Brazil’s Regulated Betting Market Generates R$20.07 Billion in GGR in First Half of 2026

Brazil’s regulated betting market generated R$20.07 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) during the first six months of 2026, according to data obtained from Brazil’s Ministry of Finance Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF) through an Access to Information request. The figure represents a 15.3% increase compared with the R$17.4 billion recorded during the first half of 2025.

During the same period, approximately R$377.86 billion was returned to bettors in prizes. The data indicates that the R$20.07 billion in GGR represented the revenue remaining after prizes were deducted from betting activity.

The monthly figures varied considerably during the first half of the year. January recorded GGR of approximately R$4.29 billion, the highest monthly figure for the period. Revenue subsequently fell to around R$2.8 billion in both February and March before increasing again in April, May and June. June recorded approximately R$3.34 billion, compared with an average monthly GGR of approximately R$3.35 billion for the semester.

June included 19 days of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, during which 72 matches were played. Despite the tournament taking place during the month, June's GGR remained below the January figure and was slightly below the average for the first half of the year.

The number of authorised operators also increased compared with the corresponding period of 2025. During the first half of 2025, 78 companies were authorised to operate in the regulated market, representing 182 brands. In the first half of 2026, the figures rose to 87 authorised companies and 188 brands. The number of authorised companies therefore increased by approximately 11.5%, while the number of brands increased by approximately 3.3%.

The Brazilian federal framework requires operators offering fixed-odds betting nationally to obtain authorisation from the SPA. The regulatory framework covers fixed-odds sports betting as well as online games offered within the regulated betting system. The Ministry of Finance maintains regulatory requirements governing operators, bettors, advertising, responsible gambling and the transmission of market information to the regulator.

Data concerning bettors also showed a substantial user base. Approximately 30.9 million unique CPF numbers were associated with active bettors in the dataset for 2026. The figure covers a cumulative 18-month period, however, rather than representing only people who placed bets during the first six months of 2026. Consequently, it is not directly comparable with the figure for bettors recorded exclusively during the first half of 2025.

The reported average amount associated with each bettor increased during the period under comparison. The six-month average rose from approximately R$618.60 to R$649.60, representing an increase of about 5%. On a monthly basis, the average increased from approximately R$103.10 to R$108.27.

The available demographic data showed that men accounted for 68.47% of the identified bettor base, while women accounted for 31.53%. The largest age group was people between 31 and 40 years old, representing 28.95% of the identified base. Bettors aged between 25 and 30 accounted for 21.98%, while those aged 24 and under represented 21.30%.

The regulated market also generated amounts allocated to public programmes under Brazil's statutory distribution framework. Approximately R$2.49 billion of the R$20.07 billion in GGR was allocated to public policies and designated social initiatives, equivalent to around 12.4% of GGR.

Sport received approximately R$870.15 million, with funds allocated to the Ministry of Sport and to state and Federal District authorities. A further R$24.19 million was allocated to a Ministry of Health programme addressing problems associated with gambling and betting, including mental-health services delivered through Brazil's Unified Health System.

The first-half market figures were released while the federal authorities continued to implement measures concerning the regulated and unregulated betting sectors. Brazil's regulatory framework includes requirements relating to responsible gambling, advertising and marketing, as well as obligations imposed on authorised operators concerning bettor and transaction data. The SPA's responsible-gambling rules were updated during 2026 through amendments to the applicable regulatory framework.

Authorised operators are also required to retain specified bettor and betting-operation information for at least five years and transmit standardised information to the SPA through the Betting Management System (SIGAP). The regulator's requirements include information concerning bettors, betting activity and bettor accounts.

The first-half results therefore show an increase in both gross gaming revenue and the number of authorised companies operating under Brazil's federal betting framework. GGR increased from R$17.4 billion in the first half of 2025 to R$20.07 billion during the first half of 2026, while the number of authorised companies increased from 78 to 87 and the number of represented brands rose from 182 to 188.

The figures obtained through the Access to Information process relate to the regulated market and should therefore be distinguished from estimates covering the wider Brazilian betting sector, including activity conducted through operators outside the federal authorisation framework. The R$20.07 billion figure represents reported GGR for the regulated market during January to June 2026.

By fLEXI tEAM