Government backs proposal to ban online casino gaming in Brazil
The government will reportedly push for the approval of Bill No. 2,258/2026 in a bid to eliminate online casino gaming from Brazil’s regulated gambling market.
Brazil – The federal government intends to campaign for the approval of Bill No. 2,258/2026, which aims to prohibit online casino gaming in Brazil. As reported by Focus Gaming News Brasil, representatives of the Executive Branch intend to engage in dialogue with deputies and senators when the parliamentary recess ends on Saturday.
The bill explicitly states that “Brazil’s regulated gambling framework will prohibit online casino games whose outcomes are generated by electronic systems or algorithms.” If approved, the measure would eliminate online casino games from the regulated gambling market that was launched last year while preserving the legality of fixed-odds sports betting.
The intention of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva‘s PT government is for the proposal to advance and receive approval before the first round of this year’s elections, which will be held on October 4. Currently, the bill is awaiting evaluation by committees in the Chamber of Deputies.
The government has singled out the slot Fortune Tiger, or Jogo do Tigrinho as it’s known in Brazil, as being to blame for a rise in the indebtedness of Brazilian families. The Brazilian government intends to present the ban on online slots as a complement to other measures against online gambling, such as advertising restrictions and the blocking of economically vulnerable individuals.
According to Sidônio Palmeira, the Minister of the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom), public opinion has turned against gambling operators, especially among conservative people, making action in the issue a potentially popular campaign strategy.
However, a study commissioned by the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) suggests that online betting has limited influence on the perception of evangelical voters regarding President Lula in the lead-up to the 2026 elections. Conducted in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, the research found that only 1 per cent of respondents cited betting as a reason to reject the president.
Nevertheless, President Lula has repeatedly voiced his disapproval of the sector. He argues that the current framework lacks accountability and fails to protect vulnerable citizens who gamble on credit.
