“Betting on the election of the Pope is prohibited in Brazil, based on Law No. 14,790/2023, which regulates fixed-odds bets. Brazilian law defines in a strict manner the types of events that can be the subject of bets, limiting them to two categories: real sports-themed events and virtual games with random results,” explains Thiago do Amaral, partner at Barcellos Tucunduva Advogados (BTLAW) and specialist in 'Bets' and Payment Methods Regulation.
As the expert explains, Brazilian legislation only allows bets in the following cases:
1. Real sports-themed events
These include games, tournaments and competitions with uncertain outcomes and organized by a competent entity (football, tennis and other sports regulated by professional entities).
Examples: Who will win a football game? How many goals will be scored in a match? Which player will score the first goal?
2. Virtual games with random outcomes
These are online bets on games whose outcome is determined by random mechanisms (such as roulette, dice games, crash games and other digital games).
Events that do not fall into the above categories are prohibited by exclusion, including:
• Political elections: Who will be the next president, governor or city councilor?
• Awards: Who will win the Oscar for best film or actor?
• Unusual real events: What will be the sex of the next baby in the British royal family, or when will the next solar eclipse occur?
“Since the election of the new Pope, that is, who will be chosen as the new pontiff, is not a sporting event or a game with an electronic draw, it is a closed vote, conducted by the College of Cardinals of the Vatican, with its own rules of Canon Law,” says Amaral.
Even if betting houses abroad (such as in the United Kingdom) accept bets on the election of the Pope, these bets are not valid in Brazil. “Betting activity here is subject to national regulation and the offering or disclosure of unauthorized bets may result in administrative and criminal sanctions,” concludes the lawyer.
Source: GMB
