difficulties; all authorisations end on 25 Oct

Unsettled bets must be refunded in full; winnings on bets settled during the transition are paid as normal (art. 7). Operators that fail to refund face a daily fine of R$200,000 (as reported by Agência Senado). If you held a balance on a platform in Brazil and have not been refunded, keep your account records and follow up through official channels.

Congress, the Supreme Court and the courts (as of 26 October 2026)

A provisional measure lasts 60 days and can be extended once by 60 days; congressional recess does not count. According to the Congress website, MP 1,394 is valid until 23 November 2026, and from 9 November it enters urgency, blocking the rest of the agenda in the house where it sits. As of 26 October the joint committee (comissão mista) had been named but was still “awaiting installation”, with no chair or rapporteur chosen and no votes recorded. Lawmakers filed about 100 amendments; trade media report that most would bring back sports betting while keeping online casino games banned. If Congress extends the review, media estimate the final deadline would move into early 2027. If Congress rejects the MP or fails to vote in time, it lapses, and what would follow is not yet settled.

In the courts, industry associations including Anseja and ANJL filed constitutional challenges at the Supreme Federal Court (STF) on 28 September (ADI 8024, 8027, 8028 and others), asking for the whole MP to be suspended or for a transition of at least 180 days. The rapporteur, Justice Luiz Fux, asked the Federal Attorney General’s Office (AGU) for its views; the AGU argued for keeping the ban and asked the court to wait for the Prosecutor General (PGR). At the time of checking we found no STF decision suspending the MP; trade media report that Justice Fux was expected to rule only after the 25 October election run-off. Media also reported that a federal court in São Paulo had let one operator keep trading until 25 October, but the president of the Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region suspended that injunction on 9 October, restoring the ban.

Land-based casinos, bingo and the casino bill PL 2,234/2022

Brazil has banned casinos since Decree-Law 9,215 of 1946. Under article 50 of the Criminal Misdemeanours Law, running a “game of chance” (jogo de azar) in a public place or one open to the public carries three months to one year of simple detention plus a fine. Notably, paragraph 2 of that article sets a fine of R$2,000 to R$200,000 for anyone caught taking part as a bettor, including online. Bingo halls and jogo do bicho are also illegal.

Bill PL 2,234/2022, which would legalise casinos, bingo and jogo do bicho, passed the Chamber of Deputies in 2022 and the Senate Constitution and Justice Committee in June 2024, and has been “ready for plenary deliberation” since July 2025, but as of October 2026 the Senate plenary had not voted on it; in December 2025 a request to fast-track it was rejected. So there are currently no legal casinos in Brazil. For more background on casinos and resorts, see casinos in Brazil.

Lotteries: federal and state

MP 1,394 expressly leaves other lotteries authorised by law untouched. Federal lotteries such as Mega-Sena are run by Caixa. On 30 September 2020, in ADPF 492, ADPF 493 and ADI 4,986, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that while the Union may legislate on lotteries, it has no monopoly on running them, so states may operate their own. According to Brazilian media, Caixa lottery prizes generally have 30% income tax withheld at source when paid.

The regulator: SPA and the former licensing system

From 2024, the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas, SPA) at the Ministry of Finance authorised, supervised and sanctioned fixed-odds betting. Under Law 14,790/2023, operators needed a federal authorisation and had to verify users’ identity and follow responsible-gambling rules. MP 1,394 repealed most of that law, but the old rules still apply to events that happened during the authorisation period; the SPA can still supervise conduct from that period (art. 5), operators must hand responsible-gambling records to the SPA and keep user data for five years.

In its explanatory memorandum the government acknowledges that the ban will cut tax revenue. The official estimates:

Online casino games used to be offered by SPA-authorised platforms and are now banned as well; see the legal status of online casinos in Brazil.

Minimum age, tax on winnings and advertising rules

Because Brazilian football clubs relied heavily on betting sponsors, the advertising ban hits the sports industry hard. If you follow football or sport, see sport and football in Brazil.

What Chinese citizens should know

Chinese citizens in Brazil must follow local law like everyone else. Beyond Brazil’s ban, article 303 of the PRC Criminal Law covers the crimes of gambling and of running a gambling venue. Amendment XI, in force since 1 March 2021, added a third paragraph: “organising PRC citizens to take part in gambling outside the country (territory), where the amount is huge or there are other serious circumstances” is punished as running a gambling venue. The focus is on organising and operating gambling and recruiting PRC citizens to gamble abroad, not on ordinary tourists.

Rules differ a lot across the region; compare gambling law in Argentina, Peru and Chile. For legal ways to spend your free time while travelling, see Brazil’s best-known landmarks.

Responsible gambling and where to get help

If you or a family member has money or emotional problems because of gambling, call Brazil’s CVV line on 188 (free, 24 hours, emotional support and suicide prevention), seek help at a psychosocial care centre (CAPS) of the public health system SUS, or join a Jogadores Anônimos (Gamblers Anonymous) group. In an emergency in Brazil, contact the Chinese embassy or consulates, or call the MFA Global Consular Protection and Service hotline on +86-10-12308.

FAQ

Is gambling legal in Brazil?

As of 26 October 2026, sports betting and online casino games are banned under MP 1,394 and land-based casinos are illegal; what remains legal is mainly federal and state lotteries. The MP still awaits a vote in Congress, so the rules may change.

Who regulates gambling in Brazil?

Formerly the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) at the Ministry of Finance. Since the ban, the SPA still supervises conduct from the authorised period, while enforcement is coordinated by the Finance and Justice ministries and the Central Bank, with an inter-agency committee led by the Presidency’s Civil House.

Can bettors be punished?

MP 1,394 itself sets no penalty for bettors, but article 50 §2 of the Criminal Misdemeanours Law provides fines for bettors taking part in games of chance. The safest course is not to take part in any unauthorised gambling.

What is the gambling tax in Brazil?

The 15% tax on winnings in Law 14,790 has been repealed by the MP; lottery prizes reportedly have 30% withheld at source. Ask a Brazilian accountant about specific filing questions.

Sources

1. Medida Provisória No. 1,394 of 25 September 2026 (official text, Planalto) (accessed October 2026)
2. MP 1,394/2026 explanatory memorandum EXM No. 2114/2026 (Chamber of Deputies) (accessed October 2026)
3. Ministry of Finance / SPA: MP 1,394/2026 – understanding the new rules (accessed October 2026)
4. National Congress: MPV 1394/2026 legislative tracker (accessed October 2026)
5. Agência Senado: MP bans bets and orders operations to close within 30 days (28 Sep 2026) (accessed October 2026)
6. Law No. 14,790/2023 (Planalto consolidated text with MP 1,394 repeal notes) (accessed October 2026)
7. STF: Associations challenge the provisional measure banning bets (accessed October 2026)
8. Agência Brasil: AGU asks Fux to await PGR and keep the bets ban (6 Oct 2026) (accessed October 2026)
9. Exame: TRF3 suspends injunction that let a betting firm operate (media) (accessed October 2026)
10. iGaming Business: Bets lose their authorisations from Sunday 25 October (trade media, 24 Oct 2026) (accessed October 2026)
11. Decree-Law No. 3,688/1941 – Criminal Misdemeanours Law (accessed October 2026)
12. Federal Senate: PL 2234/2022 legislative tracker (accessed October 2026)
13. Migalhas: STF rules the Union has no monopoly on running lotteries (legal media, 2020) (accessed October 2026)
14. Money Times: 30% income tax on lottery prizes (media, Mar 2026) (accessed October 2026)
15. China News Service: Cross-border gambling becomes a crime (23 Feb 2021) (accessed October 2026)
16. CVV – Centro de Valorização da Vida (188 support line) (accessed October 2026)