Most Popular Bookies in Brazil

Brazil is a country in South America; it is perhaps the continent's most famous nation. The reason for its fame is simple: football. The country is synonymous with soccer. In fact, football lies at the heart of Brazilian culture; it is a way of life.

From Pele to Rivaldo to Zico and Dunga, the country has produced some of the finest footballers ever to kick a ball. And let's not forget Ronaldinho, with his eye-catching skills. But football goes hand in hand with sports betting, so one can only expect sports betting to be a popular venture in Brazil. And, yes, it certainly is.

Most Popular Bookies in Brazil
Everything you need to know about betting in Brazil

Everything you need to know about betting in Brazil

While there may be no legal framework (as of 2022) to regulate the realm of sports betting in the country, Brazilians love sports betting almost as much as they love soccer. Sports betting online is fun. It allows citizens to sign up with their favorite sportsbooks and place bets. Today, there may not be a locally-owned sports betting platform in Brazil, but nothing prevents Brazilians from wagering at foreign-owned sportsbooks.

As a matter of fact, it can be difficult to find an online betting site that doesn't accept Brazilians. And then there is mobile betting. This option makes betting even more convenient, as punters can now place bets from virtually everywhere and anywhere.

Everything you need to know about betting in Brazil
Brazilian players' favorite sports to be ton

Brazilian players' favorite sports to be ton

Brazil has a rich sporting tradition, with many former athletes helping to keep competitive juices flowing. At Brazilian sportsbooks, the sports that generate the most action include the following:

Football

Football is the most common sport when it comes to betting. In fact, 99% of sportsbooks offer football betting, and the situation is the same in Brazil. With football being part of Brazil's DNA, the worst thing any bookmaker can ever do is offer other sports at the expense of football.

Football has the broadest range of betting markets, and the fact that it is not purely a game of chance also explains why it is popular among bettors. On top of that are dozens of football competitions happening around the world, including Copa Libertadores, Argentine Primera Division, Serie A, Campeonato Brasileiro, English Premier League, La Liga, and Bundesliga.

Volleyball

Yes, Brazilians love football more than any other sport, but volleyball has its fair share of popularity among these nationals. That's why most sportsbooks for Brazilians will have a section for volleyball punters. There are volleyball matches going on continuously, so punters are sure to find at least a dozen matches to bet on every day.

Other Sports

In addition to the above two sports, Brazilians have at least ten other popular sports to choose from, including table tennis, golf, boxing, tennis, mixed martial arts, horse racing, basketball, and motorsport. Electronic or e-sports are also a favorite for Brazilians.

Brazilian players' favorite sports to be ton
Payment methods in Brazil

Payment methods in Brazil

Brazilians like it when a betting site offers payment methods available in their country. Of course, it doesn't make sense for any bookmaker to claim they offer betting to Brazilians, yet they don't support a payment method that is available in the country. As of 2022, the most popular payment methods for Brazilians include the following:

Boleto Bancário

This is a popular cash voucher in Brazil. To use this method, a punter makes a deposit and receives a serial number and barcode. This method is used for deposits and withdrawals.

Visa and Mastercard

Visa and Mastercard are international payment methods widely accepted, not only in Brazil, but in hundreds of countries across the world. They are safe and secure, and punters have the option of a recourse with their issuers just in case they have a complaint.

AstroPay

Like Mastercard and Visa, Astropay also offers prepaid cards, which Brazilians can use to deposit funds at online sportsbooks. The system is known for speed and efficiency, and the fact that Astropay puts a limit on the balance is a security layer in itself.

PayPal

This is a secure e-wallet. As of 2022, it is still one of the most trusted international payment methods available. This option is super safe, and the company is known to suspend or even permanently block any users found to engage in online fraud. As a precaution, all PayPal accounts must be verified before use.

Payment methods in Brazil
History of betting in Brazil

History of betting in Brazil

Brazil has a long betting history, spanning all the way back to decades ago, before World War II. In 1946, betting in Brazil was already a popular activity, which gathered momentum at lightning speed. This prompted the authorities to enact the so-called Criminal Contravention Act.

The law sought to ban all unregulated betting activities in the country, shaking the nation's entire gambling scene to the core. Yet, the government of Brazil did not anticipate online betting. After all, who expected such a dramatic transformation to the world of betting back then?

In the early 2000s, the writing was already on the wall that the internet would take over the world. In fact, online gambling became a hot topic in the country, since the Brazilian government did not have a mechanism to prevent citizens from betting online.

As such, a bill would be passed to outlaw online gambling. Did it succeed? Not really. With internet usage spreading so fast, this turned out to be an exercise in futility. Besides, Brazil is still a developing country, so they did not have enough resources to invest in the technology to prevent people from gambling online.

The government of Brazil would later make another ineffective attempt to ban online gambling sites in 2009. The move failed terribly, but the government did not stop there. Another failed attempt involved prohibiting payment processors from transacting with online gaming platforms in 2010.

Temporary Reprieve

Thanks to the World Cup, this ban on online gambling was temporarily lifted in 2014. The Brazilian authorities saw this as a lucrative event that would generate lots of revenue. At that time, Brazilians were allowed to bet on sports and lotteries offered by Caixa Economica, a government-owned financial institution.

History of betting in Brazil
Betting nowadays in Brazil

Betting nowadays in Brazil

The internet has spread like wildfire in Brazil, further complicating the government's efforts to ban gambling. With the web and willing international online betting providers, Brazilians are using this opportunity well, and nothing stops them from wagering on the sporting events they love. From football to horse racing to tennis, the options are almost unlimited.

The final nail in the coffin has been the emergence of mobile-compatible sportsbooks, which are meant for on-the-go betting. But there are also cryptos, which now have the ability to render any efforts to ban online betting entirely futile. Many betting platforms now allow usage of these digital currencies so that no one can trace the identity of gamblers.

Betting nowadays in Brazil
The future of betting in Brazil

The future of betting in Brazil

Today, online gambling legislative matters in the country are still under review, and that's why no bookie is allowed to operate in the country's territory legally. However, looking at a series of failed attempts by the government of Brazil on banning sports betting, Brazilians can rest assured the future of betting in their country is bright. First of all, the country has a population of just over 212 million (as of 2022). That's a huge market that any sports betting provider would want to target.

While there are already hundreds of bookmakers rendering their services to Brazilians, the number is expected to rise exponentially as technology becomes better and better (cryptos, mobile gaming, etc.). Besides, Brazilians love sports, especially football, so trying to prevent them from betting on their favorite sport does not resonate with them at all. With a proper gambling regulatory mechanism, the Brazilian authorities can allow their citizens to legally and safely bet online in the near future.

The future of betting in Brazil
Betting acts in Brazil

Betting acts in Brazil

Looking down memory lane, Brazil has had a number of betting acts, most of which were enacted to prevent gambling. The most important piece of these legislations is the Criminal Contravention Act of 1946, which outlawed all gambling operators and games of chance in the country.

Anyone found breaking this Act is subject to a fine or jail term of up to one year. In this Act, the games of chance are defined as any game in which punters have no control over the outcome. That means the outcome is purely luck-determined.

Having looked at the above Act, it is important to look at other Acts as well. Here is a summary of some of the most important ones:

Law No. 7,291

This law was passed in 1984 to allow Brazilians to place bets on horse racing. However, the law does not allow punters to bet wherever they like. There are designated betting agencies and racetracks. The agencies that take bets on horse racing events pay fees to the government of Brazil.

Bill 671/2015

Also known as MP Football, this bill was passed in 2015 to provide for the establishment of new gambling products and lotteries. This was following a surge in demand for legal sports betting (following the 2014 World Cup). However, the country's president at the time (Dilma) rejected part of the bill that sought to allow online gambling.

Law No. 13,756

This is perhaps the latest gambling law to be passed in the country, having been ratified only in Dec, 2018. It aimed to legalize fixed-odds sports betting. In ensuring proper implementation of this law, the Brazilian government mandated the Ministry of Economy to develop regulatory mechanisms within four years. Once this law is fully implemented, Brazilians can expect to witness a total revolution in the country's gambling industry.

Betting acts in Brazil
FAQs

FAQs

Is online betting legal in Brazil?

Yes. Law No. 13,756 of 2018 states that online gambling is perfectly legal in Brazil. However, there are no locally-owned gambling sites in Brazil at the moment. That's because a legal mechanism to provide licenses to such sites is yet to be established, and the situation may change as soon as 2022, by the time the law will be fully implemented.

What sports can I bet on in Brazil?

There are dozens of sports to bet on in Brazil, but football and volleyball are the most popular ones. Other sports available for betting in the country include tennis, basketball, mixed martial arts, boxing, golf, horse racing, and many more.

What are the best betting sites for Brazilians?

Brazilians have many choices when it comes to betting sites. As of 2022, some of the best betting sites in the country include 22Bet, Betway, 888 Sport, Dafabet, Netbet, and 1XBet.

What are the available payment methods for Brazilian punters?

Brazilian punters have a host of payment methods they can use, including PayPal, AstroPay, Visa, Mastercard, and Boleto Bancario.

Can I bet using my mobile device in Brazil?

Yes. Most sportsbooks for Brazilians allow betting on the fly; they are mobile-optimized.

FAQs

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