The first day of January 2025 marked the start of the regulated fixed odds betting market in Brazil. The 66 companies that will comprise the sector were selected after a rigorous authorisation process, which ensured compliance with technical and financial requirements, authorised by the Ministry of Finance's Secretariat of Prizes and Gambling. In total, R$2.01 billion in subsidies were paid to the Federal Government.

On Wednesday (31/12), the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU) published the companies that can operate nationally in the fixed odds betting market. In total, 15 ordinances grant final authorisations to 14 companies. One of them received more than one authorisation decree due to the number of brands it intends to operate: each authorisation can contain up to a limit of three brands, with a new concession being necessary to operate another set of up to three brands.

Another ordinance (SPA/MF Ordinance nº 2.104) lists 52 companies that have been granted provisional authorisations to operate in the fixed odds betting market. These authorisations were granted to companies that have already fulfilled the requirements, including the payment of the R$30 million subsidy, but have outstanding issues that can be corrected, such as documents related to the certification of the betting system, online games and their integration, or the need to complement documents or information.

Companies with provisional authorisations have 30 days, extendable for another 30 days (if they present the necessary justifications established in the ordinance), to deliver the mandatory technical certificates, such as those on the security of gaming systems and servers. If they fail to comply, their authorisations could be suspended for up to 90 days, and if they do not comply, they will be permanently withdrawn, preventing them from operating.

As of Wednesday 1 January 2025, the 66 companies authorised to operate nationwide must comply with all rules, including the requirement to operate exclusively on sites with the ‘.bet.br’ domain. During an adaptation period, the ‘.com.br’ domains will continue to operate, but will not be able to offer betting to customers. Financial and payment institutions are prohibited from conducting transactions for the purpose of fixed odds betting with unauthorised legal entities. 
Companies that are not authorised but still have active domains offering fixed odds betting services will be considered illegal and will be blocked.

The 66 companies currently operating belong to the group that submitted their applications before 20 August 2024. Applications submitted after that date are still under analysis and, according to the current regulations, must be processed within 150 days from the submission of the initial documentation. For companies that applied for authorisation and did not meet the requirements, a refusal was issued, against which an administrative appeal can be lodged. In addition, companies that failed to meet the deadlines have had their cases shelved.

According to Regis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Gambling at the Ministry of Finance, Brazil started 2025 with regulated fixed-odds betting, under state control and with clear rules, as a result of the efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Government. “The country is taking a fundamental step to address the potential problems associated with the sector. The conclusion of regulation and the completion of the first round of licensing brings fixed-odds betting offered nationwide under state control. We start 2025 with strict and clear rules, enforcement mechanisms and operators to hold accountable. The imposition of these rules and their enforcement are the result of a huge effort by the Ministry of Finance, under the leadership of Minister Haddad and President Lula,” he said.

Companies that do not comply with the rules will not be allowed to operate in Brazil. In addition to the closure of their operations, companies deemed illegal will not be allowed to carry out any kind of promotion in the country, either through advertising or sponsorship.