Brazil's betting ban risks driving millions of players online

Brazil's betting ban may push 21.6 million players to illegal offshore markets

Blask, a gaming market intelligence firm, estimates that Brazil's snap ban on fixed-odds sports betting and online casino gaming could push as many as 21.6 million of the country's 25.2 million legal bettors toward offshore platforms.

Licensed operators ceased domestic operations on 6 October after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva introduced the Provisional Measure on 25 September. Blask projects that 86% of Brazil's legal player base will seek alternatives offshore, drawing on a comparative model built from India's online gambling ban in August 2025.

The firm notes one structural difference that may accelerate the shift: Brazilian bettors will find the same sports betting and casino products offshore, often from the same brands they used legally, removing the friction that slowed migration in India.

The stakes for public finances are substantial. The legal market generated $1.8 billion in federal betting taxes in 2025 and $456 million in licensing fees, and supports approximately 15,500 jobs. Several licensed operators have already signalled they will continue serving Brazilian customers from offshore, and legal challenges to the measure remain active, with at least some operators indicating they will maintain local operations pending resolution.