The Brazilian government recently announced the expansion of the legal scope for electronic sports betting, officially incorporating popular global games such as "Counter-Strike", "Valorant", and "Fortnite" into the legal betting projects. This significant policy adjustment was signed by the Minister of Sports, André Fufuca, and was officially published in the government gazette on April 23.
Previously, Brazil only allowed betting on virtual sports projects recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), including chess, racing, cycling, and tennis. Vincente Pereira, the IOC's Director of Virtual Sports and Games, had clearly stated: "We cannot allow games that promote violence to coexist with Olympic values." This restriction has long excluded popular shooting games like "Counter-Strike" from the legal betting market.
After the implementation of the new regulations, any esports event can open fixed odds betting as long as it obtains official authorization from the game copyright holders. Minister Fufuca stated: "This reform provides a clear legal framework for the rapidly developing esports industry and also reflects Brazil's status as an important global gaming market."
Data shows that the Brazilian online betting market has shown explosive growth. According to statistics from the Central Bank of Brazil, the country's betting players bet online amounts ranging from 20 billion to 30 billion Brazilian reais (approximately 4 billion to 6 billion US dollars) each month. The industry generally predicts that this figure will continue to climb with the addition of popular esports projects.
The Law No. 13,756 enacted in 2018 laid the regulatory foundation for the Brazilian betting industry and will be officially implemented at the beginning of 2025. The law specifies that only operators licensed by the Brazilian government can accept bets from local players. It also sets strict participation restrictions: prohibiting minors under 18, employees of betting companies, sports officials, referees, active athletes, and those diagnosed with gambling addiction from participating in betting.
Minister Fufuca emphasized that incorporating top global esports IPs like "Counter-Strike" into the legal betting category marks a key step for Brazil towards becoming a global leader in regulated esports betting markets.
Despite the huge economic potential displayed by the Brazilian betting market, the controversy over the gambling industry still exists in society, and the future policy direction still needs continuous attention.
