Brazilian associations ANJL (National Association of Games and Lotteries) and ABC-Bet (Brazilian Association for Compliance, Best Practices, Ethics and Transparency in Betting) have warned that potential new restrictions on licensed operators in Brazil as promised by the country’s President could unintentionally strengthen the country’s illegal market.
In a statement, ANJL said proposals to impose additional limitations on authorized operators may undermine the regulatory framework introduced by the Federal Government and encourage consumers to migrate toward unlicensed platforms.
ANJL represents companies offering fixed-odds betting under the regulatory system established by the Ministry of Finance.
According to the association, illegal platforms still account for a significant share of betting activity in Brazil. ANJL also said around 52% of wagers in the country are currently placed with operators that do not hold a license.
The association argues that these operators function outside any form of state oversight and often lack safeguards designed to protect consumers. These include controls to prevent underage gambling, mechanisms to identify risky betting behavior and tools allowing players to self-exclude from platforms.
ANJL also said investigations by law enforcement authorities have previously identified links between illegal betting operations and financial crimes such as money laundering.
Under the current regulatory framework, part of the tax revenue generated by licensed operators is allocated to public policies, including areas such as public security.
ABC-Bet also reiterated the need to distinguish between the regulated betting market and illegal operators.
The association said protecting families and vulnerable groups should remain a priority for both government and society, but argued that public debate must clearly separate licensed platforms from clandestine operations.
According to the organization, Brazil has maintained a monitoring and supervision system for betting activities since January 2025, allowing authorities to track regulated operations and enforce compliance standards within the sector.
ABC-BET recently appointed Thiago Iusim to its Responsible Gaming Committee, strengthening the association’s technical approach to player protection in Brazil
