Report identifies 17 foreign betting platforms accessible in Brazil
Enforcement & compliance2 min read
A report cited in Brazilian coverage identified at least 17 international betting platforms that remained accessible to users in Brazil after a government measure barred online betting sites. The platforms had not sought authorisation to operate from 2025, and the Ministry of Finance did not respond to a request for comment before publication.
Foreign betting sites remain accessible to users in Brazil despite the provisional measure signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that barred online betting sites in the country, according to a report. The report said at least 17 large international platforms operate without any block.
The report's authors identified the sites and simulated registrations on all of them, completing the process without difficulty. None of the platforms asked the Brazilian government for authorisation to operate in the country from 2025, and so fell outside the scope of the ban, the report said. The report described the platforms as belonging to established global betting brands with sponsorships of European football clubs, athletes and international competitions. It said the platforms offer Portuguese-language subpages and bets on the Campeonato Brasileiro.
The report named Melbet, Pin-up, Linebet, Betika and Cloudbet among the examples identified. It said Pin-up sponsors Sevilla of Spain for Latin America. It also said Cloudbet sponsors the Professional Fighters League (PFL).
Influencers on social media and in Telegram groups have been recommending the platforms, the report said. The report described a public group with "cerca de 30 mil membros" that steers bettors to these sites and gives sign-up bonuses to new users, a practice that had also been prohibited in the regulated market.
The Ministry of Finance was asked about possible action to block these platforms but had not responded by the time the report went to press.
The report said sites previously authorised by the government were taken offline under the measure. Users who try to reach them are redirected to a government page announcing the ban, it said. Before the measure, the Ministry of Finance had authorised about 200 betting sites belonging to approximately 80 companies, the report said. Licence requirements included a Brazilian headquarters, a Brazilian partner and payment of a R$30m grant fee.
According to the report, the foreign platforms it identified join thousands of so-called "bets chinesas", which together form a parallel betting market. Firms that previously held authorisation to operate in Brazil claim that the provisional measure doubled the number of illegal betting sites. The Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável (IBJR) monitors this parallel market and registers "60,4 mil endereços online ativos".