Licensed operators stage pitchboard protest at Brasileirão over MP 1.394/2026 ban

Licensed betting operators ran a coordinated pitchside message campaign at Brasileirão matches on Friday 2 and Saturday 3 October 2026 to protest Medida Provisória 1.394/2026. The messages, placed by companies affiliated to the Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias (ANJL) and the Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável (IBJR), repeated the manifesto published on 25 September under the slogan “Proibir não é Proteger”. The campaign seeks to highlight the consequences of the federal executive order signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that bans licensed operators in Brazil.

What appeared on the pitch: the message and placements

The placards displayed three short lines of copy: “Proibir não é proteger”, “A proibição não acaba com as apostas” and “Acaba com a proteção de quem aposta.” Organisers confirmed the messages ran at the São Paulo v Santos fixture on Friday and at the Atlético-MG v Bragantino match on Saturday. Clubs were named among the entities affected by the federal measure, which the organisers say disrupts existing sponsorship and investment plans.

Why ANJL and IBJR say the ban matters to the sports ecosystem

The manifesto was issued jointly by the Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias and the Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável alongside licensed operators active in Brazil. ANJL warned that the maintenance of a regulated environment with clear rules and legal certainty is necessary for clubs, companies and other sports-chain stakeholders to plan long-term investments. Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of the Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias, said the same.

“Para ANJL e o IBJR, a manutenção de um ambiente regulado, com regras claras e segurança jurídica, é fundamental para que clubes, empresas e demais agentes da cadeia esportiva possam planejar seus investimentos de longo prazo,” said Plínio Lemos Jorge.

Carlos Lima, president of the Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável, argued the debate must consider the effects on the broader chain and preserve the legal certainty that allows companies, clubs and partners to plan and fulfil commitments.

“Para as entidades, eventuais mudanças devem considerar os efeitos sobre essa cadeia e preservar a segurança jurídica necessária para que empresas, clubes e demais parceiros possam planejar investimentos e cumprir compromissos assumidos,” said Carlos Lima.

The legal and market context: Medida Provisória 1.394/2026

President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed Medida Provisória 1.394/2026, which bans licensed betting operators from operating in Brazil. ANJL and IBJR say the MP affects not only existing commercial commitments but also planning for upcoming seasons, negotiation and renewal of sponsorships, and investment predictability across the sporting and betting supply chains.

The manifesto points to official market figures published by the Ministério da Fazenda showing 31 million people were active on licensed platforms before the MP. The ministries’ figure is cited to underline that the majority of those users bet recreationally and responsibly.

Evidence of illegal market growth since the MP

ANJL and IBJR warn that the illicit market has expanded since the MP’s publication. Monitoring data from Legitbet, ANJL’s official monitoring platform, recorded 6,401 new illegal betting sites confirmed between 22 and 28 September and 811 links to those platforms in monitored channels during the same period. Before the prohibition, the illicit market accounted for 41% of wagered volume in Brazil; ANJL and IBJR project that figure could reach 100% if demand migrates entirely to unlicensed operators.

A consultancy cited by the manifesto, LCA, estimates up to R$73 billion in public revenue between 2027 and 2030 would be at risk if all demand shifts to illegal operators.

Policy asks from the manifesto and industry priorities

The joint statement from ANJL and IBJR argues the solution is a regulated market that preserves protections for bettors and combats organised crime in the clandestine sector. The document offers specific areas the industry says should be part of any regulatory conversation:

• deposit and time limits for players

• stricter advertising rules

• stronger mental-health safeguards

• intensified action against illegal websites

ANJL and IBJR argue those protections cannot be delivered by clandestine operators and say licensed firms are ready to discuss tighter rules in a regulated framework.

Who signed and who is affected

The manifesto lists ANJL and IBJR alongside licensed operators that currently hold authorisations to operate in Brazil. The ANJL membership list provided with the statement names a broad set of Brazilian-facing companies and sector suppliers. Both associations say they remain available for dialogue with the authorities as the legal picture unfolds.

What this means for operators, clubs and regulators

The immediate commercial effects reported by ANJL and IBJR include disruption to sponsorship revenue, uncertainty over contract renewals and difficulty in planning multi-year investments. The associations frame the MP as a policy choice that shifts market activity into unregulated channels and increases exposure of vulnerable consumers to illegal operators.

Readers looking for the regulatory debate and industry reaction can follow ongoing coverage in our regulation and sports desks. For operators and rights-holders, the practical task is assessing existing contractual commitments and the exposure that follow-on measures to the MP will create.