The Ministry of Sports (MESP) is a government agency responsible for promoting and developing public policies related to sports in Brazil. Recently, the MESP published a new ordinance that changes the rules for sports betting in the country.
MESP Ordinance No. 36, of April 17, 2025, was published in the Official Gazette of the Union this Wednesday, April 23, 2025. It amends MESP Ordinance No. 125, of December 30, 2024, which regulates the sports modalities and sports practice entities that can be the object of fixed-odds bets.
The new ordinance aims to update the list of sports allowed for betting. The change is significant as it includes new sports and clarifies the rules for eSports tournaments. The Ministry of Sports is responsible for keeping the list of sports up to date and available to the public.
MESP Ordinance No. 36, of April 17, 2025
Below is MESP Ordinance No. 36, of April 17, 2025, in full.
Official Gazette of the Union
Published on: 04/23/2025 | Edition: 76 | Section: 1 | Page: 36
Agency: Ministry of Sports/Office of the Minister
The Minister of State for Sports, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by art. 87, sole paragraph, items I and II, of the Federal Constitution, resolves:
Art. 1º MESP Ordinance No. 125, of December 30, 2024, shall come into force with the following changes:
“Art. 2º ………………………………………………..
VI – The most popular sports and modalities: Auto Racing; Bandy; Beach Tennis; Billiards; Bodyboard; Bocce; Capoeira; Cornhole; Cricket; Dance Sport; Darts; Bodybuilding; Floorball; American Football; Beach Soccer; Australian Football; Gaelic Football; Society Football (including “X1″); Footvolley; Roller Hockey; Hurling; Jiu-Jitsu; Karting; Lacrosse; MMA (Mixed Martial Arts); Motorcycling; Muay Thai; Parachuting; Fishing; Polo; Pool (American Snooker); Rally; Rugby 15; Rugby League; Rugby Union; Sambo; Sumo; Horse Trotting (jumps and turns, at a trot and at a gallop); Sailing and Chess;” (NR)
VIII – E-Sports tournaments that have obtained a license or authorization from the developer or the holder of the intellectual property rights of the electronic games played in such tournaments”. (NR)
“Sole paragraph: The developer or holder of the intellectual property rights of electronic games is prohibited from restricting the activity to a single betting operator. Likewise, the betting operator is prohibited from demanding exclusivity in the operation of these tournaments. In both cases, equal access conditions must be observed and free competition must be ensured, in accordance with current legislation.” (NR)
“Art. 7º The Ministry of Sports will keep the list of sports covered by this Ordinance updated and available to the public, promoting, based on the judgment of convenience and opportunity, the inclusion of new sports, including e-Sports, in accordance with their regulation and recognition by official sports entities and/or by the developer or the holder of the intellectual property rights of electronic games.” (NR)
Art. 2 This Ordinance comes into force on the date of its publication.
ANDRÉ LUIZ CARVALHO RIBEIRO