The betting market in Brazil faces a new scenario of uncertainty after the presentation of a bill proposing its total elimination. The initiative, identified as PL-1808/2026 and presented by congressman Pedro Uczai, a member of the Workers’ Party (PT), proposes a radical shift from the regulated model recently implemented in the country.
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Bill PL-1808/2026: what it proposes and what laws it would repeal
The text of the bill seeks to prohibit the operation, offering, promotion, and facilitation of fixed-odds betting throughout the national territory. If approved, it would also imply the formal repeal of two legal frameworks that laid the foundations for the sector as it exists today.
The first is the law approved in December 2018, during Michel Temer’s presidency, which legalized sports betting in the country. The second is the December 2023 decree, which established the regulatory framework for sports betting and online gambling.
As justification, the project cites evidence that online gambling has become a significant factor in indebtedness for Brazilian families, and frames the initiative in terms of social, health, and economic protection.
Political pressure: Lula and the October 2026 elections
Uczai’s project does not arise in a vacuum. It is part of a context of growing distance between the Lula government and the betting industry, which has intensified as the general elections of October 2026 approach.
In early April, the president himself publicly declared that, if it were exclusively up to him, all betting houses in the country would be shut down. With that background, the project presented by his party colleague turns that position into a concrete legislative proposal.
In January 2026, Lula had already approved a gradual tax increase for fixed-odds betting operators, with a rate that would reach 15% by 2028, an early sign of the deteriorating relationship between the government and the sector.
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A market that barely completed its first year of regulated operation
The regulated betting market officially began operations on January 1, 2025, in Brazil. In its first full year of activity, economic results were significant: 79 licensed companies generated gross gaming revenue worth 37 billion reais, equivalent to $7 billion dollars.
In terms of contribution to the treasury, the sector collected $2.5 billion reais in license fees and paid $10 billion reais in taxes during the same period. These figures contrast with the official argument, which maintains that the industry does not serve the public good.
The industry’s response: ANJL rejects the ban
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL), the main commercial body of the sector in Brazil, reacted immediately to the presentation of the project. In an official statement, the association warned that any proposal aimed at prohibiting the legal and regulated market represents a risk of great magnitude.
ANJL reaffirmed its commitment to the responsible development of the sector and called for a public debate based on data and the regulatory advances already consolidated in the country, instead of regressing towards a scenario of prohibition that, historically, has favored the proliferation of illegal operators.
What could happen to the betting market in Brazil
Bill PL-1808/2026 must go through the ordinary legislative process before becoming law, and its approval is not guaranteed. However, the implicit political backing of President Lula gives it a relevance that goes beyond the usual parliamentary procedure.
For operators who invested in licenses and regulatory compliance, the uncertainty is immediate. For public debate, the central question is whether a total ban would solve the family indebtedness problems cited in the project, or if it would simply shift the activity to channels without regulation or state control.
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