A Brazil gaming license was a federal authorization from the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), part of the Ministry of Finance, for fixed-odds betting and online casino games. A Brazilian legal entity got five years and up to three brands. The market opened on January 1, 2025. Then came September 25, 2026: Provisional Measure (MP) 1.394 banned the activity nationwide. Congress has 60 days, extendable by 60, to decide whether the ban stays or not.
TL;DR
- Regulator: SPA, within the Ministry of Finance, under Law 14.790/2023 and Ordinance SPA/MF 827/2024.
- Current status: MP 1.394/2026 prohibits offering, intermediating, and advertising fixed-odds bets, covering sports and online casinos, including offers made from abroad to people in Brazil. It is in force while Congress reviews it, which has 60 days, extendable by 60.
- Cost under the license regime: A R$30 million grant fee for five years and up to three brands, plus R$30 million in paid-up capital and net worth.
- Local structure: A Brazilian company with a Brazilian shareholder holding at least 20%.
- Tax: 12% of gross gaming revenue (GGR) in 2025 and 13% in 2026.
Brazil Gaming License at a Glance
| Brazil federal license | |
|---|---|
| Status | Prohibited by MP 1.394/2026 since September 25, 2026 |
| Regulator | Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA/MF) |
| Legal basis | Law 14.790/2023, Ordinance SPA/MF 827/2024 |
| Scope | Fixed-odds sports betting and online casino games |
| Term | 5 years, up to 3 brands per authorization |
| Grant fee | R$30 million, paid within 30 days of approval, not refundable |
| Capital | R$30 million paid in, R$30 million net worth, R$5 million reserve |
| Local partner | Brazilian shareholder with at least 20% |
| Domain | .bet.br for each brand |
| GGR tax | 12% (2025), 13% (2026), 14% (2027), 15% (2028) |
| Review window | 150 days for SPA to decide |
Data verified as of October 2026. The legal position is moving, so confirm with SPA and counsel before any filing.
How Brazil Came to Regulate Online Gambling
- December 2023 – Law 14.790 creates the federal authorization system for fixed-odds betting.
- May 21, 2024 – Ordinance SPA/MF 827 sets the procedure, the R$30 million fee and the 150-day review window.
- December 31, 2024 – Deadline for companies already active in Brazil to hold an authorization.
- January 2025 – The regulated market opens. Federal betting taxes reach R$9.95 billion for 2025.
- December 26, 2025 – Complementary Law 224/2025 lifts the GGR tax to 13% in 2026, 14% in 2027 and 15% in 2028.
- September 25, 2026 – MP 1.394 bans the activity. Deposits stop that day, withdrawals stay open until October 5, sites go offline from October 6, banks return balances October 9–14, and Caixa Econômica Federal steps in from October 15.
By September 2026, around 85 operators held an authorization, according to a market tracker built on SPA data. The same tracker puts 2025 GGR at R$36.96 billion from 25.2 million bettors.
What MP 1.394 Changes
The Ministry of Finance states that the measure covers sports betting and online games, in physical and virtual form, and applies to state and district permits as well. Other lottery types authorized by law are untouched. Banks and payment institutions must stop deposits and return balances. Cescon Barrieu reads the text as ending all existing authorizations within 30 days with no refund of the grant fee.
The measure only becomes permanent if Congress converts it into law. A Consultor Jurídico commentary of October 2, 2026, argues it breaches federalism, so court challenges are part of the picture.
Types of Brazil Gambling Under Federal Law
Law 14.790 covers fixed-odds betting, which includes sports and virtual events, and online casino games. Traditional lotteries fall under separate legislation, and the MP leaves them out. Foreign-based sites were already treated as unauthorized and are now covered by the ban as well.
How to Get a Brazil Gaming License
This is the process that applied through September 2026. It shows what operators prepared and what would likely return if the regime were restored.
- Incorporate a Brazilian legal entity with headquarters and management in Brazil. Branches of foreign companies were not eligible.
- Place at least 20% of the share capital with a Brazilian shareholder.
- Pay in R$30 million of capital, show R$30 million of net worth, and set aside the R$5 million reserve.
- File through the SPA betting system with bylaws, capital evidence, ownership records, administrator and beneficial-owner files, plus criminal and tax clearances.
- Wait for SPA’s decision, due within 150 days, then pay the R$30 million grant fee within 30 days.
Brazil Gambling License Requirements
Beyond the corporate structure, the regulatory framework came with operating conditions. Platforms, games, and live studios needed certification from a lab recognized by SPA. Funds had to be processed by entities licensed by the Central Bank of Brazil, while any awards had to be made available to bank accounts owned by the bettor. Operators needed to provide 24/7 support in Portuguese, sign up for an independent sports integrity organization, and comply with responsible gambling regulations. Each brand needed its own .bet.br domain.
License Costs and Why Gaming Is Expensive in Brazil
Of the R$30 million, the grant fee is spent for good. Capital and reserve stay on the balance sheet, but they have to exist before approval. Then come the GGR tax, which rose to 13% in 2026, a supervision fee, corporate taxes, and PIS/Cofins. The sector body IBJR also flags a Selective Tax from 2027 whose rate is still undefined. Federal tax receipts from the sector hit R$8.75 billion in the first seven months of 2026 alone, per Receita Federal data.
Illegal Betting in Brazil
Complementary Law 224/2025 made banks and payment institutions answerable for processing unlicensed operators’ transactions, and it penalizes advertising of clandestine betting. MP 1.394 goes further and covers every fixed-odds offer, licensed or not.
What Operators and Platform Providers Should Watch
What happens next depends on the congressional vote on the MP, on any court ruling about its constitutionality, and on SPA’s guidance on authorizations and the grant fee. Until then, BSW treats Brazil as a market to monitor. A custom platform can go live in one day once a legal path exists, but the license stays the operator’s task.
FAQ
Is gambling legal in Brazil?
Not for fixed-odds betting and online casino games since September 25, 2026, when MP 1.394 banned them nationwide. The regulated market under Law 14.790 operated from January 2025 until the ban. Traditional lotteries authorized by other laws are not covered by the ban.
Is gambling a problem in Brazil?
The government framed the ban around harm to households and gambling addiction. The 2024 rules had already required responsible gaming tools, and the sector grew to 25.2 million bettors in 2025, according to SPA-based data.
Why is gaming so expensive in Brazil?
Entry cost alone reached R$30 million for the grant fee plus R$30 million of capital. Operators then paid a GGR tax that rose to 13% in 2026, plus supervision fees and standard corporate taxes.
How do you get a gambling license in Brazil?
Through SPA’s betting system, a Brazilian company with a Brazilian shareholder holding at least 20%. SPA had 150 days to decide, and the grant fee was due within 30 days of approval. With MP 1.394 in force, the route is effectively closed.
How much does a gambling license in Brazil cost?
R$30 million for five years and up to three brands, paid within 30 days of approval and not refundable. Operators also needed R$30 million in paid-up capital and net worth and a R$5 million reserve.
What are the requirements for a Brazilian gambling license?
A Brazilian legal entity with local headquarters, a Brazilian shareholder with 20% or more, certified platforms, a .bet.br domain, payments through Central Bank-authorized institutions, Portuguese support and an integrity monitoring membership.
Who regulates gambling in Brazil?
The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) within the Ministry of Finance. It authorized operators and certified testing labs and handled the wind-down under MP 1.394.
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