Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's provisional measure banning online betting has reached Congress, where legislators have filed 42 amendments. Some proposals would narrow the ban to slots or casino games, leaving sports betting legal under the 2023 framework. Others would allow licensed operators to continue while targeting unlicensed platforms, or require refunds of licence fees for operators forced out.
The measure took effect 25 September but lapses unless Congress converts it into law. The amendment window closes 13 October, twelve days before the 25 October deadline when current operator licences are set to be voided. None of the amendments grant operators more time to wind down.
The text is now in a joint congressional committee. After committee approval it moves to the Chamber of Deputies, then the Senate. Both chambers have 60 days to vote, extendable by another 60. If no vote occurs by mid-November—45 days from publication—the measure gains urgent status and blocks the chamber's agenda.
Industry groups are pursuing a separate suspension through the Supreme Court. For an industry that spent years building a regulated market, the next few weeks will decide whether a return to Brazil remains possible.
