Brazil Plans Tighter Age Verification to Protect Minors from Online Gambling
Brazil’s Move to Strengthen Age Restrictions on Online Gambling
Brazilian authorities are preparing new regulations aimed at preventing minors from accessing online gambling platforms and other inappropriate content. These measures build on restrictions approved in 2025 and are part of a broader effort to shield young people from potentially harmful digital material.
Government Initiatives and Legislative Progress
An official close to the matter revealed that President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s administration plans to finalize and issue the new decree by the end of February. While the discussions are ongoing and details remain unsettled, the administration is actively engaged in addressing the evolving gambling landscape in Brazil.
Recently, the president endorsed a law that increases taxes on gambling operators, signaling stronger governmental oversight in this sector.
Key Provisions of the Upcoming Law
The new legislation, expected to take effect in March, aims to protect underage users by mandating that companies and online platforms implement robust age verification systems. This initiative not only targets gambling content but also extends to other types of sensitive material such as pornography.
Online app stores and websites offering or advertising content related to betting, adult services, alcohol, dating, and weapons will be required to verify the age of their users rigorously. Importantly, platforms will no longer be allowed to depend solely on self-declared ages, with plans for a government-developed verification system that websites can integrate.
Privacy and Data Protection Measures
The draft decree includes safeguards to ensure the personal data collected during the age verification process is well protected. It emphasizes that platforms must not track users’ identities, browsing histories, or records of verification requests, addressing privacy concerns voiced by critics.
Context: Brazil’s Broader Digital Regulation Efforts
This law is part of a wider governmental push to exert more control over digital content in Brazil. The country has taken a firm stance on social media regulation to combat misinformation, often leading to conflicts with major technology companies.
Last year, the Brazilian Supreme Court affirmed the government’s authority to hold social media platforms accountable for illegal content shared on their sites. Additionally, legislation to oversee artificial intelligence usage is under consideration, showing Brazil’s intent to regulate emerging technologies more strictly.
Impact on the Gambling Industry
Brazil’s regulatory measures have already impacted the gambling world, with thousands of illegal gambling websites blocked in 2025 in the government’s crackdown on unlawful gaming operations.
