Banks begin return of R$ 1,325,000,000 to bettors after MP 1.394/2026

Banks and financial institutions began returning R$ 1.325.000.000 left in bettors' accounts after the shutdown of betting platforms affected by Provisional Measure 1.394/2026 from the federal government. The restitution, expected to reach approximately 26.5 million bettors, is being processed between 9 and 14 October; from 14 October Caixa Econômica Federal will assume cases with operational impediments.

What happened and the immediate timetable

The deadline for users to voluntarily withdraw balances from the platforms ended on 5 October. The next day, 6 October, the affected sites and apps began going offline. Betting companies had until 8 October to send financial institutions the data on balances associated with CPFs and the bank accounts used for deposits.

The government established the following restitution schedule:

• 5 October: deadline for voluntary withdrawal on the platforms

• 6 October: affected sites and apps begin going offline

• 7 and 8 October: transmission of balance data to financial institutions

• 9 to 14 October: period scheduled for banks to execute refunds

• From 14 October: Caixa Econômica Federal assumes cases with operational impediments

Bettors should monitor transactions in the bank account they used to deposit and expect the movements scheduled by their financial institution. In practical terms, the refund now depends on each bank's internal processing.

Small amounts and distribution of balances

A significant share of the funds is spread across many accounts with very small amounts. The government reported that 86.2 million accounts had balances between R$ 0,01 and R$ 0,99, which together totalled R$ 15,5 million. That number of accounts exceeds the number of bettors because the same user can have records on different platforms.

This operational detail explains part of the complexity of the process: banks must match data sent by companies with CPFs and receiving accounts, and execute refunds even when the amount is microscopic.

How refunds will be executed by financial institutions

The restitution is being executed by the financial institutions themselves according to the government's timetable. There is no unified channel administered by the platforms; the operational responsibility to make the refund effective falls on the banks that receive the data.

In theory the steps users will follow are simple: monitor the bank account used to deposit and check receipt of the amount within the indicated period. When operational impediments arise, Caixa Econômica Federal will take over case management from 14 October.

The provisional measure and its legal status

Provisional Measure 1.394/2026 that ordered the cessation of operations was published on 25 September. By definition, a provisional measure needs to be approved by the Congresso Nacional within the legal deadline to remain in force. In this case the composition of the Joint Commission of the Senate has already been disclosed and the deadline to submit amendments to the text ends on 13 October.

At the same time, the measure is being challenged before the Supremo Tribunal Federal (STF) with the reporting judge designated: Minister Luiz Fux. Those routes —legislative approval and the STF process— will define the legal continuity of the order that led to the platforms' shutdown and, by extension, will have subsequent impact on any claims or reparations that operators or users may pursue.

What operators, banks and users should do now

Banks and financial institutions are already receiving lists of balances by CPF and associated accounts to execute refunds. Betting houses stopped operating from 6 October and completed data transmission on the 8th.

Users should not request refunds from the closed platforms: the mechanism established by the government transfers the operation to financial institutions. But it is the bettor's responsibility to check the bank account used for deposits and, if they do not receive the refund within the deadline, follow the instructions publicised by their bank or, if necessary, wait for Caixa Econômica Federal's intervention from 14 October.

Procedural risks and final notes

Fragmented balances and multiple records per person increase the administrative load banks face. The staggered intervention —first the financial institutions and then Caixa for problematic cases— aims to provide an operationally quick solution, although the final resolution of the measure depends on proceedings in the Congresso Nacional and the appeal in the STF with reporting judge Luiz Fux.

— Emilio Navarro, Corresponsal de tecnología del sector