BetMGM legal chief Eduardo Ludmer warned that excessive restrictions on influencers working with licensed operators in Brazil could push consumers towards the illegal market. He also said operators must use influencer partnerships responsibly and backed clear guidelines and effective oversight.
Potential limits on influencer marketing could affect how licensed operators reach customers in Brazil.
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Tocantins Civil Police allege that influencer Maria Karollyny Campos Ferreira, known as Karol Digital, promoted illicit betting platforms and moved R$217m between 2019 and October 2024. Police say she and her boyfriend are in preventive detention and face allegations including money laundering, criminal association and illegal gambling activity.
ANJL’s legal adviser warned that prohibiting regulated betting operators could strengthen Brazil’s illegal market. ANJL and Grupo Globo held a seminar the previous week to discuss challenges following regulation.
Bet Legal reported that a survey conducted with Iron Security identified more than 415 new illegal gambling websites in Brazil after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced Provisional Measure 1,394 on 25 September. The report said the Ministries of Justice and Finance had taken down 506 websites following the announcement; the measure gives Congress 120 days to decide whether it becomes permanent.
Ida López, president of Mendoza’s Institute of Games and Casinos, said Brazil’s ban on sports betting and online gambling could drive growth in illegal platforms. She said 600 illegal sites appeared in Brazil over the previous weekend and reported that Mendoza’s institute had received more than 8,000 complaints about illegal online platforms.
Carlos Lima, chief executive of the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming (IBJR), said Brazil should not reverse its betting regulations, citing estimates that illegal operators’ market share fell between May 2025 and May 2026. LCA Consultoria Econômica put the illegal share at 41%–51% in May 2025 and 38%–44% a year later; the report also said 77% of bettors had taken at least one irregular betting action.