Brazil Expands Rules Against Unlicensed Betting

Brazil’s Ministry of Finance took further steps to manage the online gambling sector in Brazil. The Secretariat for Prizes and Betting published Ordinance SPA/MF No. 2,750/2026 to update enforcement mechanisms against unauthorized platforms.

The measure consolidated and operationalized previous statutory frameworks, including Law No. 14,790/2023, Law No. 15,358/2026, Complementary Law No. 224/2025, and Decree No. 13,033/2026. This regulation replaced Ordinance SPA/MF No. 566/2025 and established new obligations for participants across the National Financial System.

Financial Monitoring Guidelines for Payment Systems

The regulation requires licensed banks, payment processors, digital wallets, and intermediaries to trace financial activity for signs of unauthorized operations. Financial providers must monitor several specific indicators:

• Frequent small or medium transfers originating from multiple senders.
• Unexpected spikes in overall transaction volume.
• Transaction descriptions that contain explicit references to gambling.
• Frequent changes to payment details like Pix keys, QR codes, links, or receiver accounts.
• Financial activity that strays from a firm’s registered line of business.
• Newly registered entities that receive rapid inflows of funds.
• Inflows that concentrate heavily in intermediary accounts.
• Replacement entities or fresh accounts created right after an account freeze.

Institutional Duties and Enforcement Deadlines

The rule sets out distinct roles for administrative bodies and financial entities. Financial institutions analyze transactional data and forward evidence of illicit activity directly to regulators. SPA reviews these reports and generates a formal finding of irregularity.

This administrative document lists the unauthorized operator alongside its domains, applications, associated sites, bank accounts, and specific transfers.

After issuing this finding, regulators send official notifications instructing payment providers to freeze accounts and halt any further movement of money. Communication channels rely on the secure electronic system of the Central Bank, while notices about frozen assets can go to the National Secretariat of Public Security.

Carlos Renato Xavier de Resende, Undersecretary for Monitoring and Oversight at SPA, highlighted the importance of targeting financial pathways on LinkedIn:

“Combating the illegal fixed-odds betting market also means reducing its ability to receive and move funds, and remain economically viable,” he wrote.

Compliance timelines enforce swift operational responses. Institutions have up to 45 days after the publication of the ordinance to complete reviews of suspicious account behavior.

If an investigation yields proof of illicit betting or evasion tactics, institutions must inform SPA on the following business day.

Once SPA delivers a formal blocking notification, account providers have 24 hours to execute the freeze. They then have 48 hours to send confirmation back to regulators.

Federal Tax Inflows and Legislative Debate

Beyond administrative enforcement, discussions around federal taxation and the broader future of the regime continue inside the Ministry of Finance. Dario Durigan assumed leadership of the Ministry of Finance in March, replacing Fernando Haddad after his departure to run for Governor of São Paulo.

Durigan addressed the government’s approach to taxing betting firms during recent discussions:

“It’s not that I want to collect taxes because I need the money. I want to collect taxes for the sake of equality: if a company sells cars, it pays taxes; if it sells drinks, it pays taxes. If it’s authorised to operate, it has to pay.”

Receita Federal recorded around R$7.3bn (£1bn) in federal tax revenue from betting and online gaming throughout the first half of 2026. The agency expects full-year collections to cross R$10bn (£1.4bn), higher than the figures gathered in 2025.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in Congress and the Senate continue to review the legal status of online gambling. The PT government and President Lula expressed intent to overturn the Bets Law ahead of the October general election.

Durigan does not support an immediate total ban on the market. He prefers “treating the activity similarly to tobacco, using tighter regulation and taxation to discourage participation”.

The Ministry of Finance maintains an open position regarding long-term legislative choices. The department will adjust its administrative operations to match whichever regulatory direction lawmakers decide to establish for the sector.

Source:

SPA publica portaria de enfrentamento ao mercado ilegal de apostas, gov.br, September 15, 2026.