Brazil Considers Banning Online Gambling Amidst Rapid Growth and Concerns

Brazil is considering a ban on online gambling, including its online poker market, just over a year after legalizing it. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced this week that he will move to prohibit iGaming in the country of more than 213 million. The announcement came in a YouTube video released as part of International Women’s Day on Sunday. Lula said the move was part of an effort to reduce gambling addiction and protect families from debt linked to online gaming.

In the first year of the regulated market, gross gaming revenue reached $6.6 billion. In January, the country saw a record $289.7 million in gaming tax revenue collected, an increase of 2,642% from the same month in 2025. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting reported that operators registered 25 million unique bettors in 2025, with 87 million active accounts across multiple platforms, totaling over 100 million registrations.

Brazil's online poker scene includes successful players like Yuri Dzivielevski, Felipe Ramos, Alexandre Gomes, and Joao Simao, who have won multiple World Series of Poker bracelets and significant prizes. The potential ban could upend this growing online poker scene. Brazil's possible ban comes after India banned online poker last August, meaning another major market no longer has a regulated option for players. The move reportedly cost operators $840 million and led to 7,000 lost jobs.