Assaí, one of Brazil's largest cash-and-carry supermarket chains, says it is already seeing higher sales following the betting ban, according to a BTG Pactual report on a meeting between the retailer and analysts.
CEO Belmiro Gomes, CFO Rafael Sachete and Investor Relations Manager Gabrielle Helu shared the view that tighter betting restrictions may be easing pressure on household budgets.
The comments follow a difficult third quarter for food retail, when tight budgets pushed consumers toward cheaper products. Executives said that shift has lost strength but still affects some categories, such as cleaning products.
BTG analysts said supermarkets could be among the first beneficiaries if families spend less on betting, but cautioned that a stronger consumer recovery in 2027 will also depend on improved purchasing power and higher sales volumes.
The ban took effect on September 25 under Provisional Measure 1,394/2026. Platforms were barred from taking new deposits and had to take their sites and apps offline from October 6.
The measure also gave banks and financial institutions to return what was left in the accounts of millions of bettors.
Other data points to the pressure betting placed on retail. A Sebrae survey of 1,028 small business owners, published in October, found that 33% noticed reduced purchasing power among their customers, while 26% reported revenue declines linked to the rise of gambling. Sebrae is Brazil's small business support service.
Estimates cited by the National Confederation of Commerce corroborate that data and suggest online betting was taking roughly 19% to 23% of what Brazilian families would otherwise spend at supermarkets and clothing retailers.
Domestic retail missed out on around BR143.82bn ($28.3bn) in sales over the period, compared with the roughly BR70bn a typical Christmas season generates.
None of the figures shows how much of the money once directed to betting will return to consumption
