Brazil’s Secretariat for Prizes and Betting under the Ministry of Treasury has published its balance sheet for the first full year of the regulated fixed-odds betting market. In 2025, authorities blocked more than 25,000 illegal betting websites through a coordinated effort with  Anatel, the National Telecommunications Agency. 

The scale of this operation highlights the government’s intent to actively restrict unlicensed platforms and reinforce the boundaries of the regulated market.

Market Size and Legal Operator Activity

Alongside enforcement efforts, the data further points to strong participation within the legal sector. According to figures submitted by the 79 companies authorized to operate in Brazil, around 25.2 million Brazilians placed bets during the year. This level of engagement illustrates both the demand for betting products and the reach achieved by licensed platforms in their first year of full operation.

Officials view these numbers as an early indicator of the regulated market’s potential, while stressing the importance of maintaining compliance standards as the sector grows. 

Oversight, Enforcement, and Financial Monitoring

Commenting on the project’s progress, the Secretary of Prizes and Betting Regis Dudena said “The year 2025 marked the first time that the State was fully present in this market. Data has been received, allowing us to understand the sector objectively, in addition to having monitoring tools to track compliance with the rules that have been created.”

The Undersecretariat for Monitoring and Inspection recorded 132 administrative proceedings involving 133 companies. Of these, 80 cases remain under review and could still result in penalties.

Efforts to combat money laundering were also expanded. Authorities identified 1,687 individuals with evidence of irregular financial transfers linked to betting activity. As a result, 550 bank accounts were closed. Investigations have since widened to cover illicit practices related to gambling.

Advertising Controls and Player Protection Measures

Furthermore, the report detailed actions taken against illegal advertising. In collaboration with the National Council for Advertising Self-Regulation and the Brazilian Digital Council, regulators removed 324 influencer profiles and 229 social media posts breaching advertising rules.

The Secretariat also presented data on the bettor demographics. Men accounted for 68.3% of bettors, while women made up 31.7%. The largest age group was 31 to 40 years old, followed by bettors aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 30.

The launch of the Centralized Self-Exclusion Platform in December was another major development. Within 40 days, more than 217,000 voluntary account blocking requests were submitted. Loss of control and mental health concerns, at 37%, were cited most frequently, while 73% of requests opted for indefinite self-exclusion. 

Regis Dudena made a statement on the department’s trajectory. “Since its creation, the Secretariat has been going through a consistent evolutionary curve. In 2024, we structured the market rules. In 2025, we advanced in monitoring and oversight, in addition to working intensively to combat illegal activities. In 2026, these activities should continue and develop even further, to guarantee the protection of people and the popular economy.”