Brazilian Senator Carlos Fávaro of the Social Democratic Party (PSD-MT) has introduced legislation that would prohibit fixed-odds betting across Brazil, including the operation, promotion and intermediation of betting services in both physical and online environments.
Bill 4.977/2026 would prohibit the exploitation, operation, offering, dissemination, advertising, sponsorship and intermediation of fixed-odds betting, regardless of whether an operator is based in Brazil or abroad. The measure would not apply to other lottery categories governed by specific legislation.
The proposal would also revoke provisions of Laws No. 13.756/2018 and No. 14.790/2023, which currently regulate the fixed-odds betting sector. Fávaro announced the bill during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday, August 12.
Under the proposed transition arrangements, operators that already hold authorizations would be permitted to continue only until the expiration of their existing licenses, with renewals prohibited. No authorization could remain valid for more than five years after publication of the law.
The granting of new authorizations and the expansion of existing licenses would also be prohibited from the date the law is published, although applications submitted by that date could still be considered. The termination of existing authorizations would not entitle operators to compensation for lost profits or unmet profitability expectations. The legislation would take effect 90 days after its official publication.
Fávaro said his decision to introduce the measure followed accounts he heard from families affected by betting while visiting municipalities in Mato Grosso. He also cited a survey conducted in seven municipalities as support for the proposed prohibition.
“The research we conducted in seven municipalities revealed a fact that should shame any defender of these platforms: almost 86% of those interviewed recognize online gambling as a problem, whether within their own family or in their social environment. Almost nine out of ten people know that this is destroying families, and yet there are still those who argue that the solution is simply regulation,” declared the senator.
In the bill’s justification, Fávaro says that the growth of fixed-odds betting has created social risks that existing regulations are unable to neutralize. The proposal identifies compulsive behavior, indebtedness, pressure on family income and harm to mental health among the negative effects associated with the sector.
According to the senator, the accessibility of digital betting platforms and the speed of financial transactions make prohibition necessary as a measure to protect public health, families and the economic order.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/08/13/125883-brazil-senator-proposes-nationwide-ban-on-fixedodds-betting
