PIX Payments Drop 10% After Brazil's Online Betting Ban

Payments through PIX, Brazil's main instant-payment system, fell about 10% in the three days after the government banned online betting.

The Ministry of Justice and Public Security cited Central Bank data at a Sept. 29 press conference. Provisional Measure 1,394, published Sept. 25, prohibits sports betting and online casino games nationwide. Officials attributed the drop to the ban.

The Central Bank has not published a breakdown tying the decline to betting. Flutter has already halted its operations in Brazil while Congress weighs the measure.

PIX Transactions Fell 10% in the First Three Days of the Ban

Brazil recorded 608.6 million PIX transactions between Saturday, Sept. 26, and Monday, Sept. 28. That was about 10% below the average for the same days of the week over the previous four weeks.

Volume on Saturday, the first full day under the ban, was already 10% below recent Saturdays. Sunday's volume of 165.9 million transactions was 12% below the recent Sunday average. The total value of those transactions fell 15.5% over the three days. Officials linked the decline to gambling-related payments.

Under the measure, banks and payment institutions can no longer process bets, except for refunds.

Brazil Targets 5,209 Betting Sites, 186 Apps and Online Ads

As of Sept. 29, authorities had requested the takedown of 5,209 betting domains. The Ministry of Justice flagged 1,386 of them, and the Ministry of Finance's Secretariat of Prizes and Bets flagged 3,823. Telecom regulator Anatel has ordered 2,387 domains taken offline. Officials also flagged 186 betting apps for removal from the Apple and Google stores by Oct. 6. Eight platforms, including Meta, Google, TikTok and Telegram, must pull betting ads by Oct. 8.

Justice Minister Wellington César Lima e Silva called the effort "a task force among the ministries." The ministries also reported taking down 300 Facebook pages and 90 Instagram profiles. According to the Ministry of Justice, the blocking will continue indefinitely.

Flutter, Betano Respond as Bettors Face Oct. 5 Withdrawal Deadline

Flutter confirmed it is complying with the measure but said it was "extremely disappointed by this development." The company estimates a $70 million hit to 2026 revenue if the shutdown lasts through year-end. Flutter expects to resume operations if Congress rejects the measure.

Allwyn said its Betano brand is preparing a legal challenge. Customers of licensed operators can withdraw funds until Oct. 5, and the sites go offline on Oct. 6. Open bets that remain unsettled after 10 days will be voided and refunded. Banks then have seven days to return any remaining balances. Congress has 120 days to approve or reject the measure, and the clock starts just days before the first round of Brazil's presidential election on Oct. 4.