Brazil’s Finance Ministry updates list of authorized betting operators, adds Esportes da Sorte and OnaBet

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance released an updated list of betting operators allowed to operate in Brazil through the end of 2024, adding Esportes Gaming, the owner of Esportes da Sorte and OnaBet brands, as well as Reals Brasil. With this latest update, a total of 98 companies, covering 217 domains, are now authorized to continue operations in the country until the regulated market launches on January 1, 2025.

Esportes Gaming’s inclusion in the national list followed a legal process. The company, after being omitted from the original list in early October, assumed control of ST Soft, which previously operated under a Loterj license. This acquisition enabled Esportes da Sorte to continue operating after securing a court order.

Esportes da Sorte has been active in Brazil for some time now, sponsoring five clubs in the Brazilian Championship. However, Athletico-PR, one of the sponsored teams, suspended its contract with the company in early October.

Betting companies on the Ministry of Finance’s list will be allowed to operate until the transition period ends. By November 20, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) is expected to publish a definitive list of companies authorized to continue beyond 2024.

Approved companies will be required to pay a R$30 million (US$ 5.3 million) licensing fee and follow regulations to combat fraud and money laundering while promoting responsible gambling. As of now, the National List includes 98 companies, while the State List features 26 companies, reflecting a total of over 230 authorized betting sites. 

Esportes da Sorte and OnaBet, as of last week, officially secured their licenses through Loterj, the regulatory body overseeing lottery and gaming activities in the state of Rio de Janeiro. 

The authorization, granted on Monday, October 7, will allow both companies to operate for the next five years, despite their ongoing wait for a response from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance regarding documentation review.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General's Office (AGU), earlier this week, initiated a legal battle by filing a lawsuit with the Supreme Federal Court (STF) to prevent the Rio de Janeiro State Lottery (Loterj) from permitting online sports betting companies to operate across Brazil.

The AGU is seeking a preliminary injunction to immediately halt the operation of such activities outside the state's borders, arguing that Loterj's current accreditation rules fail to enforce geographic restrictions effectively.