Brazilian minister says betting persists despite proposed nationwide ban
Regulation1 min read
Brazilian Development and Social Assistance Minister Wellington Dias said games continue to exist both legally and illegally while discussing Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, which the source says banned sports betting and online games nationwide. Separately, the Ministry of Finance said it had identified no studies assessing the economic, fiscal, regulatory or social effects of a possible ban on fixed-odds betting, online games or related advertising.
Sports betting and online games were banned nationwide by Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, according to the source.
No documents specifically assessing the economic, fiscal, regulatory or social effects of a full or partial ban on fixed-odds betting, online games or sector advertising were identified, according to the Ministry of Finance. It said estimating those effects would require hypothetical scenarios, assumptions about economics and behaviour, and multidisciplinary technical studies that do not yet exist.
The ministry's response followed an access-to-information request about assessments of a possible change to Brazil's online betting rules. Similar requests went to the Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Federal Revenue Service's Center for Tax and Customs Studies and the presidential chief of staff's office. None of those bodies presented studies or technical notes.
Wellington Dias, minister of development and social assistance, family and the fight against hunger, said in an interview that gambling continues legally and illegally. Dias said gambling continues in other countries and questioned how Brazilians could be prevented from accessing international platforms. Before discussing the measure, Dias noted that he was a senator as well as a minister.