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Top 8 Best Betting Sites in Brazil

Created by potrace 1.10, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2011
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Which are the best online betting sites in Brazil?

Below, you can find a table with the best online bookmakers for Brazilian punters. You can see a quick info about each of them, read our reviews about them and find out their rating.

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Best Betting Sites in Brazil Ranked

Introduction

Brazil, a country of 200 million people, is in a strange position when it comes to gambling.

The country banned gambling in all forms in 1946, not long after the end of the second world war. This has led to a black market of bookmakers shops appearing all over the country.

Despite the ban, dozens of casinos are operating in Rio de Janeiro alone. Some of these are huge resorts and are very popular with tourists. The Grand Casino Iguazu & Resort Spa alone has 220 slot machines and 34 table games.

One interesting fact is that Brazil considers Poker a game of skill rather than chance. This means poker is completely legal in the country, and millions of Brazilians love to play the game.

Interesting Facts about Betting in Brazil

  • Brazil’s prohibition of gambling had an interesting effect around the year 2000. The moment internet gambling was possible, it became an overnight sensation in Brazil.
  • Brazil seems unable to make up its mind about gambling. The country has passed laws prohibiting the activity many times. The country then overturned these laws a short time later.
  • In official terms, there are very few legal gambling activities in Brazil. The first is the state monopoly national lottery. The second is horse race wagering. This has been the case for more than 70 years, but changes are now in progress.
  • In 2018, Brazil created the fixed-odds sports betting lottery method. This grants powers for the Ministry of Economics to issue gaming licenses. This is the first step towards regulated gambling in Brazil.
  • It is legal for private entities to operate Poker, Social Games, and other games of skill in Brazil. These activities do not need any specific license.
  • A loophole in Brazilian law means it is legal for citizens to gamble with offshore sites. There are some limitations to this, though. The offshore site must be in a location where authorized gambling is legal. Many large international gaming firms are happy to accept bets from Brazilian customers.

Gambling Legislation and Laws

Brazil regards gaming and betting as illegal ever since 1946. The main criteria used to determine if a game is illegal is whether it is dependent upon luck. Horse racing in non-official places is also mentioned in the legal framework.

Since 2018, sports betting has been legal in Brazil. This is the first step towards regulated gambling in the country. Expect the government to pass further laws about gambling soon.

Brazilian law does not cover online gambling. This means that it is legal for citizens of the country to play at offshore online casinos. Domestic online sportsbooks are also now permitted.

Strangely, even the 2018 laws do not cover land-based gambling. Land-based casinos existed in Brazil even before the 2018 laws came into force.

In short, the prohibition of gambling in Brazil is not effective. All forms of gambling have been rife throughout the country for decades. The status quo leaves players in desperate need of regulation. Black market bookmakers are free to take advantage of Brazilian citizens. Furthermore, domestic online casinos currently have no way of obtaining a legitimate license.

Top Online Betting Sites in Brazil

#1 1xbet

This Russian gambling powerhouse has expanded at breakneck speed recently. The company made a sponsorship deal with the Brazilian “Serie A”. This tournament is huge, not only in Brazil but around the world as well. Many Brazilians are crazy about Soccer. Serie A is the country’s premier Soccer league. This partnership has had a dramatic effect on Brazilians’ awareness of 1xbet.

Many sports betting companies sponsor Brazilian Serie A teams to raise their profile. GMB recently interviewed 1xbet’s Latin America Development Manager, Kirill Shastov. In this interview, he stated that 1xbet is also considering a Serie A team.

1xbet has now opened a customer support centre in Brazil. This reinforces Shastov’s statement that Brazil is one of 1xbet’s most important markets. The company has recently obtained a Brazilian gaming license. Alongside their Curacao license, 1xbet is a proven trustworthy site for Brazilian bettors.

homepage of 1xbet

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#2 BetWinner

This company has recently formed a partnership with ESPN. The intention is to promote its brand further in Brazil. Under the agreement, Betwinner will have its QR code displayed on SportsCenter.

Betwinner does not offer casino games to Brazilian players. Instead, the company relies on the laws passed in 2018 to offer legal sports betting. A respected Brazilian sportsbook review website ranks BetWinner as #2 in the country.

They do have a very large selection of lines and props. Their partnership with ESPN has allowed them to offer a huge number of live streams. They also have a very large selection of eSports betting markets.

Their unrivalled selection of Virtual Sports is another great reason to play here. Features such as Golden Race and 1X2 make this an exciting choice for Braziliant bettors. At present, BetWinner offers new player bonus promotions. There are also some bonus offers for existing customers. BetWinner remains one of the best sites for Brazilians who wish to bet on sports.

homepage of betwinner

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#3 Bet365

Bet365 is one of the world’s largest gaming firms. They operate in almost every country where you may partake in legalized gambling. Bet365 went online in 2000 and has always accepted Brazilian players. The company is well known for its sports betting innovations. They are always working to provide new tools and options for their customers.

Bet365 has won awards for the quality of their main website. Their smartphone apps also offer an intuitive and easy-to-use experience. The site uses geolocation technology to highlight your most exciting sports. All their services use scorching fast servers, ensuring that customers experience no lag.

homepage of bet365
The screenshot was made at 13:56 on 30.11.2021

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Competition Between Operators

Some areas of betting have very strong competition between operators in Brazil. In contrast to this, the state has a monopoly on lottery-type betting. The poker market features fierce competition between its participants. Offshore online casinos compete for Brazilian players with large bonus offers and promotions. Bingo is a grey area, as the latest Brazilian laws are specific in banning this activity. Because of this, there are few domestic bingo operators in Brazil.

Betting operators compete with an extreme voracity for sponsorships with Brazilian football clubs. The legalization of online sports betting had an immediate effect on Brazilian football. 13 of the 20 clubs in the Brazilian premier league now rely on betting company sponsorship.

Like poker, Brazil sees fantasy betting as a game of skill. The lack of regulation of this area has led to the exploitation of players. A strong market exists for fantasy football in particular. Competition in this market is very strong. Unfortunately, it is impossible to distinguish between legitimate and rogue operators.

Regulation is now planned for all these different types of betting in Brazil. When the new laws come into effect, most of the exploitive operators are certain to disappear. With a little luck, this will increase competition between legitimate betting firms. This can only be a good thing for Brazilian gamblers.

Bonuses from Brazilian Operators

Bet365 offers fantastic bonuses to their Brazilian customers. You can choose one welcome bonus either for Sports, Poker, or Casino. Besides this, they also offer weekly promotions. Their bubble bonus, card collector, and free-spins builder are only available in Brazil.

Betwinner will give you an excellent bonus on your first deposit. The company does not advertise many promotions for existing players. This does not mean they do not offer any, though. As we mentioned above, competition is strong in the Brazilian market. This means you can be sure of receiving regular offers wherever you choose to bet.

Our final recommendation, 1xbet, does not disappoint with their promotions either. They offer a new player bonus. 1xbet has a fantastic loyalty system, rewarding players with points for placing bets. The more you bet with them, the more points you will accumulate. You can use these points to buy free bets to use on their website.

Many trustworthy pundits think that Brazil’s betting market has the world’s most potential. Because of this, you will have no trouble finding great bonus deals in Brazil. Outside of our recommendations, many other great bonus deals are available to Brazilians. Most offshore gambling companies are particularly generous to Brazilian clients.

Of course, a high level of competition exists between domestic licensed sportsbooks, too. Whether you want to bet on sports, play casino games, or play poker, many great bonuses will be available to you.

Betting Features and Options in Brazilian Bookmakers

First of all, you should be aware that you should not trust the bookmaker’s shops in Brazil. None of these shops holds any kind of license, so you have no legal recourse if you do not get paid. If you wish to do any sports betting in Brazil, do it online. There are plenty of licensed online sportsbooks in Brazil. You also have the option of using a multitude of offshore sites.

If you do choose to gamble online, you will find many features available:

     

Pre-Match Betting
This is the traditional type of sports bet. In-play betting is now more popular than pre-match betting. Because of this, most bookmakers offer better odds for pre-match betting. If you place your bet early, you are likely to receive the best possible price. Although you may have to wait a long time to find out the result of your bet, it can be worth it. The higher odds given for pre-match bets mean this type of bet has a higher risk to reward ratio.

E-Sports Betting
Brazil is not the first country you associate with e-sports betting. China, Korea, the US, and Europe are all major markets for this activity already. What you may not know is that Brazil is now a significant player as well. Suspensions hit most traditional sports during a crisis time.

As a result, Brazilian betters searched for new markets to bet on. Twitch viewership has seen an enormous increase over the past year. More viewers mean more enthusiasts and more tournaments in the Brazilian territory.

All sportsbooks catering to Brazilians offer e-sports betting on all the popular titles. Several indicators show that Brazil will become a key market for e-sports betting. Several top players have even appeared from the country over the past years.

In-play Betting
First introduced by Bet365, but soon copied by other sportsbooks. With in-play betting, you can place bets on what is happening right now in a particular game. For example, you could wait until near the end of a match before betting on who you think will win. You won’t get great odds for a bet like this, but the option is there with in-play betting.

Ensure your internet connection is reliable before attempting in-play betting. You will also need quick reflexes. Bet365 is the best place to engage in in-play betting. This is because their software is the most mature. A well-designed user interface is a must for this type of bet. In-play betting often requires fast reflexes, depending on the type of bets you place. As with all other countries, in-play betting is now huge in Brazil.

Live Streaming
This feature is only offered by the largest Brazilian sportsbooks. Betwinner is the one to choose if you need live streams for your in-play bets. Of course, all the offshore sites have some degree of live streaming available as well.

Brazilians have an eclectic taste in sports. They don’t like to bet only on the most typical sports. Betwinner has taken this into account when deciding which live streams to offer. This is why we recommend them so much if you need to watch the games in play.

Bet Builder
Another Bet365 innovation now copied by all other major sportsbooks. And why not? In reality, it is such an obvious concept. A traditional accumulator bet forces all your wagers to be on various events. The bet builder does away with this limitation. The bet builder multiplies the odds of all your choices froma single event, giving a single winning figure. It’s a great feature and considered a must by many bettors today.

Early Cash-Out
If you’ve ever placed a bet and become nervous towards the end of the game, early cash-out is for you. This feature allows you to take part in your winnings immediately. You give up some of your profits in return for the option to close your position immediately.

Late comebacks do happen from time to time. Early cash-out protects you from these situations. You may also use early cash-out to cancel part of your bet builder ticket. If you have won a significant sum from your first few wagers, an early cash-out protects those profits.

Available Payment Methods

Many Brazilians do not have a regular bank account. This will sound strange to many of us in the Western World. Even so, it is a fact of life for as many as 35% of Brazilians.

A payment service known as Boleto Bancario is very popular in Brazil. It handles as much as 15-20% of online transactions made in the country. The downside of this method is that it can take up to three days to credit the money to reach your casino account.

The reason it is so popular despite this is that it is very safe. It is also the only way that Brazilians without a bank account can bet online. Another huge problem is that you cannot withdraw using Boleto Bancario. You will have to receive your winnings in a cheque, which means much more waiting.

Whilst e-wallets such as Neteller and Skrill are available in Brazil, there is a significant problem. Brazilian debit and credit cards are often limited to domestic transactions only. This makes depositing via these methods very difficult. You often cannot even use your card to deposit at an offshore online casino. ecoPayz has set up a specific Brazilian service to get around this problem. This makes it a great option for Brazilian bettors, but it is still very much underused.

Much like the rest of the world, Bitcoin casinos are very popular in Brazil. Gamblers can buy cryptocurrency with their card and then deposit at any site in under half an hour. What’s more, there is no way to know where the cryptocurrency is going. Brazilian gamblers appreciate the anonymity this provides.

Bank deposits might be the simplest option for Brazilian gamblers. Transfers can still take a couple of days to reach your casino account, though. The advantage over services such as Boleto Bancario is that you can withdraw as well.

If you only wish to place sports bets via Brazilian legal sites, things are much easier. You can use your debit or credit card, any e-wallet, or another payment service you prefer. Withdrawals to e-wallets can be as quick as a few minutes. Local bank transfers usually take a few hours or a day at the most. Withdrawals to credit or debit cards complete in 2 to 3 days, as in the rest of the world.

Mobile Betting in Brazil

Brazilians love to play games using their smartphones. It is unusual, then, that some domestic sites do not yet have mobile apps. All betting companies know that usage trends are moving towards mobile devices.

All the large offshore sites have mobile apps usable by Brazilian players. These are the most popular ways to play online casino games in Brazil. With regards to sports betting, the larger interface of desktops has its advantages. Especially for in-play bettors, this will likely remain the favoured choice among Brazilians.

The smartphones used by Brazilians do not tend to be as large or fast as those used in Europe and North America. Despite this, Brazilian sportsbooks need to work fast to create mobile apps. If they do not, the market share they lose to offshore sites may be gone forever.

Online Casinos

There was a loophole in Brazilian law until 2015. The prohibition enacted in 1946 outlawed all forms of regular gambling. It did not address online gambling whatsoever, though.

This caused a huge boom period for Brazilian online casinos until 2015. Some websites decided to close their doors, whilst others removed their casino functionality. At present, there is no regulatory framework for online casinos in Brazil. This is bad for players, and you should be cautious about the few domestic sites that currently exist.

Fortunately, it is completely legal for Brazilians to play at foreign online casinos. Today, this is the route that the majority of citizens take. The problems with payments described above mean it is not as simple as it should be, though. Many international brands have launched specific Brazilian sites to circumvent payment restrictions.

Brazilians are warmly welcomed by foreign betting sites. They often find that they receive better bonus offers than other country’s players. This trend is likely to continue due to the revenue generated by Brazilian players. This has surged over the past five years and is increasing by several 1000% each year.

Brazil would prefer that online casino gambling did not exist at all. The government has finally accepted that, because of the internet, they cannot stop it. The only sensible answer is to create a regulatory body to oversee the activity. Brazil is likely to do this in the future. It is impossible to guess the effect this will have on online casino gambling within the country.

Leading Sports for Betting in Brazil

  • Football (Soccer)
    The Brazilian national soccer team is one of the best in the world. The FIFA World Cup is the biggest prize in soccer. Brazil holds the world record for having won the trophy a record five times since 2021. Every time FIFA has held a World Cup, Brazil has qualified for the tournament.

    Because of this, Brazil has a great deal of pride in its national soccer team. As a result of this, Soccer is by far the most popular sport amongst Brazillian bettors.

    During the World Cup season, the level of betting on Soccer in Brazil reaches insane status. Brazilians also love to bet on the UEFA Champions League and British Premier League too. All year round, every year, no other sport can touch Soccer for Brazilian betting volume.
  • Volleyball
    This sport dates back to 1895 when William G. Morgan created a new game called Mintonette. He intended to create a sport that was less rough than Basketball. Held in 1896, Alfred Halstead watched the first exhibition match. He quickly noticed the volleying nature of the game. It wasn’t long before the sport become known as Volleyball.

    The sport is popular in many parts of the world, and Russia dominates the world championships. Brazil sits second in the all-time rankings.

    Although volume is way behind Soccer, Brazilians love to bet on their National league. Like with Soccer, betting reaches fever pitch during the Volleyball World Cup.
  • Basketball
    It may be an American sport deep down, but Basketball is popular in many other countries. It is huge in Brazil, where they have their own National league. This league is regularly scouted by the NBA. As a result, there have been many Brazilian NBA players over the years.

    Brazilians love placing bets on the American NBA most of all. A fair amount of volume does also take place on their own national league. You won’t find a sportsbook operating in Brazil that does not offer Basketball.
  • Mixed Martial Arts (MMA/UFC)
    This sport has only achieved worldwide fame over the past decade or two, not so in Brazil, where the sport has been popular for over a century. Because of this long history, Brazilians are passionate about Mixed Martial Arts.

    Betting volume on the sport is extremely high, second only to Soccer. Other sports are catching up each year. Whatever happens, there’s no question that MMA betting will remain popular with Brazilians.
  • Tennis
    This sport experienced a significant lull in Brazil but is now coming back in a big way. This is in large part due to regular Brazilians playing the game.

    This has also reinvigorated interest in Tennis sports betting in Brazil. Some sportsbooks have recently obtained Tennis live streams by partnering with TV networks.

    Tennis betting at Brazilian Sportsbooks has become a major market over the past year. Revenues are more than 500% higher year on year. It is unknown if this will continue, but for the time being, Tennis is an important betting market in Brazil.
  • Formula One
    Brazilians love auto racing and often bet on American events such as NASCAR. Of course, the Brazilian Grand Prix is the highlight of each year for racing fans. The Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace has held this event every year since 1972. The Autodromo is in Sao Paulo, and the event attracts many tens of thousands of spectators each year.

The Profile of a Brazilian Bettor

We can learn a lot about Brazilian bettors from the information provided on this page. They love Soccer and Mixed Martial Arts. Many Brazilian bettors are willing to take risks to gamble. Proof of this is the enormous turnover of Brazil’s many illegal bookmaker’s shops. This demonstrates the need for new laws and regulations as a matter of urgency.

FAQ

Is online betting legal in Brazil?

Online sports betting is now legal in the country since 2018, but online casino gambling is not. Online poker is completely legal, whereas bingo is still something of a grey area.

Are there any taxes for Brazilian players on their winnings?

Any gains made from online sports betting or bets placed on offshore gaming sites are liable to tax. Brazilians must include these profits in their individual income tax return.

Can I open an account and play in Brazilian Real?

Yes, all licensed sportsbooks operating in Brazil offer BRL accounts by default. International operators may or may not provide BRL as a currency option. Where BRL is not available, Brazilian players will find their accounts held in USD.

Are there any betting restrictions for Brazilian players?

Brazilian players are not permitted to gamble at domestic online casinos. They are also forbidden from using the country’s many black market bookmakers shops. Apart from this, we have already discussed the restrictions applicable to Brazilian players.

As discussed, Brazilian banks do not allow transactions to international sites. This is not related to online gambling, though. It is possible to get a debit or credit card that will work internationally. Brazilian lawmakers have made a proposition to block payments to offshore gambling sites. No such bill is yet in effect, but it could happen in the future.

Our Verdict

We find the Brazilian market to be one of the most interesting in the world right now. Brazilians have access to a range of legal online sportsbooks, plus offshore options. Most of the world’s leading online casinos are happy to accept Brazilian players.

The concern lies with exactly what any forthcoming legislation may entail. It is looking like these new laws will boost gaming in Brazil rather than hinder it. Still, until this legislation becomes official, it is impossible to say.

Right now, Brazilians can claim some of the best bonus offers available anywhere in the world. Now is the time to take advantage of these, just if any changes affect the market negatively.

On the whole, Brazil is one of the best places to be a gambler right now. But be sure to stick to offshore licensed casinos and domestic licensed sportsbooks. Follow these simple rules, and you can be sure of a good time.