Brazil’s 2025 Crackdown on Illegal Online Gaming and Growth of the Legal Market

Brazil Intensifies Actions Against Illegal Online Gaming

In 2025, Brazil took strong measures to regulate sports betting and online gaming as the country embraced legalized gaming. Alongside these developments, authorities faced significant challenges related to illegal gaming activities throughout the year.

The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, in cooperation with the National Telecommunications Agency, successfully blocked around 25,000 unauthorized gaming and betting websites operating without a license. This crackdown targeted both domestic and offshore operators.

Enforcement extended beyond site blocking to include efforts aimed at halting the promotion of illegal gaming within Brazil. Authorities removed 324 social media accounts linked to influencers advertising unauthorized gambling platforms. This initiative was designed to protect consumers from risks and reduce financial losses to illegal foreign companies.

Additionally, the Secretariat initiated 132 administrative investigations against various operators for regulatory breaches, with many cases still open and potentially leading to penalties.

Surveillance efforts also identified 1,687 individuals suspected of sending funds to illegal betting services, resulting in the closure of 550 associated bank accounts.

The Legal Gaming Industry Thrived and Protective Measures Were Established

Despite the stringent actions against illegal gambling, Brazil’s licensed gaming industry flourished throughout 2025. Licensed operators reported gross revenues of approximately $7 billion, contributing nearly $1.9 billion in tax revenue to the government.

Demographic data indicated that the majority of bettors were middle-aged men, with males representing 68.3% of players and the 31-40 age group comprising 28.6% of all participants. This trend is consistent with patterns observed in other established regulated markets.

In an effort to safeguard vulnerable gamblers, Brazil introduced a national self-exclusion program during the year. This initiative quickly gained traction, receiving an impressive 217,000 enrollment requests within just 40 days of its launch.