Brazil Creates Special Betting Licence For 2027 Women’s World Cup

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has established a special licensing procedure for fixed-odds betting companies seeking to operate during the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be hosted in the country.

The Prizes and Betting Secretariat (SPA) published the new rules on 31 August, introducing an accelerated authorisation process alongside specific requirements covering sponsorship and betting brand exposure during the tournament. The framework stems from Articles 68 and 69 of Law No. 15,421 of 1 June 2026 and applies to eligible FIFA commercial partners and contractors.

Temporary Licence To Cost BRL1.53 Million

Companies seeking to operate exclusively during the Women’s World Cup will be able to apply for a temporary authorisation covering the period from 24 May to 25 August 2027. The proportional concession fee has been set at BRL1,528,767.12, significantly below the BRL30 million charged for a standard five-year federal betting authorisation.

Temporary licensees will also be required to establish a financial reserve of BRL2.5 million. Eligible businesses can alternatively apply for a full five-year authorisation, although operators under either arrangement will only be permitted to use brands covered by their sponsorship or commercial partnership agreement with FIFA.

Applicants must be Brazilian legal entities incorporated under national law, with their headquarters and administration located in the country. They must also already be a FIFA commercial partner or contractor in connection with the 2027 tournament.

Operators receiving temporary authorisation will only be permitted to accept bets relating to Women’s World Cup matches. Offering wagering on other sports competitions or virtual events under the temporary licence will be prohibited and could result in administrative sanctions.

World Cup Applications To Receive Priority

Applications must be submitted through Brazil’s Betting Management System (SIGAP) by 31 October 2026 and accompanied by documentation from FIFA confirming the applicant’s status as a commercial partner or contractor, alongside the documents normally required under Brazilian betting legislation.

The SPA will have up to 120 days from submission to inform applicants whether they must pay the concession fee or whether their request has been rejected. Applications relating to the Women’s World Cup will receive priority over other betting authorisation proceedings during this period, with the regulator permitted to suspend deadlines for regular applications where necessary.

Requests submitted after the October deadline or without the required FIFA documentation will be archived without consideration of their merits.

Rules Introduced For Betting Brand Exposure

The new framework also addresses betting sponsorship during the tournament. FIFA betting partners without Brazilian authorisation will be permitted to display their brands at official venues and during broadcasts without the exposure automatically being classified as betting advertising, provided they do not actually offer gambling services to consumers in Brazil.

An operator would be considered to be targeting Brazilian bettors if its platform allows users in the country to register or deposit funds, or if its advertising includes links or QR codes directing consumers to betting websites. Promotional language intended to recruit Brazilian bettors would also fall outside the permitted exemptions.

FIFA will be required to ensure that unauthorised partners implement measures including geolocation blocking, restrictions on Brazilian registrations and financial transactions, and systems capable of detecting attempts to circumvent restrictions through VPNs.

Failure to comply could result in the SPA ordering advertising to be removed, websites blocked or applications deleted. Administrative penalties could also be imposed, while the regulator may recommend that FIFA take contractual action against commercial partners that breach the requirements.

Temporary Authorisations To Expire In August 2027

Temporary licences will automatically expire on 25 August 2027 and cannot be renewed. Operators will then be required to stop accepting new customer registrations, submit a plan for discontinuing their Brazilian operations and explain how remaining customer funds will be returned.

The SPA will maintain a public list of companies authorised under the special Women’s World Cup framework, including the validity period of each licence. The new rules entered into force on 1 September 2026.