Brazil’s Betting Ban Wins Back the Courtroom, but the Legal Fight Is Far From Over

Brazil’s Betting Ban Wins Back the Courtroom, but the Legal Fight Is Far From Over
The president of Brazil’s Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region (TRF-3), Judge Luís Antonio Johonsom di Salvo, suspended an injunction that had briefly allowed CDA Gaming’s Casa de Apostas, Betsul and Jogo Online platforms to resume operations. The decision reinstates, for now, the federal government’s ban on fixed-odds betting and online games under provisional measure 1.394/2026.

For the government and the Attorney-General’s Office (AGU), the central issue is uniform enforcement. Di Salvo accepted the Union’s request and said lower courts should not get ahead of a dispute already before the Supreme Federal Court, calling that outcome inconvenient for public order. He also warned that allowing one operator to remain active could create unequal treatment among companies facing the same national rules.

That view contrasts with the earlier ruling by Judge Adriana Pileggi, who had temporarily exempted CDA Gaming from the measure. The company said it paid R$30 million for a federal licence valid through December 2029. Pileggi reasoned that shutting down an operator previously authorised by the government, without refund or compensation, could amount to “a true confiscation.”

The reversal does not resolve the underlying constitutional fight. The provisional measure, signed in September, bans the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds bets; it must still win congressional approval within 120 days to remain in force. Its constitutionality is also under review at the Supreme Court, where industry associations have challenged the ban.

Supporters of the government measure have framed it as a response to gambling-related harm, household debt and health concerns. Industry and sports-sector representatives, meanwhile, have warned of financial losses, job cuts and a possible expansion of illegal betting. The federal prosecutor’s office has now asked the Supreme Court to pause related lawsuits, arguing that parallel cases risk legal uncertainty and uneven application of the rule.

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