At least 23 clubs ask Brazil's Supreme Court to block end of betting operator sponsorship

At least 23 football clubs have petitioned Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF) to join lawsuits challenging the provisional measure that banned online sports betting in Brazil, according to O Globo. The clubs are seeking the suspension of the measure or, alternatively, a transition period that preserves sponsorship contracts already signed with betting operators.

The Provisional Measure was signed by President Lula on September 25, 2026, according to O Globo. The ban directly hit the main advertising revenue source for most clubs in the top divisions, and the affected contracts total hundreds of millions of reais.

Estimated losses reported by clubs

The clubs submitted individual loss estimates to the STF. Flamengo calculated immediate revenue losses of between R$ 400 million and R$ 430 million for 2027, according to O Globo. São Paulo reported that its contract with Superbet provides for a total of R$ 678 million through 2030, according to the same report.

Botafogo, a SAF under judicial recovery, reported that its Vbet sponsorship — approximately US$ 10 million per year — was part of the base cash flow of the recovery plan submitted to creditors, according to BNLData.

Composition of the petitions and action at the STF

Flamengo petitioned to join ADI 8027, filed by the Associação Nacional de Jogos e Loterias, which seeks the suspension of the Provisional Measure, according to Estadão. A separate collective petition brings together 16 clubs — including Fluminense, Cruzeiro, Ceará, Atlético-GO, Avaí, Chapecoense, Goiás, and Juventude —, according to BNLData.

Government's position and next steps

The Attorney General's Office (AGU) asked the STF to uphold the Provisional Measure and suggested that Justice Luiz Fux hear the Federal Prosecutor General's Office and consider holding a public hearing before ruling, according to Estadão. The deadline for Congress to vote on the provisional measure is 120 days, according to Estadão.

As of the publication of the reports consulted, Fux had not set a date to review the injunction requests.