Brazil shuts down 13,241 betting sites after tightening government measures

Brazilian authorities have stepped up their crackdown on online betting, blocking 13,241 websites following the entry into force on September 25 of new rules backed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

The new legal framework bans the operation, provision, intermediation and promotion of betting platforms in Brazil, including both sports betting and virtual gambling.

Finance Minister Dario Durigan described the initial results as a “significant change” for the Brazilian economy. He said that previously, around 600 million to 650 million Brazilian reais left citizens’ accounts each day to be spent on gambling, equivalent to approximately 100–120 million euros.

By banning illegal platforms, the government aims to ensure this money no longer leaves families but stays within their household economies.

Lula has described gambling addiction as a serious disease and stressed the need for preventive measures to avoid severe financial harm to families.

The new rules require companies in the sector to permanently shut down unauthorized platforms, while new deposits into gambling accounts have been banned.

Meanwhile, the government is accelerating the drafting of a bill that would establish specific criminal offenses to crack down on illegal activities and undeclared financial flows linked to online betting.