Stake Just Lost its Temporary Right to Operate in Brazil

A federal appeals judge in São Paulo suspended the order that kept Stake Brazil open to Oct. 25, ruling that one company cannot keep taking bets while every other licensed brand stays dark.

Stake Loses Brazil Reprieve as Appeals Court Restores Betting Ban

Francis Gable

12/10/26 · 2 minOctober 12, 2026 · 2 min read

Brazil's federal appeals court in São Paulo on Oct. 9 suspended the injunction that let Stake Brazil keep operating until Oct. 25, according to multiple Brazilian reports. A lower court had granted it one day earlier.

Stake Brazil is the locally licensed arm of the global Stake brand. The reprieve made it the only licensed operator still allowed to take bets after Brazil's ban took 188 licensed sites offline on Oct. 6, according to the Justice Ministry.

The ministry said R$1.325 billion (about $266 million) in player balances was still waiting to be returned on Oct. 6. About 26.5 million bettors had money sitting on the platforms.

Appeals Judge Sides With the Government

Judge Johonsom Di Salvo, who presides over the appeals court, granted a request from Brazil's federal attorney general's office. He ruled that the lower court's order gave one company special treatment.

"A situation of exceptionality apt to compromise the coherence and effectiveness of administrative action."

That is how Di Salvo described the injunction, according to multiple Brazilian reports. He also warned it could push other operators to seek the same deal in court. The ruling cited consumer protection too, finding that players still get too little information about how betting platforms work.

The suspension holds until the case is finally decided or the court's presidency rules again. Metrópoles reported that it contains no specific order to block Stake's site immediately.

Supreme Court Holds the Final Word

Di Salvo did not rule on whether the ban is constitutional. Brazil's Supreme Court is weighing that question in three separate challenges. He said one-off rulings that loosen the rules in the meantime can create legal uncertainty for the whole sector.

The lower court had already refused Stake's main request to keep operating until Dec. 31, 2029, when its license was due to expire.

For players, the next date is Oct. 14. Banks must return remaining balances by then, the ministry said, and any money they cannot send back moves to the state-owned bank Caixa for refund.

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