Brazil World Cup Betting Surge Draws Regulatory Attention

Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign has sparked a significant increase in betting activity, according to new research from fintech company Klavi. The study found that 34.8% of Brazilians made deposits with licensed betting operators after the tournament began, compared with 11% in May, highlighting the competition’s impact on player engagement.

The findings are based on Open Finance data supplied by the Central Bank of Brazil, covering a sample of 1.2 million people. The analysis only included transactions involving authorised betting operators and did not account for wagers placed through unlicensed platforms, which Klavi estimates still represent a substantial share of the market.

Average Betting Deposits Also Climbed

The research showed that bettors not only became more active but also increased the amount they deposited.

Before the World Cup started, the average deposit stood at BRL 188. During the tournament, that figure rose to BRL 272.

The highest daily average was recorded on 14 June, one day after Brazil’s match against Morocco, when players deposited an average of BRL 524.

Klavi also observed that betting transactions were heavily concentrated in the evening. More than 60% of deposits were made after 6:00 p.m., coinciding with World Cup match broadcasts, while only around 10% occurred during the morning.

The report further revealed a strong concentration of spending among a small group of customers. The top 10% of bettors transferred approximately 20 times more money than the remaining 90% of users combined.

Betting Advertisements Face Regulatory Action

At the same time, Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has opened administrative proceedings involving bet365, Betnacional and KTO over gambling advertisements shown during CazéTV’s World Cup coverage.

According to Folha de S. Paulo, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA/MF) identified potential breaches of Brazil’s betting advertising rules during broadcasts of Brazil’s national team matches.

Regulators allege that some advertisements created a sense of urgency to place bets while displaying mandatory warnings about age restrictions and gambling risks in text that was considered too small to be clearly visible.

More Advertising Restrictions Could Follow

Authorities have instructed that the disputed advertisements be removed immediately from CazéTV broadcasts after determining they failed to meet current regulatory standards.

Brazil’s National Advertising Self-Regulation Council (CONAR) had previously recommended suspending the same advertising campaigns.

If violations are confirmed, the operators could face penalties of up to BRL 2 billion, alongside other sanctions available under Law No. 14,790/2023, which regulates Brazil’s betting market.

The latest developments suggest that further tightening of gambling advertising rules may be introduced in the near future.