Just a little over a year after Brazil legalized online gambling, the country is now considering banning it. The ban would include its online poker market.
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, according to United Press International.
“Another drama hitting Brazilian households is gambling addiction,” he said. “Although most addicts are men, the bill falls on women: money for food, rent, school, and children disappearing on a cellphone screen.”
Industry Explodes In 1 Year
After signing online gaming into law in 2024, and its subsequent launch on Jan. 1, 2025, the president said he’s shocked by how quickly the industry has grown.
“It makes no sense to allow gambling to enter people’s homes, putting families into debt through a cellphone,” he said.
Lula urged action in congress and the judiciary. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting reported that operators registered 25 million unique bettors in 2025. It grows to 87 million when looking at active accounts across multiple platforms. This equates to more than 100 million total registrations.
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.
Headwinds For Growing Online Poker Market
A potential ban could upend a large and growing online poker scene in the country. Brazil has produced some highly successful players over the last few years, including five-time World Series of Poker bracelet winner Yuri Dzivielevski and bracelet winners Felipe Ramos and Alexandre Gomes.
In December, Brazil’s Joao Simao took down the $150,000 WSOP Paradise Triton high roller, earning $3.1 million and his third bracelet.
Brazilian players have done well in the online game as well. Pedro “Biluzin” Toledo became the latest champion of CoinPoker’s High Stakes Cash Game World Championship in December. Brazilian soccer star Neymar even represented PokerStars for a time.
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.
