Brazil: Ruling Party Seeks Full Ban on Online Gambling
Brazil's ruling Workers' Party (PT) has submitted Bill PL-1808/2026 to the Chamber of Deputies, co-sponsored by 68 PT lawmakers. The proposed legislation aims to completely repeal the regulatory framework established by the Bets Law, which took effect on January 1, 2025. The bill prohibits “the exploitation, operation, offering, availability, promotion, advertising, intermediation and processing of transactions related to fixed-odds betting” across the country.
Penalties include fines of up to two billion Brazilian reais (approximately $385 million) and prison sentences of 2 to 8 years, with aggravated penalties for cases involving minors or criminal organizations. Platforms with more than one million users must remove all gambling-related promotional content. President Lula has remained silent on the matter, and the bill’s fate remains uncertain.
Venezuela: Economist Proposes Sovereign Dollar Stablecoin
To address foreign exchange controls and the exclusion of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from the official dollar allocation system, Alejandro Grisanti, founder and CEO of Ecoanalitica, has proposed the issuance of a central bank-backed stablecoin pegged to the US dollar. The stablecoin would be integrated into the formal financial system and comply with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations.
Grisanti argues that the system could bypass the multiple exchange rates caused by the current auction mechanism while allowing controlled imports of physical dollars for SMEs without US bank accounts. This would enable them to transact in dollars in the local market, effectively reducing the friction caused by capital controls and promoting economic formalization.
Latam: An Investment Haven Amid Geopolitical Turbulence
The ongoing Middle East conflict has triggered an energy crisis affecting global markets. In contrast, Latin America is emerging as a relative safe haven due to its endogenous oil production. Since the war began, the fiat currencies of Argentina and Brazil have appreciated against the US dollar, and dollar-denominated bonds from oil-exporting countries like Ecuador and Colombia have outperformed their peers.
Analysts also highlight Venezuela as a future opportunity, as the Trump administration continues to push for changes following its intervention in January. Overall, Latam markets are attracting capital seeking refuge from energy shocks, currency instability, and geopolitical risks, offering both safety and growth potential.