According to data compiled by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting within the Ministry of Finance (MoF), the regulator registered more than 25,000 illegal betting websites blocked in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Agency throughout 2025.
Enforcement actions also extended to advertising and financial flows, reflecting a broader regulatory push to curtail unauthorised operators during the market’s inaugural year.
A total of 79 companies were authorised to operate legally, collectively reporting that 25.2 million Brazilians placed bets during 2025.
Oversight activity intensified throughout the year, with the Undersecretary for Monitoring and Inspection recording 132 administrative processes involving 133 betting operations. Of these, 80 cases remain ongoing for the potential application of penalties.
Financial monitoring formed another salient component of enforcement.
By the end of the year, 54 financial and payment institutions had submitted 1,255 communications to the Secretariat concerning 1,687 individuals suspected of transferring funds to unlicensed betting companies.
These actions resulted in the reported closure of 550 bank accounts, with 265 already identified as linked to illegal activity.
Social media and marketing practices in the spotlight
Authorities also targeted unlawful advertising practices, particularly on social media. In partnership with self-regulatory and digital industry bodies, 412 inspection processes against digital influencers were concluded.
These efforts led to the removal of 324 influencer profiles and 229 individual publications associated with illegal betting promotion.
Market data collected through the federal Bet Management System showed that betting participation skewed male, with men accounting for 68.3% of bettors.
The largest age group was individuals aged 31 to 40, representing 28.6% of users, followed by those aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 30, each at 22.7%.
From a financial perspective, authorised operators generated approximately R$37bn in gross gaming revenue during 2025.
Federal tax authorities reported total collections of about R$9.95bn, including corporate taxes and mandatory allocations under existing betting legislation.
Additional revenues included roughly R$2.5bn in authorisation grants and R$95.5m in inspection fees.
One of the year’s most notable regulatory developments was the launch of a centralised self-exclusion system overseen by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.
Developed by the Federal Data Processing Service, the platform received more than 217,000 self-exclusion requests within its first 40 days.
As the market evolves, the MoF and gaming regulators will continue to place increased emphasis on harm prevention and mental health safeguards as the regulated market continues to evolve.
Dingnews.com 27/01/2026