Brazil’s Ministry of Finance blocks over 25,000 illegal websites in one year – G3 Newswire

Summary

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance, through the Secretary of Prizes and Betting (SPA), says it blocked more than 25,000 illegal gambling websites during 2025 in partnership with the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel). The SPA also launched and operated the Centralized Self-Exclusion Platform, which logged over 217,000 self-exclusion requests. Authorities ramped up monitoring of financial institutions and payment firms, led enforcement actions against digital influencers and illegal advertising, and compiled demographic and market figures from 79 authorised betting operators.

Key Points

Over 25,000 illegal gambling websites were blocked in 2025 via co‑operation between the Ministry of Finance (SPA) and Anatel.
The Centralized Self‑Exclusion Platform received more than 217,000 requests to self‑exclude from gambling.
79 authorised companies reported 25.2 million Brazilians placed bets in 2025; Total Gross Gaming Revenue for authorised operators was roughly R$37 billion.
The SPA’s monitoring and inspection arm opened 132 legal proceedings involving 133 betting companies; 80 proceedings are in progress for penalty application.
54 financial and payment institutions filed 1,255 communications about 1,687 individuals suspected of sending funds to unauthorised operators; 550 bank accounts were reported closed (265 identified as illegal).
412 inspection processes focused on influencer advertising led to removal of 324 influencer profiles and 229 posts, in co‑operation with Conar and the Digital Council (including Google, Meta, Uber, TikTok).
Player demographics: 68.3% men, 31.7% women; largest age group 31–40 (28.6%), 18–24 and 25–30 each 22.7%.

Why should I read this?

Quick heads‑up — Brazil has gone from planning to policing. If you work in iGaming, payments, advertising or compliance, this signals real enforcement muscle: blocks, bank account closures, influencer takedowns and a huge self‑exclusion rollout. In short: rules are being enforced, so you need to know how it affects operators, partners and payments.

Context and relevance

This development reflects Brazil’s rapid move to regulate and control its online gambling market. The SPA’s actions show a shift from rule‑setting (2024) to active enforcement (2025) and continued expansion of oversight in 2026. The coordinated approach — involving telecoms, financial institutions, advertising self‑regulation and major tech platforms — is relevant to regulators, operators, payment providers and digital advertisers worldwide as a model for tackling unauthorised online gambling and protecting consumers.