Betting on Games: ANJL Appeals to the STF to Suspend the Ban on Bets in Brazil

The Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias (ANJL) made an important move today at the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF). They asked the minister Luiz Fux to take a look at the request to suspend the Provisional Measure that prohibits online betting in Brazil.

What’s Happening?

As the deadline is fast approaching, betting houses need to shut down their websites and stop running advertisements. This includes not only ads, but also the presence of bets on football teams’ shirts and the naming rights for championships. According to the MP, the “sector blackout” is scheduled to happen on 23h59 of next Monday.

ANJL, which represents betting companies, issued an appeal for an “urgent assessment” by Fux. The minister is responsible for the Direct Actions of Unconstitutionality (ADIs) related to this issue at the Supreme Court.

ANJL’s Arguments

In the petition, the lawyers emphasized that, between January of 2025 and March of 2026, 83 companies paid R$ 2,55 billion to the Union in exchange for 85 five-year grants. This provisional measure could end all of it in just thirty days, which, according to them, jeopardizes legal certainty, legitimate trust, and proportionality.

ANJL also highlighted an increase in illegal betting sites since the MP was published. They stated that this so-called “transition” is nothing more than a timer marking the end of activities, before any review by the National Congress.

Impact on Bettors

With the closure of the platforms and the blocking of websites, millions of bettors are about to lose the only space that provided identification, limits and responsible play. The association fears that, once pushed into the clandestine market, many will not return to the regulated environment, even if there is a later court decision.

The request for an injunction is crucial because, in ANJL’s view, if the precautionary measure is accepted and the MP is upheld, the sector will lose weeks to adjust. But if the MP is struck down or delayed, it could mean the irreversible loss of the market, with far broader consequences.

Last Games with Bets

If nothing changes, today we will have the last Campeonato Brasileiro games with betting in action: São Paulo x Santos and tomorrow Atlético-MG x Bragantino. These matches are being played during the FIFA window because they were previously postponed by the CBF due to a scheduling conflict.

Now it’s time to hope everything gets resolved soon!