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Brazil Shuts Prediction Platforms, Bars Event-Based Derivatives

Officials frame the crackdown as a consumer-protection step against gambling-like products.

Overview

  • Anatel, which blocked access Friday, took down 27 prediction platforms after the government revised an initial count of 28.
  • Polymarket and Kalshi were unreachable in Brazil by Friday afternoon, cutting off users who trade yes-or-no contracts tied to real-world outcomes.
  • The National Monetary Council narrowed what counts as an allowable derivative to contracts linked to economic benchmarks such as price indexes, interest rates, and exchange rates.
  • Brazil’s central bank issued a resolution that prohibits derivatives based on sports, online games, elections, and other social or cultural events, citing investor-protection and market-integrity risks.
  • Leaders said the move aims to protect incomes and prevent gambling-driven debt, placing Brazil within a wider global push that has also seen limits in Portugal and actions by some U.S. authorities.