The Lula administration intends to move forward with the ban on algorithmic online casinos before the October elections, resuming the agenda as soon as Congress returns from recess in the first week of August.
The Planalto presented Bill 2258/2026 in May through congressman Paulo Pimenta (PT-RS), which bans the operation and advertising of online casinos whose outcome is determined by an electronic system or algorithm, a category that includes digital slot machines and the “Jogo do Tigrinho.”
The bill is under review in the Chamber of Deputies, awaiting a ruling from Speaker Hugo Motta for distribution to committees.
What changes and what is left out
According to reporting by Poder360, the Planalto expects to advance the measure before the 2026 elections, scheduled for October 4.
The proposal revokes the section of Law 14.790/2023 that authorizes betting on virtual online gaming events. Fixed-odds sports betting linked to real events, as well as official lotteries operated by Caixa Econômica Federal, remain preserved.
The ban also extends to platforms based abroad that are accessible from Brazil, regardless of the currency or payment method used.
According to the bill’s justification text, the regulatory target is specifically the online casino modality, slot machines, crash games, and similar formats, not the sports betting market regulated by Law 14.790/2023 itself, which was sanctioned by the same government in December 2023.
Political motivation
The minister of Secom, Sidônio Palmeira, identified rejection of the betting sector among part of the electorate, particularly evangelicals, a reading that ties the proposal to an electoral agenda, according to the same report.
Pimenta classified “tigrinho”-type games as a threat to the national economy and said he would work toward banning them in the country.
The congressman also cited a survey by the National Confederation of Goods, Services, and Tourism Trade (CNC).
According to the organization, Brazilians spent R$ 240 billion on online betting platforms in 2024, with estimated losses of R$ 103 billion for retail and 1.8 million people falling into default.
A technical note from the Central Bank, also mentioned by the lawmaker, points out that 5 million Bolsa Família beneficiaries spent R$ 3 billion on betting via Pix in 2024.
Legislative landscape
Bill 2258/2026 is one of at least three proposals with real momentum concerning the sector. Bill 1808/2026 proposes fully revoking the sports betting regulatory framework, a more radical path that currently lacks consolidated support.
A third front focuses on restricting advertising, sponsorships, and influencer marketing tied to betting companies.
Bill 2258/2026 still has no designated rapporteur and must be approved by both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate, as well as receive presidential sanction, in order to take effect.
Congress has already received more than 200 proposals related to regulating, restricting, or revising the Betting Law since the regulated market began, but few remain actively under consideration.