The Prizes and Betting Secretariat of Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has released the list of companies authorized to operate fixed-odds betting platforms in the country starting in 2025. Published in the Official Gazette of the Union (DOU), the list includes a total of 81 licenses issued, with 15 definitive licenses and 66 provisional ones.
These companies have cleared financial and regulatory hurdles, including a mandatory payment of Brazilian reais 30 million ($482 million) to the federal government and the establishment of an emergency fund of R$ 5 million ($804,665).
Among the operators who made the final cut, SuperBet, MGM and SportyBet received definitive licenses, Next.io reported. Meanwhile, bet365, Betsson, Betano, Caesars, and SportingBet, among others, only received provisional licenses.
The licensing process is part of a broader effort by the Brazilian government to formalize and regulate the online betting market. Companies authorized to operate nationwide must adhere to stringent requirements outlined in a decree issued by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets.
These rules, approved by Congress, cover a wide range of compliance measures, from taxation to advertising ethics and player protection policies. Among the key regulations is a mandatory tax of 12.5% on gross monthly revenue, which licensed operators must remit to the government.
In addition, platforms are required to implement robust measures against compulsive gambling and to avoid misleading or abusive advertising. Oversight responsibilities fall to the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets, which has the authority to impose fines of up to R$2 billion for non-compliance.
A total of 81 companies secured licenses, while the Ministry of Finance had initially identified 103 companies as eligible for authorization. However, some applicants failed to meet the documentation requirements, particularly the submission of a critical certification verifying the integrity of their platforms.
The original deadline for submitting the certification was November 13th, but it was extended to November 29th to accommodate delays. Despite the extension, many companies cited bottlenecks among the six authorized certifiers as a significant barrier to compliance. Companies that missed the extended deadline were excluded from the initial list of approved operators and face an uncertain path to authorization.
As of 1st January, any betting platform operating without federal authorization will be deemed illegal if it offers nationwide services. Some companies that failed to secure licenses have already indicated plans to pursue legal remedies, arguing the procedural challenges.
Alternatively, operators unable to obtain federal licenses may opt for state-level authorization to establish localized operations. Despite federal backlash, states such as Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Paraíba, and Maranhão have begun offering licensing processes, with fees ranging from R$2 million to R$5 million.
The Ministry of Finance has emphasized that companies excluded from the initial authorization round are not permanently barred. These operators may revise and resubmit their documentation to gain approval in future rounds. Applications submitted after the 20th August deadline, totaling 271, will be reviewed over the next six months.
As detailed by the Ministry of Sports, many popular sporting activities have been authorized by the Brazilian government. Sports such as football, basketball, boxing, baseball, hockey, cricket, tennis, and surfing have been included in the list alongside more niche offerings such as martial arts, skateboarding, diving, sailing, skiing, and equestrianism.
The list covers all sports and modalities recognized by the International Olympic Committee, as well as a large number of paralympic sports. The inevitable inclusion of football, however, is likely to catch the attention of the majority of prospective wagerers in the nation.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2025/01/02/90488-brazil-reveals-list-of-authorized-sports-betting-operators-approved-wagering-events-for-2025
