Brazil Rule Change Lets Bettors Place Wagers on More Esports Titles

The government of Brazil has added a wide range of esports and online gaming titles to the list of sports on which citizens and residents can place bets.

Per a ruling published in the nation’s Official Gazette and a report from O Globo’s G1 that quoted Minister of Sports André Fufuca, the ruling opens the door to fixed-odds bets on first-person shooter (FPS) titles like Counter-Strike and Valorant.

The only caveat to the ruling is that online betting operators can only offer odds on esports tournaments if they have permission from the game’s developers.

The ruling makes an exception for betting organized by firms that own the intellectual property rights to their games.

Brazil Esports Betting: Government Green-lights FPS Wagers

The move is a significant departure for both betting and gaming in Brazil. Before the ruling, the government only permitted betting on International Olympic Committee (IOC)-approved games.

This meant that almost all games involving shooting were excluded. Games meeting the IOC’s criteria tend to simulate traditional sports or involve physical activity. These include dance-themed titles, as well as tennis, motorsports, and cycling games.

The IOC has also championed esports titles that adhere to “Olympic values.” The committee says it will only include titles meeting these criteria in its upcoming Olympic Esports Games events.

The IOC President, Thomas Bach, has previously said the Committee’s values “do not match with video games, which are about violence, explosions, and killing.” The Committee’s Director of Virtual Sports and Games, Vincent Pereira, has echoed these views. Pereira stated that the IOC “cannot have [violent games] promoting Olympic values.”

PwC has previously noted that Brazil has the largest gaming market in Latin America. The nation is set to generate $2.8 billion in gaming revenue by 2026. It has posted annual growth figures of around 15% every year since 2021.

Exame reported earlier this month that forecasters think Brazil will account for almost half of LATAM’s gaming market revenue by next year.

Similarly, Brazil is known to have some of the most engaged esports fans globally. Last year, Brazilian esports organization FURIA Esports came 3rd-4th at the Intel Extreme Masters Rio, securing $20,000 of the $250,000 prize pool in front of a capacity crowd. 

Betting, Esports Seeing Growth in Brazil

Online betting is also growing in Brazil. At the end of 2023, Brazilian President Lula signed a law bringing the sports betting market under the umbrella of financial regulators.

Since then, over 170 betting operators have received operating permits. These firms have spent some 30 million reais ($5.3 million) on licensing fees.

The law requires all sports betting operators to be headquartered and managed in Brazil. It also requires operators to ensure that people under 18 cannot place bets on their sites.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security and the Ministry of Finance announced that all online betting operators in Brazil must join a state-run complaints network.

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 The government of Brazil has added a wide range of esports and online gaming titles to the list of sports on which citizens and residents can place bets. Per a ruling published in the nation’s Official Gazette and a report from O Globo’s G1 that quoted Minister of Sports André Fufuca, the ruling opens the
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