Brazilian Counter-Strike Faces Major Betting Sponsorship Shake-Up

Brazilian Counter-Strike could be heading into a major commercial shake-up after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed Medida Provisória No. 1,394 on September 25, 2026.

The measure prohibits the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of fixed-odds betting across Brazil, including betting on real sporting events and virtual gaming events.

For the country's esports industry, the change is particularly significant because betting companies have become visible commercial partners across the Counter-Strike ecosystem.

The Brazilian government announced the measure on September 25, describing it as a nationwide prohibition on so-called “bets” — fixed-odds betting.

Under the measure:

• New deposits into betting accounts are prohibited from the publication of the measure.
• Betting websites and applications are scheduled to be blocked from October 6.
• Existing betting advertising, sponsorship and promotional material can remain in place only during the transition period.
• New betting advertising, sponsorship or promotional agreements are prohibited immediately.
• Existing physical and digital sponsorship material must be removed within 10 days of publication of the measure.

The timing is notable for Brazilian Counter-Strike.

Betting brands have established commercial relationships with major organizations and the wider CS ecosystem. MIBR, for example, has had a relationship with 1xBet dating back to January 2022, with the partnership later expanding beyond Counter-Strike. MIBR announced in November 2025 that its 1xBet partnership covered its CS lineups as well as other parts of the organization.

FURIA also announced a two-year partnership with BetBoom, with the brand appearing on the Counter-Strike team's jersey and activations involving FURIA player and Brazilian CS legend FalleN.

The impact also extends beyond individual organizations. In December 2025, BLAST announced BetBoom as its exclusive betting partner and licensed media-rights holder for Portuguese-language BLAST Premier and BLAST Slam broadcasts in Brazil and Latin America from 2026.

The immediate issue is not that Counter-Strike itself is being restricted.

The measure targets fixed-odds betting and its advertising, sponsorship and promotion. Counter-Strike competition can continue, but organizations and tournament ecosystems that rely on betting-sector commercial deals may have to replace those partnerships or restructure their sponsorship portfolios.

That distinction is important.

Brazil has developed one of Counter-Strike's largest and most passionate communities, with organizations such as FURIA, MIBR, paiN Gaming, Imperial and Legacy playing prominent roles in the country's competitive ecosystem.

What Happens Next?

The government's transition timetable gives organizations very little time to adjust their visible betting sponsorships.

Existing betting advertisements and sponsorship material have a removal window of 10 days, while betting platforms themselves are scheduled to become inaccessible in Brazil from October 6.

For Brazilian Counter-Strike, the next phase will likely center on three questions:

• Which organizations currently have betting partnerships that are directly affected?
• How much commercial revenue is tied to those agreements?
• Can technology, hardware, apparel, financial, entertainment and other non-betting brands fill the resulting sponsorship gap?

The measure is a Medida Provisória, meaning it has immediate force but follows a legislative process in Congress. Its long-term status therefore remains an important part of the story.

For now, one thing is clear: Brazilian Counter-Strike's sponsorship landscape is entering a period of uncertainty.