Brazilian organisations support federal government crackdown on illegal betting
On Friday, President Lula signed a decree adopting a series of measures to combat illegal betting and strengthen the regulated market in Brazil.
For the ANJL, the measures represent another step forward in protecting the regulated market. They are the result of an ongoing process of institutional cooperation between the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), representatives of the regulated sector and other actors involved in the regulation of the sector.
According to data released by the minister of justice, Wellington César Lima, at a press conference on the subject, 25.2 million Brazilians bet on illegal websites. For the president of the ANJL, Plínio Lemos Jorge, the number shows the scale of the challenge and justifies the strengthening of the announced inspection measures.
Environment of permanent dialogue
“The illegal betting industry exposes consumers to risks, evades taxes and generates unfair competition in relation to companies that comply with Brazilian regulatory requirements,” Lemos Jorge said. “The announced actions represent an important step in strengthening the regulated market. The advances are the result of an environment of dialogue and institutional cooperation that allowed us to gather information, develop tools and expand our understanding of the activities of illegal operators in the country.”
According to the organisation, the SPA has been fundamental in consolidating the regulation of the sector and in building mechanisms capable of making the state’s actions against clandestine operators more efficient.
He emphasised that the new decree strengthened the state’s ability to target not only illegal operators, but also the structures that contribute to their dissemination and financial support.
“Combatting the illegal betting market is a constant challenge,” he added. “The clandestine industry operates with a high degree of technological sophistication and adapts very quickly, which prevents any definitive assessment of the effectiveness of the measures adopted. What works today may cease to be effective tomorrow. Therefore, this fight needs to be continuous, coordinated and dynamic.”
IBJR reiterates its commitment to working closely with the authorities
The IBJR expressed its support for the federal government and the ministries of finance and justice, for the publication of Decree No 13,033/2026 and Ordinance No 1,766/2026. These regulations govern the blocking of funds from illegal betting operations and the joint liability of financial institutions, payment companies and advertisers for the collection of taxes related to the irregular operation of fixed-odds betting.
The consolidation of a regulated and healthy market in Brazil necessarily involves stifling and weakening clandestine operations. According to research by the Locomotiva Institute with LCA, the illegal market moves approximately BRL40 billion ($7.7 billion) annually.
“This causes an estimated loss of BRL10.8 billion per year to public coffers,” said Carlos Lima, president of the IBJR. “These are resources that are no longer invested in priority areas for society.”
“Initiatives like this represent a crucial step forward in the fight against illegality. In addition to strengthening public revenue, the measure directly contributes to increasing the safety of bettors. It also protects operators who act in accordance with the law. At the same time, it promotes the integrity and sustainability of the sector in the country, which operates under one of the most modern regulations in the world.
“IBJR reiterates its commitment to always working closely with the authorities to develop a safe, transparent and fully regulated betting environment in Brazil.”