Brazil SPA Blocks 66,482 Illegal Betting Domains

Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) has intensified its action against unauthorized online betting, blocking 66,482 domains between January 15, 2025 and September 2, 2026.

The figures, obtained under Brazil’s Access to Information Law, provide an overview of the regulator’s activity against illegal betting operators during the period.

The campaign also resulted in 1,511 profiles being removed between January 2025 and August 2026. Authorities took down 565 profiles during 2025 as efforts to restrict illegal betting activity continued.

SPA Advances Administrative Sanctioning Cases

The SPA data also covers administrative sanctioning proceedings (PAS). Since January 2025, the Sanctioning Action Subsecretariat has processed or archived 103 proceedings.

Of these cases, 68 have been resolved. A total of 56 were settled at the administrative level, while 12 remain subject to appeal. Another 31 proceedings are currently awaiting judgment, while two have progressed to court and two are involved in discussions over potential settlement agreements.

The SPA explained that sanctioning proceedings originate during inspections and are only transferred for judgment after the investigative phase has been completed.

That process can involve notifying the relevant party, requesting additional information or documents and allowing a preliminary defense to be submitted. Once these investigative steps have been completed, the case is forwarded to the Sanctioning Action Subsecretariat for a decision.

SPA Issues More Than R$18 Million in Fines

Among the proceedings that have already been decided, the SPA issued 42 warnings.

The regulator said factors considered when applying warnings included the seriousness of the conduct, whether the party was a first-time offender, whether little or no benefit had been obtained and the extent of the harm caused.

The SPA also imposed 20 fines and one fine accompanied by a suspension of activities. Together, these penalties reached R$18.019 million.

Five proceedings were closed without sanctions after the violations in question were corrected during the inspection process.

Responsible Gambling and Advertising Breaches

The SPA’s data also breaks down proceedings according to the regulatory areas involved.

Twelve of the 103 PAS cases concern breaches of responsible gambling requirements. Five of these cases have already been decided, resulting in three warnings and two fines totalling R$5.739 million.

Another five proceedings relate to breaches of Brazil’s betting advertising legislation. Three have been decided, one remains under analysis and another has been taken to court.

The judicialized case resulted in four fines worth a combined R$5.544 million.

The SPA noted that the number of individual infractions can exceed the number of proceedings because a single PAS may examine more than one violation.

Fine Collections and Betting Inspection Fees

Of the R$18.019 million in fines issued, R$3.091 million has already been collected.

A further R$1.421 million has been added to federal government debt, while another R$600,000 is subject to suspended enforceability following a judicial ruling.

The regulator has also reported significant collections from betting inspection fees. Revenue reached R$105.04 million in 2025 and R$65.22 million by July 2026.

Under Brazilian law, these funds are transferred to a Ministry of Finance unit responsible for monitoring commercial betting.

The latest figures highlight the scale of Brazil’s enforcement activity as authorities work to distinguish regulated betting businesses from unauthorized operators while strengthening compliance with responsible gambling and other regulatory requirements.