The fight against illegal gambling in Brazil has gained a new technological tool with the announcement of the creation of a virtual laboratory focused on identifying and blocking clandestine websites.
The initiative is led by the Prizes and Betting Secretariat of the Ministry of Treasury (SPA-MF) in partnership with the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) and has the cooperation of the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel).
The announcement was made during a panel held at Casa Brasil, as part of the ICE Barcelona program, one of the leading international events in the gaming and betting sector. The project will be operational in January 2026.
Virtual laboratory
Although now being presented to the international market, the virtual laboratory is the result of work that began months earlier. In September 2025, SPA-MF, Anatel, and ANJL signed Cooperation Agreement No. 4/2025, which established the technical and institutional basis for the creation of a physical and virtual environment dedicated to the structured fight against the illegal offering of bets in the country.
Since October 2024, SPA-MF has identified more than 25,000 domains suspected of operating unauthorized gambling operations in Brazil. In the initial phase, approximately 2,000 websites were effectively blocked through manual processes, which involved capturing web pages, verifying financial transactions, and initiating administrative proceedings.
With the virtual lab now operational, this workflow becomes automated. The platform will continuously monitor the internet, identifying new domains, recording digital evidence, and mapping payment methods used by illegal operators.
Developed by the company Intercity, the system uses technology already applied in the fight against pay-TV piracy. Among the planned functionalities are the issuance of electronic DNS blocking orders to internet providers linked to Anatel (the Brazilian telecommunications regulatory agency) and the automatic verification of compliance with these orders, significantly reducing the response time of public authorities.
How will the fight against illegal betting take place using the virtual laboratory?
The integration between public and private institutions is one of the pillars of the laboratory. In addition to SPA-MF and Anatel, the system connects to bodies such as Conar and the Digital Council, which contribute information on irregular advertising on social networks.
There is also a specific module for cooperation with banks and payment institutions, which will allow cross-referencing data with fraud profiles already identified by the financial system.
The Central Bank of Brazil and the Federal Police participate in the initiative, receiving alerts about suspicious transactions and supporting investigations related to financial crimes and the illegal gambling market.
The proposal goes beyond simply taking down websites. The goal is to anticipate fraud, hinder users’ access to clandestine platforms, and economically discourage the activities of unauthorized operators.
The authorities involved have set a goal of reducing the offshore illegal betting market by at least 50% by 2030. The Brazilian model aligns with successful international experiences, such as initiatives adopted in South American countries like Peru, which have made progress in the use of technology and inter-institutional cooperation.
Among the improvements being studied are blocking communications sent by illegal websites to users, such as emails and text messages, as well as adopting differentiated strategies during peak viewing times, especially in the periods leading up to football matches.
