Brazil Opens 45-Day Public Consultation on New Betting Licensing Rules

Brazil's Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) has opened a 45-day public consultation to rewrite the rules governing commercial authorization for fixed-odds betting and online gaming, inviting operators, industry bodies, and members of the public to shape the framework that will determine who can legally offer betting services in Latin America's largest gambling market.

• Consultation notice: Public Consultation Notice No. 3/2026
• Open from: 27 July 2026 to 9 September 2026 (45 days)
• Platform: Portal Brasil Participativo (online, gov.br account required)
• Regulation under review: SPA/MF Ordinance No. 827/2024
• Governing laws: Laws 13,756/2018 and 14,790/2023; Decree 12,002/2024
• Scope: Sports betting and online gaming establishment licensing

Updated July 2026

What is Brazil's Public Consultation Notice 3/2026?

Published by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), an arm of Brazil's Ministry of Finance, the notice launches a structured public participation process to revise the authorization rules for fixed-odds betting operators. The SPA is seeking contributions from any individual or legal entity holding a Brazilian government access account (gov.br) and intends to incorporate the feedback into a revised ordinance governing how operators obtain and retain their operating license.

The consultation represents "another step in the process of structuring the country's regulated betting market," according to the SPA's official announcement, signaling that Brazil views this revision as a routine but important phase in market maturation rather than a crisis-driven overhaul.

What regulations is the SPA proposing to revise?

The primary target of the review is SPA/MF Ordinance No. 827/2024, which established the initial procedural framework for operator licensing when Brazil formally opened its regulated betting market. The SPA has identified areas where the first authorization cycle revealed gaps or friction points, and the consultation is the mechanism through which it intends to gather input before publishing a revised set of rules.

The consultation is grounded in three key pieces of legislation: Law 13,756 of 2018, which created the legal basis for fixed-odds betting in Brazil; Law 14,790 of 2023, which expanded and modernized the framework; and Decree 12,002 of 2024, which established the operational regulations for the market.

Who can participate in the consultation?

The SPA is accepting contributions from both individuals and legal entities, provided they are registered on the Portal Brasil Participativo and hold an active gov.br digital identity account. Submissions are made online during the 45-day window, which runs from 27 July to 9 September 2026.

The scope of eligible participants is broad in principle, covering prospective and current licensees, technology suppliers, consumer groups, and legal professionals with a stake in the outcome. All submissions are reviewed by the SPA before the revised ordinance is drafted.

What was Ordinance 827/2024 and what were its limitations?

Ordinance 827/2024 was the regulatory foundation on which Brazil's first wave of betting operator authorizations was processed after the market was formally launched following Decree 12,002/2024. It set out the application process, documentation requirements, and evaluation criteria for operators seeking to legally accept bets from Brazilian consumers.

The SPA has signaled that the first licensing cycle produced practical lessons it intends to incorporate into an improved framework. Specific shortcomings have not been publicly detailed, but the broad transparency agenda launched alongside this consultation suggests the regulator identified friction in the licensing process itself, whether in documentation standards, evaluation timelines, or communication with applicants.

How does this consultation fit into Brazil's broader regulatory transparency agenda?

The public consultation sits within a wider push by Brazil's Ministry of Finance to make the betting authorization process more open and accountable. In June 2026, Finance Minister Dario Durigan announced plans to publish more than 25,000 licensing-related documents online, offering operators and the public an unprecedented view of how authorization decisions are made.

The Ministry subsequently issued Administrative Order No. 2,126, establishing a dedicated task force to oversee licensing transparency. These parallel initiatives suggest a regulator working to rebuild confidence in a licensing process that has faced scrutiny from operators, journalists, and lawmakers since the market launched.

Brazil's betting market has expanded rapidly. According to a report covered in our earlier analysis, Brazil's regulated betting market has effectively doubled in 2026 as operators settled into the new legal framework, underlining why a clean, credible licensing process matters for long-term market health.

What is the SPA Regulatory Agenda and when was this consultation planned?

The SPA published a Regulatory Agenda in April 2025, setting out a rolling calendar of planned regulatory actions across the betting sector. This consultation was included in that agenda, originally scheduled for Q1 2026. The consultation was delivered slightly later than projected but remains within the agenda's overall framework, demonstrating the SPA's commitment to a structured, phased approach to market development rather than ad-hoc rulemaking.

The Regulatory Agenda model borrows from practices used by other Brazilian regulatory bodies and reflects the Ministry of Finance's intent to manage the betting market proactively rather than reactively.

How many operators are currently licensed in Brazil?

Brazil's SPA has been processing applications since the regulated market formally opened to international operators in January 2025. The exact number of fully authorized operators changes as licenses are issued and, in some cases, suspended, but the market has attracted interest from both domestic players and major international operators across Europe and North America.

Concurrently, Brazilian cities including Cuiaba and Porto Alegre have begun implementing local restrictions on betting advertising, reflecting growing regulatory activity at both federal and municipal levels as the market matures.

What happens after the consultation closes on 9 September 2026?

Once the consultation period ends, the SPA will analyze all submissions per the methodology established in the existing regulatory decree. There is no fixed statutory deadline for publishing the revised ordinance, but the intent is to produce a new rule that reflects the gathered input. Stakeholders should expect a consolidation period of several months between the close of consultation and the publication of the final text.

Operators currently licensed under Ordinance 827/2024 will need to monitor the revised rules carefully, as any changes to authorization conditions could affect renewal requirements or ongoing compliance obligations.

What does this mean for international operators seeking to enter Brazil?

For international operators watching Brazil, the consultation signals that the SPA is actively improving its licensing framework rather than allowing first-generation rules to stand unchallenged. Operators that participated in the first authorization cycle and encountered procedural delays or documentation ambiguities now have a direct channel to influence the revised framework before it is finalized.

New entrants considering Brazil should follow the consultation closely. If the revised ordinance simplifies or clarifies the process, it may accelerate the path to licensing for operators currently weighing an application in one of the world's most watched emerging gambling markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Brazil betting public consultation open and close?

The SPA opened Public Consultation Notice No. 3/2026 on 27 July 2026. Submissions are accepted until 9 September 2026, a 45-day window, via the Portal Brasil Participativo online platform.

Does participating in the consultation guarantee changes will be made?

No. The SPA is obliged to review all submissions and consider them when drafting the revised ordinance, but participation does not guarantee that any specific suggestion will be adopted. The regulator retains full discretion over the final text.

Which Brazilian law governs the sports betting market?

The primary legal foundations are Law 13,756 of 2018, which established fixed-odds betting, Law 14,790 of 2023, which overhauled the framework, and Decree 12,002 of 2024, which created the operational regulations. Ordinance 827/2024 is the implementing regulation currently under review through this consultation.

Is a gov.br account required to participate?

Yes. Submissions are made through the Portal Brasil Participativo, which requires a valid gov.br digital identity account. Both individuals and legal entities with a gov.br registration are eligible to participate.