Brazil’s Betting Ban: The Supreme Court May Not Rule Before 25 October, When Licences End
Brazil’s federal betting licences are set to end on 25 October, the same day as the presidential runoff. Reports say the Supreme Court justice handling the challenges may wait until after the vote to decide, while Congress has not yet organised the committee that must weigh amendments to the ban.
Quick Take
- Three challenges to Provisional Measure 1.394 are with Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux. iGamingToday (citing Estadão, 15 Oct) and Casino.com (citing UOL, 9 Oct) report that he may postpone his decision until after the 25 October runoff.
- That is the same day the federal betting licences are extinguished, so they could lapse before the court rules.
- In Congress, filing of amendments closed on 13 October. Reports describe proposals ranging from restoring licensing to a sports-only carve-out, and say the joint committee had no chair or timetable.
- Nothing is decided: the measure is in force, Stake’s one-day injunction was suspended, and Congress’ first deadline is reported as 23 November.
Where the Court Challenges Stand
Three actions against Provisional Measure 1.394 are assigned to Justice Luiz Fux of the Supreme Federal Court. iGaming Times dates the assignment to 2 October and says the Attorney General filed a response on 5 October; as of 14 October the court dockets it checked showed no decision. iGamingToday adds that industry groups have asked to take part and that the Attorney General’s Office, which backs the ban, asked for the Prosecutor General to be consulted and possibly for a public hearing.
According to iGamingToday, citing Estadão, Fux will delay his decision until after the presidential runoff, apparently to avoid any appearance of favouring either candidate. Casino.com, citing UOL, reported the same on 9 October. These are press reports of what the justice intends, not a court order, and no hearing date has been published.
| Date | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2–5 Oct 2026 | Cases assigned to Justice Fux; Attorney General responds | iGaming Times |
| 8–9 Oct 2026 | Stake wins a partial injunction, suspended by an appeals court the next day | Casino.com; see our Stake article |
| 13 Oct 2026 | Deadline for amendments to the measure in Congress | Yogonet, iGaming Times |
| 25 Oct 2026 | Presidential runoff and the day federal licences end | iGamingToday, Casino.com, iGaming Times |
| 23 Nov 2026 | Expected end of the measure’s first term in Congress; it can be extended once by 60 days | Yogonet, iGaming Times |
What Is Happening in Congress
The measure has to be converted into law by Congress. Yogonet reports that at least seven lawmakers proposed lifting the ban on sports betting while keeping the ban on online casino games, and that others propose restoring authorisations. iGaming Times counts 99 amendments when filing closed on 13 October, with five later withdrawn, ranging from restoring licensing to a sports-only carve-out. Both report that the joint committee that must weigh them had no leadership or timetable. Yogonet expects momentum to build after the runoff.
Where the reports differ. iGamingToday says Congress has 120 days to make the measure permanent law; Yogonet and iGaming Times give 23 November as the first deadline, and iGaming Times says it can be extended once by 60 days, which is consistent with 120 days in total. Amendment counts also differ between outlets because they were taken on different dates.
📌 In our view: the calendar is the story. Licences end on the same day as the runoff, the court is reported to be waiting for it, and Congress has not started work on the amendments. That means the licences can lapse before any institution decides whether the ban stands. We will update this article after 25 October.
What It Means for Players
💡 What this means for players: the measure is in force and licensed sites have been offline since 6 October. A court or congressional change would not reopen anything before 25 October, and even afterwards any reopening would need new rules. Unlicensed sites are not a safe substitute: they are outside Brazilian protection. Our guides explain the law and the refund steps, see the MP 1.394 explainer and our Brazil guide. We do not recommend operators in Brazil.
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When will Brazil's Supreme Court rule on the betting ban?
No date has been set. iGamingToday (citing Estadão) and Casino.com (citing UOL) report that Justice Fux may wait until after the 25 October presidential runoff.
What happens on 25 October to Brazil's betting licences?
All federal fixed-odds authorisations are extinguished on 25 October 2026, according to the measure as reported by iGaming Times and others. The same day is the presidential runoff.
Could Congress keep sports betting legal?
Lawmakers have filed amendments, including a sports-only carve-out, according to Yogonet and iGaming Times. The committee that must weigh them had no chair or timetable when those outlets reported, so nothing is decided.
When must Congress act on the measure?
Reports give 23 November 2026 as the first deadline, extendable once by 60 days, and iGamingToday refers to 120 days in total.
Can Brazilian players use offshore casinos after 25 October?
The measure also reaches operators based abroad that offer bets to people in Brazil, and unlicensed sites carry no Brazilian consumer protection. Cocktailspins does not recommend operators in Brazil.
Sources
↗ iGamingToday — Brazil betting ban faces Supreme Court delay until after presidential runoff (15 Oct 2026) ↗ Casino.com — Stake reprieve and Fux delay talk reshape Brazil betting ban (9 Oct 2026) ↗ Yogonet — Brazil lawmakers seek to preserve sports betting as ban advances (14 Oct 2026) ↗ iGaming Times — Brazil gambling licence and regulation (2026)18+ only. Gambling laws differ by country and change quickly — check the rules where you live. If gambling stops being fun, BeGambleAware and GamCare offer free, confidential support.