The best of the worst: Telegram tipsters rank illegal betting sites in Brazil

Tipsters and affiliates are sharing illegal betting operators and teaching users how to bypass Brazil’s betting ban through Telegram and Discord.

Groups to recommend what they described as the “best” illegal betting platforms would be used, sharing links to unauthorised operators and instructions on how users could circumvent restrictions to continue placing bets.

An investigation which monitored ten groups across the messaging platforms, found that influencers continued to promote clandestine betting services despite the restrictions introduced by the government on 25 September, exposing gamblers to financial losses and potential fraud.

These intermediaries recommend betting platforms, promise returns and explain how to access services not authorized in Brazil, with methods including transfers to unknown individuals, cryptocurrency transactions and foreign platforms without permission to serve the Brazilian market.

Some communities have thousands of members, while the influencers promoting them can have more than 100,000 followers. Some also organize wagers on political events, including Brazil’s presidential elections, which was illegal in Brazil even before the betting ban.

One case involves influencer Diogo Pólvora, known as MD Tips, who was accused by participants of failing to pay winnings promised through bets on Lula’s victory. He had offered returns of six times the amount wagered. Pólvora claimed to have returned deposits using his own money, although the claim was not substantiated. He blamed contractual problems with a supplier.

Some gamblers have also reported losing money through cryptocurrency transactions, which can be difficult to reverse.

Since 25 September, the Ministry of Justice has identified 32,373 websites, about 700 social media profiles and 1,295 Telegram groups linked to promoting illegal gambling. Since the ban, almost 50,000 websites have been blocked in Brazil.