Brazil’s Gambling Ban Takes Effect, but Online Poker Remains Open
PokerStars is investigating access errors for some Brazilian players, while its peer-to-peer games remain outside the fixed-odds restrictions.
Brazil’s new gambling restrictions took effect Oct. 6, closing licensed online betting and gaming offerings while leaving online poker available. PokerStars, GGPoker and PartyPoker continued to have Brazilian players at their tables after the change.
The distinction rests on the scope of the measure. It targets fixed-odds betting, including sports betting and online casinos, while Brazil classifies poker as a game of skill rather than gambling. PokerStrategy.com reported on Oct. 6 that the executive order had initially left poker’s status unclear, but operators remained open.
PokerStars told players that its peer-to-peer poker product was not covered because games are played between players and differ from the fixed-odds products subject to restrictions. “Poker therefore remains available to Brazilian players,” the operator said, adding that it would monitor the situation for changes.
The transition has not been entirely smooth for every PokerStars customer. Some Brazilian players experienced difficulty accessing the site after the measures began, and PokerStars said it was examining whether internet-service-provider restrictions were involved. It advised affected players to check their network connections and relevant server settings, since the problem could be tied to a local setup.
PokerStars also said player funds remained secure and that it was monitoring payment services for any changes to deposits or withdrawals. No comparable connectivity problems had been publicly reported at GGPoker, according to Pokerfuse.
The government announced the wider ban Sept. 25 through Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026, prohibiting the operation, offering, brokering and advertising of online betting and gaming platforms. The policy reversal came more than two years after Law No. 14,790/2023 created the foundations for a regulated fixed-odds market, which launched Jan. 1, 2025.
That regulated market finished its first year with more than 180 authorised websites and roughly R$22 billion in gross gaming revenue, according to Focus Gaming News. A study by the Locomotiva Institute and LCA Consultoria Económica estimated illegal platforms still represented about 51% of the fixed-odds betting market.
Players using the affected betting platforms had until 11:59 p.m. Oct. 5 to withdraw available balances voluntarily. Remaining balances are scheduled to be refunded from Oct. 9 through Oct. 14.
