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Betting boom in Brazil: Football drives transactions up 55%, tax revenue hits $1.3bn

Brazil's Federal Revenue Service reported BRL6.8bn ($1.3bn) in tax revenue from betting activities in 2025, while transactions were up due to football.

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Key Points
Betting tax revenue soared to BRL6.8bn in 2025, compared to BRL38m in 2024
Growth reflects regulatory and reporting changes rather than higher tax rates
Study shows betting transactions spike up to 55% in the hour before Brasileirão matches

The Brazilian Government collected BRL6.8bn in tax revenue from gambling and fixed-odds betting activities in 2025, according to data released by the Federal Revenue Service.

The figure represents an unprecedented 17,000% increase compared to the BRL38m raised in 2024, reflecting the sector's formal integration into the country's regulated tax base.

In September alone, betting-related revenue reached BRL1.7bn, up from BRL7m in the same month last year.

Claudemir Malaquias, a tax and customs expert at the Revenue Service, noted that while the number appears extraordinary, it primarily reflects a legislative shift rather than a sudden boom in the sector.

According to the specialist, it's an expressive figure because it's the first year the new regulatory framework is being fully implemented.

The failed provisional measure that sought to raise the betting tax rate from 12% to 18% had no impact on these results, as it expired before the mandatory 90-day period required for tax increases under Brazil's constitutional rule.

In total, federal tax collection for September reached BRL216.7bn, bringing year-to-date revenue to BRL2.1tn, the highest performance since 2000.

A new study revealed that betting transactions spike significantly around football matches.

Based on data from rounds of the Brasileirão, the biggest Brazilian football competition, betting volumes rose up to 55% in the hour before kick-off, especially in games featuring big clubs such as Flamengo, Corinthians, Palmeiras, Santos and São Paulo.

Activity then dropped during matches and rebounded post-game, though remaining about 20% below pre-match peaks.

Good to know

Brazil recently launched an anonymous reporting platform to help combat match-fixing and strengthen betting integrity policies

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