Brazil’s federal government bans online betting, and ad spend tied to the sector hits R$ 2.115 billion in 18 months

Brazil’s federal government has used Provisional Measure 1.393 to suspend online betting houses in the country, and the immediate fallout lands on agencies and media owners as much as on operators. For high-risk PSPs, this is a reminder that when a regulated betting market changes course, advertising budgets, media buying, and payment flows can all get hit at once.

1. The measure targets 188 brands that had received licenses after paying R$ 30 million for the 88 accredited legal entities. Corporate associations in the sector have already filed an appeal with the STF (Supreme Federal Court), but there is no decision yet.
2. According to Tunad, the sector accounted for R$ 2.115 billion in advertising spend over 18 months. In the first half of 2026 alone, betting brands bought R$ 1.82 billion in media, with Betano and BetMGM responsible for 36% of that volume.
3. Betano, serviced by Wieden+Kennedy, spent R$ 387.6 million in the period. BetMGM, part of the AlmapBBDO ecosystem, spent R$ 374.6 million, including R$ 361 million on free-to-air TV. Betnacional, in the Galeria.ag portfolio, bought R$ 265 million in ad inventory. Sportingbet, a DPZ client, recorded R$ 88.9 million in the semester.
4. Free-to-air television is where the money really shows up. César Sponchiado, CEO and founder of Tunad, said betting companies invested R$ 542.4 million in linear free-to-air TV from January to August 2026. Over the longer window from January 2025 to June 2026, they spent R$ 2.12 billion on free-to-air and pay TV combined, with 93.1% of TV budget going to free-to-air and only 6.9% to pay TV among the ten largest companies in the sector.
5. Sponchiado also pointed out the legislative clock. The Congress has 120 days to debate, amend, and vote on the measure, but the electoral calendar and parliamentary recess could push the discussion to March 2027, when the new members of both houses are sworn in. He added that even if lawmakers restore the companies’ right to operate, that does not automatically mean the advertising market comes back with it.

For payment providers and acquiring teams, the useful detail is not just that betting operations are under pressure. It is that a sector this dependent on media spend can see distribution, customer acquisition, and merchant economics shift faster than the legal text itself.