Brazil’s government has made its first formal concession to the sweeping betting ban signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva just one week ago.
Football shirts already manufactured bearing betting operator logos can continue to be sold across Brazil, according to new government guidance.
The allowance is contained in a technical note from the Secretariat of Social Communication of the Presidency, known as Secom, signed on 2 October 2026.
The note follows the betting restrictions set out in Medida Provisória 1.394/2026, which President Lula da Silva formally signed into effect on 25 September 2026.
Secom’s position is that selling existing stock produced under the previous rules does not constitute a new advertising or sponsorship action in itself.
The concession applies across the supply chain, covering manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and stores holding pre-existing inventory.
The major question now is whether this represents the first of several concessions, as political pressure on the government continues to build in Congress.
Brazil’s Congress has already received 47 amendments to the Provisional Measure, up from 42 when the issue was first reported on 2 October 2026.
One amendment, numbered 11, would go further than the Secom note, allowing existing shirt and stadium sponsorships to remain in place until the end of the current season or for up to 24 months.
Despite the concession on stock, Secom’s note makes clear that the broader prohibitions under the Provisional Measure remain fully applicable and in force.
The amendments will only take effect if the rapporteur incorporates them into the joint committee’s report, with the submission deadline running until 13 October 2026.
The betting industry and sporting community will be watching closely to see whether Congress pushes through broader relief beyond what the government has so far been willing to grant.
