Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) published its new regulatory agenda for the 2026/27 biennium on Thursday, including a review of licensing procedures and Caixa’s lottery operations.
Future regulatory plans were laid out and formalised through Normative Ordinance No 408, which was published in Brazil’s Official Diary of the Union on Friday.
During 2026, the SPA revealed it would focus on refining Brazil’s licensing process and clamping down on illegal operators. Looking ahead to 2027, it expects to reassess AML/CTF policies and establish a regulatory framework for Caixa’s federal lottery monopoly.
Core aims from the agenda included deciding what its highest priority regulatory actions were, and cementing legal certainty to provide a stable and transparent regulatory environment for sustainable investment in the gambling sector.
The review suggests the SPA may be preparing for a stricter phase of market supervision as it progresses through its second year of regulation.
Notably, the ordinance was signed by acting SPA chief Daniele Correa Cardoso, who stepped in the role on an interim basis after the recent departure of Regis Dudena. A source told iGB on Friday that Cardoso could end up becoming Dudena’s permanent replacement.
Licensing review and payments clampdown tops priorities in SPA agenda
The first item on the agenda was a review of the licensing process for operators, with particular scrutiny over the criteria for outcomes such as approvals, rejections, suspensions and termination of authorisations.
The SPA expects the opening of the review to launch during Q1. Also in Q1, the regulator will review procedures for blocking payments linked to suspected illegal betting activity.
This will include an analysis of Normative Ordinance No 566, which established the conditions, deadlines and information flows for reporting payment methods used to place illegal bets. Payment blocking via the centralised Pix instant payment solution has become one of the government’s primary enforcement tools against offshore operators.
Additionally, the SPA will review the regulation of affiliate advertising in Q1, with the aim of improving the rules, conditions and technical requirements for such marketing.
The remainder of 2026
After addressing licensing and enforcement in early 2026, the SPA will pivot towards regulation of the operation of fixed-odds sports betting and other lottery modalities through physical terminals in Q2.
Then in the following quarter, the SPA will endeavour to improve the policies for responsible gaming and prevention of disorders that stem from pathological gambling.
A tool to allow bettors to view and monitor their own gambling will be established, leading to the regulator strengthening actions to prevent and limit damage from betting.
In Q4, the SPA then will focus on improving its monitoring and inspection procedures, as well as reviewing its sanctions regime.
Notably, the SPA also said it was necessary to establish procedures for repairing damages caused to bettors by operators infringing regulations.
A look ahead to 2027
Looking to 2027, the SPA said it would kick off the year by evaluating its regulation on policies preventing money laundering and terrorism financing.
In Q2 2027, the SPA will update the procedures for the “early collection of popular savings”, assessing the potential need for regulatory revisions.
The final item on the SPA’s 2026/27 regulatory agenda was a review of the regulations for Caixa Loterias-operated lottery modalities. This will be conducted in Q3 2027.
Caixa currently holds a monopoly over the federal lottery and was expected to launch a sports betting offering last year. However, Caixa delayed the launch amid political pressure from the government.
How is the SPA’s 2025/26 agenda going?
The SPA published its previous 2025/26 regulatory agenda in April last year, with particular focus placed on responsible gambling.
The flagship initiative for the period was the creation of a national register for players to self-exclude from gambling.
The self-exclusion platform launched in December last year, allowing bettors to voluntarily request the blocking of their access to betting sites.
The SPA also said it would update its advertising regulations in Q3 2025, though politicians appear to have taken a hard-line stance on gambling marketing last year.
Earlier this month, the Senate’s Science and Technology Committee advanced a bill that would ban ads on radio, TV, newspapers, magazines and social media, as well as sports event and club sponsorships.
Original article: https://igamingbusiness.com/legal-compliance/regulation/licensing-review-caixa-regulation-spa-agenda/
