On Monday, the Ministry of Finance's Bureau of Prizes and Betting (SPA-MF) and the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) formalised a Technical Cooperation Agreement (ACT) to speed up and optimise the blocking of websites that illegally exploit fixed odds betting. 

The main focus of the measure is to create a swift and direct flow of information between the institutions, reducing operating costs and strengthening inspection in the sector. Since 11 October, when the blocks began, more than 5,200 irregular sites have been taken offline.

The rapid growth of the online betting market has brought regulatory challenges to Brazil. Many platforms, which have not even formalised their request to operate legally in the country, operate underground, disregarding the legal regulations proposed by the Federal Government for the sector and exposing consumers to financial risks. ACT was designed precisely to tackle these irregularities in an integrated way, using technology and efficient communication between the agencies.

The process of regulating fixed-odds betting was consolidated in 2024 with the publication of various rules that establish strict criteria for legal operation in Brazil. These measures guarantee greater legal certainty and transparency in the sector, as well as creating a healthy competitive environment. 

As of 1 January 2025, the regulated market officially begins to operate, with all authorised bookmakers being obliged to include ‘.bet.br’ in their domains, making it easier for users to identify them and reinforcing the credibility of the platforms.

One of the first tasks set out in the agreement is to draw up a detailed Work Plan, detailing the operational procedures and defining the communication flows to be adopted. The plan will serve as a basis for improving all the activities already carried out, ensuring more efficiency in joint actions.

How the blockade works

The SPA is responsible for identifying and cataloguing irregular websites, determining their blocking based on administrative analyses. These decisions are then sent to Anatel, which acts as a sector regulator and technical intermediary, ensuring that the orders are passed on to the internet connection provider companies for enforcement.  The process takes place completely online, using the Federal Government's own systems, which guarantees the security, traceability and speed of the process.

After receiving the list of illegal bookmakers, Anatel uses a methodology that takes into account access and connectivity infrastructure to ensure more effective blocking. The agency informs the SPA about the conclusion of the measures, closing a transparent and traceable communication cycle.

According to the MF's Secretary for Prizes and Betting, Regis Dudena, agile electronic communication and well-defined attributions make it possible to effectively tackle irregularities and protect gamblers above all. ‘Anatel has already been a very important partner since we intensified the fight against illegality. Now, with ACT, this relationship will be even more fluid and efficient, which is a gain for the country in the challenge of cleaning up the betting sector from the presence of opportunistic and malicious groups,’ he said.

The president of Anatel, Carlos Baigorri, emphasised the importance of the partnership in guaranteeing the effectiveness of the blocks. ‘The agreement will allow for an agile flow for processing blocks. We know that it is a challenging task to prevent Brazilians from accessing illegal betting sites and, precisely for this reason, co-operation is fundamental so that the blocks are carried out in the shortest possible time by the telecommunications service operators. We have a duty, as a state body, to combat illegal practices that cause competitive imbalances and disrespect our legislation,’ he said.