A study by University PUC-Rio has found that 84% of betting operators most recommended by Instagram to users are operating illegally in Brazil.
The research analyzed more than 55,000 accounts and found that the platform’s recommendation system can direct users who follow a betting or online casino account towards other operators, content creators and specialized betting media.
The 100 most recommended profiles analyzed had more than six million followers and 114,000 publications.
According to the study, betting content creators frequently present themselves as professional bettors, tipsters, sports traders or analysts, promoting paid Telegram groups, subscriptions, spreadsheets and automated tools.
Some content associates betting with investment, professional activity and financial success, including through screenshots of alleged winnings and promotional offers.
The research also identified similar communication strategies among creators focused on online casino games. These include simulated winning sessions, claims about periods of higher payouts and supposed patterns that could indicate when a game is likely to produce a larger return.
Meta’s policies allow gambling advertising subject to platform authorization requirements, including evidence of a license and restrictions on targeting people under 18. Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security has previously notified Google and Apple over the availability of illegal betting applications on their platforms.
However, the researchers said the policies do not sufficiently detail how the platform monitors licenses, identifies illegal operators or moderates related organic content.
The researchers called for stronger regulatory obligations on digital platforms, including technological and social tools to identify and moderate illegal betting ecosystems.
Recently, Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) ordered the suspension of 14 betting sites over risks to bettors.
SPA has recently closed its public consultation on changes to the authorization process for fixed-odds betting operators
