A crucial week for the betting bill: amendment deadline ends, Fux remains silent, and the illegal market advances.
Provisional Measure No. 1.394/2026, which banned fixed-odds betting in Brazil, enters a decisive week. The deadline for deputies and senators to submit amendments to the text ends at 11:59 pm this Tuesday (October 13). At the same time, banks are completing the return of balances to bettors. The Supreme Federal Court (STF) has not yet ruled on requests to suspend the measure, and the government's own figures show the size of the illegal market that occupies the space left by regulated companies.
Congress: Amendments aim to save sports betting.
The original deadline for amendments was October 1st, six days after the publication of the Provisional Measure in the Official Gazette of the Union. The Board of Directors of the National Congress extended the period to six days after the elections, ending on the next business day, October 13th.
By Friday (October 9th), the Provisional Measure had received at least 58 amendments. Four of them were withdrawn by their authors. Among the parliamentarians who submitted proposals most recently are Senator Romário, Representative Tabata Amaral (PSB-SP), Representative Bibo Nunes (PL-RS), and Representative Hildo Rocha (MDB-MA). The final number will only be known after the deadline.
The most prominent issue is the removal of the sports betting ban. At least seven members of parliament believe that only online casino games should be banned in the country. Representative Bebeto (PP-RJ) went further and proposed legalizing all modalities that were already operating before the Provisional Measure. His proposal maintains restrictions on advertising, including a ban on the purchase of stadium naming rights .
The joint committee responsible for analyzing the provisional measure has already been appointed, but the leadership of Congress has not yet defined the processing schedule nor the names of the rapporteur and the chair of the committee. The committee will vote on the text and amendments before the matter goes to the plenary sessions of the Chamber and the Senate. The deadline for deliberation is November 23, and the provisional measure will block the agenda from November 9. The expectation is that the discussion will only gain momentum after the second round of elections.
The farm has set December 15th as the closing date for operators.
In the administrative sphere, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance published Ordinance SPA/MF No. 3.005. The regulation establishes December 15 as the final date for the cessation of activities of fixed-odds betting operators and defines deadlines for the gradual shutdown of companies. This date coincides with another date foreseen in the Provisional Measure itself: the extinction of federal authorizations on October 25.
Illegal market: more than 1,1 websites per day.
The figures released by the government reinforce the main argument of the regulated sector against the ban. According to an official report released last week, the Executive Branch sent 13.241 illegal betting websites for blocking in just 12 days, an average of 1.103 per day. Authorized companies, which paid R$ 30 million for their licenses, are complying with the shutdown schedule. Meanwhile, clandestine platforms are multiplying at a rate that the authorities cannot keep up with.
This Tuesday, the Official Gazette of the Union published Ordinance MJSP No. 1.325/2026, which creates a division within the Federal Police dedicated to suppressing illegal betting and match-fixing.
Final balance refunds
The MP's schedule stipulated that banks would return to bettors, between October 9th and 14th, the amounts not voluntarily withdrawn by October 5th. Starting Wednesday (October 14th), Caixa Econômica Federal may act as an intermediary in cases where there are operational impediments preventing banks from completing the refund.
Supreme Court: Fux remains undecided.
In the Supreme Court, Justice Luiz Fux, rapporteur for the cases challenging the Provisional Measure, has not yet decided on the requests for suspension. The requests were submitted by entities in the sector and in communication, such as ANJL, IBJR, Anseja, ANPV, and Abert. The uncertainty continues even after statements from the Attorney General's Office (AGU).
Election on the horizon
The dispute takes on an even more political dimension due to the timing. The second round between Lula and Flávio Bolsonaro will take place on October 25th, the same date on which the provisional measure foresees the elimination of betting authorizations. The outcome of the election should directly influence the fate of the measure in Congress.
