List of approved betting operators in Brazil updated with four added
The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) in Brazil has recently expanded its list of authorized betting operators, providing a strategic update during an important transition in the nation’s betting landscape.
Operators were granted until 11:59 PM on September 30 to submit their applications for federal betting licenses, which now enables them to continue operations between October 1 and December 31, paving the way for the full legal market launch scheduled for January 1, 2025.
This initiative is anchored in Normative Ordinance No. 1,475, which mandates that only companies already active in the Brazilian market and that have filed licensing submissions will be permitted to operate until the end of 2024.
On October 1, the SPA revealed an initial list of approved operators, comprising 89 entities. With three operational “skins” allowed for each license application, this translated into 193 registered brands poised to remain active in the market.
However, discrepancies were quickly identified within the SPA’s published list. Several operators sought clarification regarding their exclusion, leading to the issuance of an updated list. This correction raised the number of approved operators to 93 and increased the total number of legal brands to 205.
The SPA clarified that three of the four newly included companies had initially been omitted due to errors in its notification system, while one additional company had successfully submitted its request through an authorized legal representative.
The newly added companies and their respective brands are as follows:
- F12 do Brasil Jogos Eletrônicos – Brands: F12.bet, Luva.bet, Brasil.bet
- Lucky Gaming Ltda – Brand: 4play
- Pagol – Brand: Grove Eagle Gestão de Bens Ltda
- ESTADIUMJOGA – Brand: Hootenb3T
- 4 International Group Ltda – Brand: Bet4
Omission of Esportes da Sorte and VaideBet Raises Concerns
Notably, the well-known betting brand Esportes da Sorte was omitted from the initial list of approved operators. As reported by UOL, the company is advocating for a correction, attributing its exclusion to a formal error. As it stands, Esportes da Sorte faces potential disruption from Brazil’s national telecoms agency (Anatel) starting October 11, giving its customers a limited 10-day window to withdraw their funds.
Another significant absence from the SPA’s register is VaideBet, which, alongside Esportes da Sorte, has been implicated in a recent illegal betting and money laundering investigation in Brazil. Furthermore, Caixa Loterias, a federal lottery monopoly managed by the state-owned financial services entity Caixa Econômica Federal, has also not been included in the current listings. Although it applied for a license before the August 20 deadline and expressed intent to venture into sports betting in Brazil, operations will only commence if its license is granted in January 2025.
Expanded List of State-Licensed Betting Operators
In tandem with the nationwide updates, the SPA has also revised its compilation of state-licensed betting operators, following inquiries from state regulators regarding the brands and domains permitted to operate locally. Initially, the list included just six operators—five from Paraná and one from Maranhão.
However, following collaboration with regulators from Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais, as well as the inclusion of three additional companies from Maranhão, the updated state license count now stands at 18. Notably, VaideBet has secured a position on the list of companies licensed under the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj), despite its absence from the federal approved operators’ list during this transitional phase.
Recently, the Supreme Federal Court (STF) in Brazil granted Loterj a preliminary injunction, ensuring that Loterj-licensed betting brands can operate beyond the federal restrictions placed on unlicensed operators—a significant victory for the localized betting industry.
This evolving regulatory framework underscores Brazil’s commitment to establishing a robust, compliant, and lucrative sports betting environment, as it gears up for a formal market launch in the coming years.
