Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court (STF) has suspended every lower-court lawsuit challenging Provisional Measure (MP) 1.394/2026, the betting ban issued by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, until the court rules on four constitutional challenges against it.

Justice Luiz Fux, rapporteur of the betting cases, signed the urgent injunction on Sunday 8 November and the STF published it on Monday. Fux acted alone, so the full court must still confirm the decision, either in a virtual plenary session or in a joint trial of the betting cases.

CDA Gaming’s reprieve suspended

The order cancels the effect of a 3 November appeals ruling that had cleared CDA Gaming’s brands Casa de Apostas, Betsul and Jogo Online to operate. The Prosecutor General’s Office (PGR) had listed 13 such cases, all in São Paulo state federal courts.

Key dates

  • 25 September: MP 1.394 signed.
  • 28 September: trade bodies ANJL and IBJR ask Fux to suspend the ban.
  • 4 November: STF president Edson Fachin signals a joint trial of the betting cases.
  • 23 November: the MP’s first 60-day term ends and is extended automatically.
  • 4 March 2027: the MP lapses if Congress does not vote on it. The joint committee that must review it has not yet been set up.

The STF press office said there was no forecast for a judgment date.

Industry reaction

No licensed operator is currently online in Brazil. Operators are preparing claims to recover about R$2.5bn (€408m) in licence fees, paid at R$30m each for five-year licences. Speaking to NEXT.io, lawyer Frederico Manssur, partner at Natal & Manssur, said:

“He killed any company’s chance of taking any action.”

When it challenged the ban, the IBJR said:

“The decision is hasty and causes serious legal uncertainty.”

Gamblita has followed the dispute closely, from the STF hearing on illegal betting sites to the IBJR study presented to the court.