Brazil Prepares Additional Restrictions on Online Betting
The Brazilian Secretariat of Prizes and Betting proposes new regulations to limit features that encourage compulsive gambling on online platforms.
Brazil is outlining new restrictions for online betting platforms, which will include limits on rapid betting, autoplay features, and other interface characteristics that may encourage compulsive gambling. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) is expected to issue an ordinance introducing consumer protection and technical requirements for licensed operators.
Proposed Regulations
It is proposed to ban autoplay functions that allow platforms to make bets without separate action from the customer. Countdown timers and other tools that incentivize quick decisions will also be restricted. Platforms will not be able to pre-fill or suggest deposit and betting amounts. Additionally, there are plans to prohibit sound effects similar to coins and other audiovisual stimuli that may encourage continued gambling.
Details of the Restrictions
Although the SPA has not yet published the draft of the ordinance, it is unclear whether the final regulation will impose a cooling-off period between bets, a minimum duration for each bet, or both. According to local press, the government is also looking to prohibit rankings of major winners and content that may lead customers to believe that betting outcomes are primarily determined by knowledge or skill.
Additional Measures Against Harm
The proposals will also aim to prevent operators from making withdrawals difficult or using promotions to persuade customers to keep money in their betting accounts. These restrictions are part of a broader approach by the SPA regarding gambling-related harm. In its regulatory agenda for 2026-27, the agency identified monitoring risk profiles of bettors and stronger harm prevention measures as priority areas. The agenda envisions a tool that allows customers to view and monitor their gambling behavior in an integrated system linked to the SPA.
Industry Reaction
The industry association ABRAJOGO discussed the anticipated rules at an event on August 7 and announced that it will prepare a formal presentation to the SPA.
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Miguel Sandoval
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Miguel Sandoval tracks gambling legislation, licensing, and regulator enforcement — from Spain's DGOJ and the Latin American authorities to the UKGC, the MGA, and the state-by-state map in North America. The reports answer three questions precisely — what changed, where, and who it affects — with jurisdictions, dates, and penalties cited exactly as published. Operators and compliance officers read Miguel Sandoval to know which rulebook moved before their next meeting.
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