Pixbet brand investigated over illegal betting on next Pope

FlaBet, the betting platform operated by Flamengo’s main sponsor Pixbet, has made headlines after offering bets on the election of the next Pope, an action that breaches Brazil’s fixed-odds betting legislation.

The platform also allowed bets on Canadian elections, further violating current regulations.

Brazilian law restricts betting to real events related to sporting competitions or online games. Bets on political or religious outcomes are prohibited under Law No. 14.790/2023. The Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA-MF) confirmed that it had initiated a formal investigation into the incident.

Pixbet, responding to inquiries, stated that the offering of bets on the next Pope resulted from an “operational error” by its international market provider. According to Pixbet, it is certified to offer sports and online gaming events but mistakenly made special event markets available. The company said it acted immediately to remove the unauthorised betting options once notified and reiterated its commitment to regulatory compliance.

Good to know: Pixbet is reportedly going to pay Flamengo BR470m ($82m) over four years for sponsorship rights, running through to 2027

The Ministry of Finance has clarified that operators offering unauthorised bets may face penalties ranging from warnings to fines of up to BR2bn, or even licence revocation.

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