Brazil notifies Apple and Google over 120 illegal in-store betting apps

Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security has formally notified Google and Apple over the availability of illegal betting applications on their platforms, following the identification of more than 120 apps operating without federal authorization.

The notices request detailed explanations regarding how these applications were approved and distributed through the Play Store and App Store, despite lacking authorization from the Ministry of Finance’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.

According to the Ministry, the apps were easily found through simple search terms, including widely known keywords linked to illegal gambling, and were not disguised under unrelated categories. 

The preliminary findings suggest that many of these platforms directly offer or facilitate access to fixed-odds betting and other lottery-style products without regulatory approval.

Authorities argue that this may violate Brazilian consumer protection laws and rules related to children and adolescents in digital environments. In particular, concerns were raised about the absence of effective age verification mechanisms, potentially allowing minors to access gambling content.

The Federal Government also pointed to existing regulation requiring digital platforms to prevent the distribution of services linked to unauthorised lotteries. Under current rules, app stores and operating systems can be held jointly responsible if they fail to block such content.

As part of the request, both companies must provide detailed information on their internal policies for approving betting-related apps, including how they verify regulatory licenses, enforce age restrictions and monitor ongoing compliance. They have also been asked to submit a full list of betting-related apps currently available to Brazilian users, along with details on developers and declared authorizations.

While the notification does not carry immediate penalties, authorities indicated that failure to respond adequately could lead to formal administrative proceedings.

The companies are yet to disclose the notices.