In 2021 this article looked ahead to Latin American markets that were expected to regulate. Several did: Peru licensed online gambling in 2024 and Brazil opened in 2025. But 2026 brought a reversal — in September Brazil banned online betting and casino games by provisional measure. This update gives the position as of October 2026.
Latin America at a glance
| Country | Online status in October 2026 | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Banned by MP 1.394/2026; authorizations end 25 October 2026 | SPA, Ministry of Finance |
| Peru | Licensed since 9 February 2024 | MINCETUR |
| Colombia | Licensed by concession | Coljuegos |
| Argentina | Licensed by province | Provincial lottery bodies |
| Chile | No regime; bill in the Senate | SCJ (land-based) |
| Panama | Online licenses available | Junta de Control de Juegos |
| Costa Rica | No license; data-processing permits only | — |
Brazil: from regulation to ban
Brazil regulated fixed-odds betting and online games under Law 14.790/2023, with a licensed market from 1 January 2025. Authorizations from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) cost BRL 30 million for five years and up to three brands, and around 87 operators were authorized by mid-2026.
On 25 September 2026, Provisional Measure 1.394 reversed course. It:
- bans operating, offering, intermediating and advertising fixed-odds betting and RNG-based online games, including from abroad;
- stopped new deposits on publication and required sites and apps to go offline on 6 October 2026;
- set a refund process for player balances through banks, with Caixa as fallback;
- extinguishes all federal authorizations on 25 October 2026, and state authorizations within 30 days;
- provides fines of up to BRL 2 billion.
A provisional measure has the force of law immediately but must be approved by Congress within 120 days or it lapses. Industry associations ANJL and IBJR filed a challenge at the Supreme Federal Court on 28 September 2026. Operators should treat Brazil as closed while the measure stands.
Peru
Peru licenses remote gambling and sports betting through MINCETUR under Law 31557 (amended by Law 31806) and Supreme Decree 005-2023-MINCETUR, in force since 9 February 2024. Authorizations last six years. The tax is 12% of the taxable base derived from net revenue, plus a 1% selective consumption tax on stakes since July 2025. Applicants post a financial guarantee and certify their platforms; foreign companies can apply directly.
Colombia
Coljuegos grants five-year concession contracts for internet-operated games under Law 643 of 2001, as amended, with rules updated by Acuerdo 01 of 7 May 2026. Operators pay exploitation rights of 15% of gross revenue less prizes where the 83% payout threshold is met, a fixed annual component and an administration contribution, post guarantees and operate on a .co domain. A 16% national consumption tax on GGR applies in 2026 under Decree 0240.
Chile
Chile permits only gambling expressly authorized by law. Bill 14.838-03, which would license online betting platforms, passed the Chamber of Deputies in 2023 and was still before the Senate in October 2026. The Supreme Court ordered ISPs to block unauthorized platforms in September 2025, and Subtel issued DNS-blocking instructions in September 2026. Foreign operators of certain digital services must register for VAT, but that is not an authorization.
Argentina
Argentina regulates gambling at provincial level. The City of Buenos Aires and the Province of Buenos Aires license online operators, and several other provinces run their own schemes. Each license covers only its own province, so national coverage means several licenses.
Central America
Panama issues online gambling licenses, while Costa Rica has no license at all — the “Costa Rica license” is a municipal data-processing permit.
What this means for operators
- Exit Brazil in line with MP 1.394 and monitor the congressional vote and court case.
- Peru and Colombia are the open, licensed markets in the region; both require local certification and guarantees.
- Offshore licenses such as Curaçao do not authorize operation in regulated or prohibited Latin American markets.
Compare routes on our jurisdictions page.