Brazil regulatory progress: rodeos & turf in online betting
The Chamber of Deputies gave the green light to a proposal that integrates all forms of rodeo and horse racing into the fixed-odds betting system. The new regulatory framework aims to modernize obsolete legislation and establishes animal welfare as a non-negotiable condition for the validity of the events.
The betting ecosystem in Brazil continues to expand its frontiers. In a key session, the Sports Commission of the Chamber of Deputies approved Bill 3388/25, which opens the door for rodeos, equestrian trials, and turf (horse racing) to become part of the online betting market under the current regulation.
The proposal, under the substitute of the rapporteur Caio Vianna (PSD-RJ), introduces a strategic change: instead of directly modifying the Betting Law, it alters the Rodeo Law to officially recognize as a "sport" any modality validated by its federation, facilitating its inclusion in the system through regulation by the Executive Branch.
Modernization and end of obsolete legislation
One of the most notable points is the transition of turf. The approved text removes fixed-odds betting on horse racing events from a law dating back to 1984, now subjecting them to the modern rules of the current online betting legislation.
This regulatory unification allows the turf market to compete on equal technical and operational terms with other verticals in the iGaming sector in the country.
Animal welfare as a central axis
The new regulation establishes an explicit prohibition: bets will not be allowed on events that do not guarantee the protection and welfare of animals. Rapporteur Caio Vianna was emphatic in pointing out that the recognition of these activities as sports carries the responsibility to eradicate cruel treatments.
"It cannot be accepted that animals are subjected to mistreatment, nor that such practices are the object of bets," Vianna stated in his report, linking the sustainability of the market with ethical standards of animal protection.
Next legislative steps
The bill, which is being processed conclusively, will now go to the review of the commissions of:
- Finance and Taxation.
- Constitution, Justice, and Citizenship.
If approved in these instances, the text must be ratified by both the Chamber and the Senate to definitively become law, consolidating a new and powerful revenue vertical for licensed operators in Brazil.
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