In a decision published by the Ministry of Sports on April 23, the Brazilian government has officially authorised online betting on a range of popular esports titles. Before the publication, betting on esports not recognised by the International Olympic Committee, which excludes shooting games like Counter-Strike 2 (CS2) and VALORANT for example, was not included in standing regulations.
The text published by the government is an amendment to Law 14.790, which was implemented in 2023 to regulate the betting market in the country. The text authorises betting on “esports tournaments that have obtained a licence or authorisation from the developer or the holder of the intellectual property rights of the video games played in such tournaments.”
The new regulation also prohibits game developers from entering into exclusive agreements with betting operators, as well as forbids operators from demanding exclusivity on tournaments.
This is part of Brazil’s effort to regulate betting in its territory. Although the country is currently one of the world’s biggest markets for betting, the sector was only authorised to operate in it in 2018, and it was not until 2023, with the implementation of Law 14.790, that more rigorous regulations and oversight were established.
