Brazil’s licensed betting firms protest Lula’s ban with stadium boards

Licensed operators in Brazil used football advertising hoardings at top-flight matches to push back against Provisional Measure 1,394, which banned online betting. For PSPs, sponsors, and clubs, the immediate issue is not the slogan war; it is the knock-on effect on regulated volumes, sponsorship contracts, and the size of the illegal market.

1. Companies linked to the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and the Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) gave up board space during matches on Friday and Saturday to display two messages: “To prohibit is not to protect” and “The ban doesn’t end gambling”.
2. The protest took place during São Paulo vs Santos on Friday and Atlético-MG vs Bragantino on Saturday. The clubs are among several affected by the federal government’s decision, which also changes the commercial math around upcoming seasons, sponsorship renewals, and investment planning in sport.
3. ANJL president Plínio Lemos Jorge said keeping a regulated environment with clear rules and legal certainty is essential so clubs, companies, and other actors in the sports chain can plan long-term investments. IBJR president Carlos Lima added that any change has to preserve the legal security needed for companies and clubs to meet their commitments.
4. The manifesto signed by ANJL, IBJR, and licensed operators argues that the ban does not stop betting in Brazil; it removes protection for bettors. The Ministry of Finance says 31 million people were active on licensed platforms, and the vast majority were betting recreationally and responsibly.
5. Since the measure took effect on 25 September, the groups say the illegal market has surged. Legitbet, ANJL’s official monitoring platform, recorded 6,401 new illegal websites between 22 and 28 September and identified 811 links to those platforms on monitored channels. Before the ban, the illegal market already accounted for 41% of wagering volume in Brazil; the organisations now project that it will reach 100%.

For payment providers, the practical takeaway is simple: Brazil is not just a regulatory story, it is a volume story. When legal rails shrink, black-market rails tend to get busier, and that is where fraud, chargebacks, and partner risk usually start doing the real damage.