Brazil’s betting ban reaches 42 economic activities, with 15,5 mil jobs tied to the sector

A study by LCA Consultores, commissioned by IBJR, says the federal ban on online gaming platforms does not stop at the operators themselves. It reaches suppliers, service providers, and a chain linked to at least 42 economic activities, which matters for PSPs because the fallout includes compliance, technology, advertising, and contract unwind costs.

1. LCA estimates that the regulated betting market supported about 15,5 mil direct and indirect jobs in 2025. Of that total, roughly 10 mil were direct jobs and 5,5 mil were indirect jobs tied to the regulated market.
2. Those direct jobs were associated with about R$ 460 million a year in payroll and R$ 87 million in social charges. The report notes that the ban does not instantly eliminate all of these positions, but does expose part of them to reductions or outright loss as the underlying activity stops.
3. The chain also reflects a built-out investment stack for regulated operations. According to LCA, operators and suppliers invested in staff, technology, contracts, and regulatory adaptation, while licensed companies had to build compliance, cybersecurity, customer support, and operations teams. The sector also gathered more than R$ 7,5 billion in paid-in capital.
4. When operations shut down, the costs do not disappear with the platforms. LCA says licensed companies must demobilize staff and infrastructure, terminate or renegotiate contracts with suppliers, landlords, technology providers, and other partners, and may face expenses from early termination of those relationships.
5. Carlos Lima, president of IBJR, said that behind the platforms there are workers, suppliers, and companies that were structured to serve the regulated market. He also noted that the MP requires companies to keep data, documents, and records relating to operations intact and accessible for at least five years and to continue providing information to the Secretaria de Prêmios e Apostas (SPA), which means storage, systems, compliance, and customer support costs do not vanish after closure.

The LCA study also flags an extra layer of risk from the provisional nature of the MP. If the measure loses effect, the whole structure sits in limbo rather than neatly disappearing, which is exactly the sort of detail PSPs, acquirers, and banking partners tend to care about before they price exposure or pull back from a market.