BRAZIL · ONLINE BETTING
Key Facts
- What happened On 3 November an appeals judge restored the licence of CDA Gaming, which runs three betting brands.
- Who benefits The ruling covers CDA Gaming only; the national ban still applies to other operators.
- The licence The company says it paid R$30 million (US$5.5 million) for an authorization valid until 31 December 2029.
- The ban A provisional measure signed on 25 September ended all licences and banned fixed-odds betting.
- Next step The ruling stands until the case is decided or a judge changes it; the government can appeal.
- Power Index Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 74.2 points (November 2026 edition).
A Brazilian appeals judge has lifted the betting ban for CDA Gaming, the company behind the Casa de Apostas, Betsul and Jogo Online brands. The ruling, signed on Tuesday 3 November, restores its licence and applies to that company alone.
It comes from an appeals judge, not a first-instance court, and it cuts against the government’s national ban. The ban still applies to every other operator.
What the Judge Decided
Judge Adriana Pileggi of the Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region (TRF3) granted the company a provisional ruling at 2 p.m. on 3 November. She set aside the clause that ended its licence and ordered its web domains and payment services restored.
The ruling applies only to CDA Gaming and lasts until the case is decided or another judge changes it. It keeps the regulator’s rules and state oversight in force.
Why the Judge Called It Confiscation
The company says it paid R$30 million (about US$5.5 million at R$5.4621 per US$1) for a licence valid until 31 December 2029. The judge wrote that ending the licence without a refund or compensation amounts to a “true confiscation” that breaks the principle of legal certainty.
She also found no sign that the measure met the constitutional tests of relevance and urgency for a provisional measure. A lower federal court in São Paulo had earlier refused the company’s request, saying public interest in protecting families came first.
How the Ban Began
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed Provisional Measure 1,394 on Friday 25 September, banning the offer, brokering and advertising of fixed-odds bets. The measure also ended all federal, state and district authorizations and gave operators no refund of their licence fees.
Industry groups asked the Supreme Federal Court to suspend the measure in actions numbered 8024, 8027 and 8028. Our reports on the court hearing and the legal fight follow that case.
In Plain English, Who Is Who
CDA Gaming Ltda. is the operator of three online betting brands. TRF3 is the appeals court for federal cases in São Paulo and Mato Grosso do Sul, one level below the Supreme Federal Court.
A provisional measure is a presidential decree with the force of law that Congress must confirm. Fixed-odds betting means bets placed at odds set in advance, such as sports bets and online casino games.
What It Means for You
Brazil’s licensed betting market stays closed to every operator except CDA Gaming, so global betting groups with Brazilian licences still wait on the courts. This ruling shows that one operator won relief at appeal, but earlier relief for another firm did not last.
On 9 October the president of TRF3 suspended an injunction for the operator Stake, at the request of the government’s lawyers. Investors should watch whether the government tries the same step here.
What Is Not Known
Whether the federal government will appeal or ask TRF3’s president to suspend the ruling is not yet known. The government’s lawyers can say, and any filing will appear in the case file, number 5034200-15.2026.4.03.0000.
When the three sites go back online is not known, and CDA Gaming is the company that can confirm it. The Supreme Federal Court, where Justice Luiz Fux handles the cases, has not yet ruled on the measure itself.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which betting brands won back their licence?
Casa de Apostas, Betsul and Jogo Online, all run by CDA Gaming Ltda. The ruling covers only that company.
Who made the ruling and when?
Judge Adriana Pileggi of the Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region signed it on Tuesday 3 November. It is a provisional ruling in an appeal.
Is Brazil’s betting ban over?
No. The ban stays in force for every other operator, and the Supreme Federal Court has not yet ruled on whether the measure is constitutional.
Can the government overturn the ruling?
Yes, it can appeal or ask the court’s president to suspend it. That is what happened to a ruling for the operator Stake on 9 October.
Sources: Federal Regional Court of the 3rd Region (TRF3), appeal no. 5034200-15.2026.4.03.0000, decision of Judge Adriana Pileggi, 3 November 2026; Supreme Federal Court, notice on actions against Provisional Measure 1,394/2026, 28 September 2026; Banco Central do Brasil, PTAX exchange rate, 5 November 2026.
This article was drafted with automated assistance and reviewed before publication. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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