Flamengo Betting Ban Loss: R$430M a Year, Club Tells Supreme Court as Ministers Hold Firm
Updated on November 4, 2026.
The Flamengo betting ban loss could reach about R$430 million a year, the club told Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in a hearing that ran for about 10 hours. Football clubs warned of heavy losses and asked for more time, while government ministers defended the ban on health and crime grounds. Justice Luiz Fux closed the session without a decision, according to Migalhas.
Quick summary
- The hearing: about 10 hours on Nov. 3, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Brasília time, Migalhas reported.
- The clubs: they criticized the 10-day window to adapt to the ban; Flamengo put its loss at about R$430 million a year.
- The government: Health Minister Alexandre Padilha linked online betting to a suicide risk up to 15 times higher.
- The ruling: none yet. Fux said the hearing involved no decisions.
- The ban: Provisional Measure 1,394, signed Sept. 25, stays in force.
How much will Flamengo lose from the betting ban?
The clubs said the ban breaks contracts signed under the old rules, and all of them criticized the 10-day window they had to adapt, according to Agência Brasil and Migalhas. Flamengo vice president Flávio Willeman said the club could lose about R$430 million a year in revenue.
Other clubs made similar points. Botafogo’s lawyer said losing its biggest sponsor, a betting company, puts the club’s court-supervised restructuring plan at risk. Fluminense said about R$1 billion of the R$3 billion in commercial revenue in Brazil’s top division came from betting, and put its own loss at R$200 million, Migalhas reported. Grêmio vice president Eduardo Schumacher asked the court for more time, saying the short deadline hits salaries, youth teams and women’s football, Poder360 and other outlets reported.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) proposed a transition period lasting until the 2030 World Cup, according to Migalhas. The Brazilian Olympic Committee said it could lose R$130 million in transfers planned for 2027, and losses across sports were put at up to R$2.6 billion, Migalhas reported.
| Speaker | Claim at the hearing |
|---|---|
| Flamengo | About R$430 million a year in lost revenue |
| Fluminense | R$200 million loss; about R$1 billion of R$3 billion in top-division commercial revenue came from betting |
| CBF | Transition until the 2030 World Cup |
| Health Ministry | Suicide risk up to 15 times higher; 11 million people betting with risky patterns |
| Attorney General (AGU) | R$620 billion wagered in 2025; 78% support for the ban in a Datafolha poll |
| Public Security Secretariat | 236 police operations since January 2022; more than 480 arrests |
Figures as reported by Migalhas and Agência Brasil.
Why does the government want to keep the ban?
The government argued that betting harms public health and household finances. Padilha said online betting is associated with a suicide risk up to 15 times higher, and that 28 million Brazilians bet in the last 12 months, 11 million of them with risky patterns, Migalhas reported.
Attorney General Jorge Messias said the earlier regulation was not enough. He cited Finance Ministry data showing R$620 billion wagered in 2025 and R$36.9 billion in operator revenue. National Public Security Secretary Chico Lucas said licensed platforms were used for money laundering, and listed 236 police operations from January 2022 to September 2026.
The industry pushed back. The operators’ association ANJL, which filed the main case, criticized the lack of compensation for companies that paid for licenses, according to Migalhas.
How does this compare with 2024, and what comes next?
The roles have flipped since Fux’s last betting hearings, held Nov. 11-12, 2024. Then, the industry defended the 2023 law that created the licensed market, which opened on Jan. 1, 2025. Now it is asking the court to suspend a ban. Fux has refused to grant an injunction so far, as we covered in our report on the hearing order.
The guest list grew twice before Tuesday, as we reported in Brazil bets hearing grows to 34 speakers. Abras, the supermarket group, repeated its data on rising grocery sales, which we covered in Brazil betting ban: supermarket sales.
No ruling date has been set. Fux said the court will weigh social effects alongside legal certainty, Migalhas reported. Proposals on the table include a transition of 180 to 360 days and the CBF’s 2030 deadline.
What it means for players
For bettors in Brazil, nothing changes yet: fixed-odds betting stays banned while the court studies the case. For players elsewhere, Brazil is a large market to watch, because the case tests whether a country can shut down a licensed online market within weeks.
If you play poker outside Brazil, our ranking of the best online poker sites shows the rooms we work with and the rakeback each pays. You can also read what rakeback is before you sign up.
This article is for information only and is not legal advice.
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Frequently asked questions
What happened at the Brazil betting ban hearing?
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, Brazil's Supreme Federal Court heard government ministers, football clubs, sports bodies and industry groups for about 10 hours. Clubs asked for a longer transition, and the government defended the ban.
Did the Supreme Court lift Brazil's betting ban?
No. Justice Luiz Fux said the hearing was for information and involved no decisions, Migalhas reported. Provisional Measure 1,394 stays in force.
How much do Brazilian clubs say they will lose?
Flamengo estimated a loss of about R$430 million a year, according to Agência Brasil and Migalhas. Fluminense put its own loss at R$200 million, Migalhas reported.
Why does the government want to keep the ban?
Health Minister Alexandre Padilha said online betting is linked to a suicide risk up to 15 times higher, and the public security secretary said licensed platforms were used for money laundering.
Sources
- Migalhas: After 10 hours of debate, Supreme Court closes betting hearing
- RIC (with Agência Brasil): Clubs criticize the end of betting at hearing; government defends the ban
- O Imparcial: Football clubs criticize betting ban at Supreme Court hearing
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