HomeLegislationGovernment investigates payment companies operating for illegal betting

Government investigates payment companies operating for illegal betting


The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), an agency linked to the Ministry of Treasury, has begun investigations into payment institutions that provide financial support to unauthorized sports betting sites in Brazil. The investigation is being carried out in partnership with the Central Bank (BC) and the Federal Revenue Service.

These companies are known as payment institutions, and they function as digital wallets and transfer platforms, thus allowing funds to circulate between bettors and operators, even if the latter are in an irregular situation in the country.

The government approved the gambling law at the end of 2023 and required all gambling establishments to be headquartered in Brazil and have federal authorization. Despite this, many illegal platforms remain accessible to users through VPNs (virtual private networks) or alternative links.

In addition to identifying the financial institutions involved, the government wants to map the payment flows used by these sites to escape regulation.

An interlocutor from the Ministry of Treasury explained that “many of these operators receive payments through digital wallets and, when this happens, the IRS, the Central Bank and the SPA need to act together to cut off these routes.”

Money laundering with illegal betting

Authorities fear money laundering, as the current model allows untraceable movements by criminal groups.

To curb the spread of illegal operations, the Treasury is already planning to block websites, cut off payment flows and toughen punishments for companies that fail to comply with the requirements. Therefore, the regulation provides for fines ranging from R$50,000 to R$2 billion.

According to sources at the ministry, some companies have already stopped serving unauthorized homes after initial warnings and actions. The government intends to maintain ongoing monitoring to prevent these channels from operating again.

Finally, the government intends to finalize the complete regulation by 2025 and impose strict requirements for platforms and payment methods.


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