Brazil Extends Online Gambling Ban to March 2027

Brazil’s National Congress has formally extended the validity of Provisional Measure 1,394/2026 – the executive order that suspended all online betting and casino operations in the country – by a further 60 days, pushing the final decision on the ban’s future to March 2027. The extension, confirmed on 11 November 2026, leaves one of the industry’s most significant regulated markets in a prolonged state of suspension, with operators, investors, and lawmakers awaiting clarity on whether the prohibition will become permanent law.

The measure was signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on 25 September 2026 and took effect immediately upon publication. It prohibits the operation, offering, intermediation, and advertising of fixed-odds betting and online casino games nationwide, effectively ending the regulated market that had launched on 1 January 2025 under Law 14,790/2023.

Under the original terms of the decree, licensed platforms were required to go offline by 6 October 2026, with players given until the evening of 5 October to withdraw funds held in their accounts. Operators were then required to transfer remaining balances to banks for refund processing on 7 and 8 October. The measure also voided the authorisations issued under the 2023 regulatory framework, with reports indicating that approximately 85 licences were affected.

The government justified the ban on grounds of gambling addiction and widespread household financial losses attributed to betting activity – concerns that had intensified in the period leading up to the ban. Brazilian authorities had also previously moved against unlicensed operators, blocking more than 2,000 irregular betting sites.

The Extension and Legislative Timeline

Under Brazil’s constitutional framework, a provisional measure takes immediate effect but must be approved by Congress within 120 days to remain in force, with a single 60-day extension permitted. The initial deliberation deadline was set for 23 November 2026, with the countdown suspended during the legislative recess from 23 December to 1 February.

Davi Alcolumbre, president of the National Congress, exercised the extension on 11 November, adding 60 days to the deliberation period. Because the clock is suspended during the recess, the effective deadline now falls in March 2027. Notably, the joint committee responsible for examining the measure had not yet convened at the time of the extension.

The legislative process has not been dormant. The amendment window – extended from 1 October to 13 October to allow broader participation – closed with at least 97 amendments filed. Some of these proposals advocate a partial approach that would preserve regulated sports betting while maintaining the prohibition on online casino games.

Industry and Legal Response

The extension prolongs significant uncertainty for international operators that had invested heavily in the Brazilian market following its legalisation. Entain downgraded its full-year online net gaming revenue growth outlook to between 4% and 6% as a direct consequence of the ban, while Flutter also disclosed the impact on its operations in the country.

Legal challenges are proceeding in parallel. Industry bodies ANJL and IBJR have petitioned the Supreme Federal Court, requesting that Minister Fux suspend the provisional measure in its entirety until Congress reaches a decision. A hearing before the court has highlighted unresolved questions concerning tax revenue losses, employment effects, and the risk that prohibition will redirect players to unregulated offshore operators.