Paraíba Court Upholds Nationwide Suspension of Pixbet

Paraíba Court Upholds Nationwide Suspension of Pixbet – Age Verification Measures Required Before Operations Resume

Key Takeaways

• The Paraíba Court of Appeals upheld a nationwide suspension of Pixbet Soluções Tecnológicas Ltda.
• The platform must remain offline until it demonstrates effective age verification mechanisms.
• Required measures include facial recognition with liveness detection for every login and financial transaction.
• The court cited constitutional protections for children and the precautionary principle as grounds for maintaining the injunction.

Court of Appeals Maintains Preliminary Injunction Against Pixbet

The Court of Appeals of Paraíba has upheld a decision ordering the nationwide suspension of betting platform Pixbet Soluções Tecnológicas Ltda. Acting judge Adílson Fabrício denied the company’s request for a stay of execution after reviewing its interlocutory appeal. As a result, the preliminary injunction issued by the Campina Grande Court for Children and Youth remains in force.

The initial ruling granted a public civil action filed by the Padre Ezequiel Ramin Human Rights Defence Centre and Educafro Brasil. It determined that Pixbet’s operations must be suspended across Brazil until the company can prove that it has implemented effective technological mechanisms to prevent access by minors.

The measure applies nationwide. The appellate judge confirmed that the lower court had jurisdiction to issue a ruling with national effect, given that the alleged harm and the company’s activities extend across the country.

Facial Recognition With Liveness Detection Required

At the center of the dispute is the adequacy of Pixbet’s age verification system. According to the court decision, the platform must implement facial recognition technology with liveness detection for every login and for every financial transaction.

In its appeal, Pixbet argued that it already uses a facial biometrics system and complies with federal legislation and the regulations of the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA). The company also claimed that the lower court imposed requirements beyond those set out in applicable law and encroached on the authority of the federal regulator.

The appellate judge rejected these arguments at this stage of the proceedings. In his ruling, he stated that the existence of technical certifications does not establish that a system is infallible. He concluded that the mere possibility of failure in age verification mechanisms constitutes a defect in the provision of the service when minors may gain access.

Until the company demonstrates that it has implemented the required controls, including facial recognition with liveness detection for each access and transaction, the suspension remains in effect.

Constitutional Protection of Minors Cited as Priority

The decision places strong emphasis on the constitutional principle of comprehensive protection and absolute priority for children and adolescents. The judge stated that these protections take precedence over private economic interests.

He further noted that online betting requires a high level of security to prevent access by minors. In actions aimed at protecting children and adolescents, the court applied the precautionary principle. According to the ruling, the danger of harm arises from exposure to risk itself. Proof of actual harm is not required to justify urgent judicial measures.

The judge concluded that suspending the contested decision could cause serious and irreparable harm to children and youth. By contrast, he found no sufficient indication that the appeal was likely to succeed. On this basis, he denied the request for a stay of execution under the relevant provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure.

Jurisdiction and Nationwide Scope Confirmed

Pixbet argued that the Campina Grande Court for Children and Youth lacked jurisdiction to issue a measure with nationwide effect. The appellate decision rejected this claim.

Citing Article 93, II, of the Consumer Protection Code, the judge stated that a court may issue a nationwide ruling when the alleged harm is national in scope. Because Pixbet’s operations and the potential impact on minors extend across Brazil, the court considered a nationwide suspension legally justified.

The interlocutory appeal was admitted for review, meaning the broader merits of the case may still be examined. However, the immediate request to suspend the effects of the injunction was denied. The nationwide suspension therefore continues without interruption.

Implications for Access to the Platform

For users across Brazil, the ruling means that Pixbet remains suspended until it can demonstrate compliance with the court’s specified age control mechanisms. The decision explicitly requires facial recognition with liveness detection at each login and for every financial transaction, setting a high technical threshold for resuming operations.

The case highlights the legal weight given to child and adolescent protection in disputes involving online betting services. The court’s reliance on the precautionary principle indicates that preventive measures may be imposed even without evidence of concrete harm, if exposure to risk is deemed sufficient.

Our Assessment

The Paraíba Court of Appeals has confirmed that Pixbet’s nationwide suspension will remain in place until the company demonstrates effective age verification controls, including facial recognition with liveness detection for logins and transactions. The ruling affirms the authority of a state court to issue nationwide measures when alleged harm is national in scope and prioritizes constitutional protections for minors over economic considerations. For the time being, Pixbet cannot operate in Brazil under the existing injunction.