(AsiaGameHub) – Figures indicate the substantial contribution of betting activities to state revenue generation in Brazil.
Brazil.- Information acquired through the Access to Information Law (LAI) reveals that the Brazilian federal government amassed R$4.17bn (€713.9m) from gaming and gambling operations during the first quarter of 2026. From this sum, over R$1.15bn (€196.8m) was generated specifically by online fixed-odds betting, referred to as the Bets regime.
These statistics, derived from official tax collection records detailing receipts from January to March of the current year, were furnished by the Federal Revenue Service following an LAI submission by Pay4Fun, a Brazilian digital payment platform and virtual wallet.
Breaking down the total betting revenue for the quarter, R$ 994.7m constituted direct tax contributions to the federal government, with R$ 142.3m coming from revenue contributions and R$ 12.8m earmarked for the health sector.
Leonardo Baptista, CEO and co-founder of Pay4Fun, commented: “The figures demonstrate that betting holds a significant position in both government revenue collection and the broader economic landscape, with over R$ 1.15bn generated in the first quarter within what is clearly an expanding market. This expansion is directly attributable to the advancement of regulation, which has introduced greater transparency and predictability to the industry.”
Baptista further emphasized the imperative to intensify efforts against the illicit market and strengthen responsible gambling programs.
Conversely, the overall revenue exhibited a progressive decline over the quarter. Government collections from games and bets amounted to R$ 2.07bn in January, subsequently dropping to R$ 1.08bn in February, and further to R$ 1.01bn in March.
Online fixed-odds betting, however, displayed a distinct trend. January saw online bets generate approximately R$ 368m, which then increased to R$ 443m in February, before decreasing to R$ 338m in March.
Beyond sports betting, other contributions included R$ 13.5m from the Federal Lottery, R$ 6.6m from LOTEX, and R$ 6.2m from the Sports Lottery.
Igaming and online sports betting have been regulated in Brazil since early last year. Nevertheless, political opposition has emerged, primarily driven by worries regarding consumer debt. President Lula da Silva, who approved online gambling legislation in late 2023, has expressed a desire to prohibit online casino gambling within Brazil.
Furthermore, some legislators have advocated for a full repeal of the existing regulations. Just last month, Workers’ Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores) deputy Pedro Uczai put forward Bill PL-1808/2026, which aims for a nationwide ban on all forms of online gambling.
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