Brazil’s regulated betting operators are celebrating their arrival on Apple’s App Store in the country, following months of negotiations between the sector and the technology company over the presence of unauthorized gambling apps on the platform.
According to local newspapers, executives from the betting industry argued that illegal operators had long been available through Apple’s marketplace while federally licensed companies remained excluded.
Apple later updated its policies in Brazil and now only permits betting apps operated by companies authorized by the Ministry of Finance through the betting regulator, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA).
Superbet became the first licensed operator approved on the Brazilian App Store and, according to local media reports, quickly rose to the top of the platform’s download rankings within 24 hours of launch.
Betano later joined the platform and currently occupies one of the leading positions among sports betting applications on iPhone devices in Brazil.
Operators have not publicly disclosed download figures.
The arrival of regulated betting apps on official mobile marketplaces is being viewed by the industry as an important step in distinguishing licensed operators from illegal platforms as regulatory scrutiny intensifies across Brazil’s betting sector.
The debate comes amid growing political pressure surrounding the sector. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has repeatedly linked online betting to rising household debt levels in Brazil, even calling for a full ban on the activity.
Meanwhile the National Confederation of Commerce (CNC) estimates that betting-related indebtedness removed BR143bn from the retail economy between January 2023 and March 2026.
Superbet plans to concentrate 35% of its annual marketing investment during the 2026 FIFA World Cup across activations in Brazil and the United States
