The licensed Brazil betting sector generated BRL37 billion ($7 billion) in GGR over its first year, according to new data from the regulator.
On Thursday, the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) released data from the first year of legal betting in Brazil, which launched its regulated online market on 1 January 2025.
Licensed operators paid around BRL2.5 billion in licence fees, which stand at BRL30 million each, while BRL95.5 million was also collected in inspection fees.
The Federal Revenue Service also released data this week. It revealed it had collected close to BRL10 billion in tax revenue from the licensed betting sector in 2025. BRL1.1 billion of that figure was collected in December.
SPA chief Regis Dudena said the data collected will be used to assess future measures to protect bettors in Brazil.
“The year 2025 marked the first time the state was fully present in this market,” Dudena said. “Data was received, allowing for an objective understanding of the sector, in addition to monitoring tools to track compliance with the established rules.
“We have economic data and information on individuals, which helps us prevent gambling problems and allows us to act in coordination with other bodies, such as the Ministries of Health, Sports, and Justice.”
Self-exclusion platform off to a strong start
In December, the SPA launched its centralised self-exclusion platform, allowing players to block their access to licensed betting sites.
The platform’s launch formed part of the SPA’s regulatory agenda. The regulator previously stated the self-exclusion platform was its “most important” priority.
In the first 40 days after its launch, the self-exclusion platform received over 217,000 requests.
The most frequent reason selected for self-exclusion was “Loss of control over gambling – mental health”, while 73% of requests were for an indefinite period.
SPA’s attempts to combat the illegal market
The primary concerns of the licensed sector in Brazil centre on the hefty tax burden and the prominent illegal market.
A recent law change will see the tax rate gradually rise to 15%, while many of the current estimates have illegal operators holding up to 50% of the total market.
The SPA has made attempts to counter the illegal market. It revealed that via its partnership with the National Telecommunications Agency, over 25,000 offshore sites have been blocked.
The Undersecretariat for Monitoring and Inspection registered 132 cases against 133 companies in 2025, with 80 currently in progress for the application of penalties.
The SPA has also taken steps to interrupt financial transactions involving illegal operators.
By the conclusion of 2025, 54 payment and financial institutions had registered 1,255 reports to the SPA, relating to 1,687 individuals suspected of making payments to illegal operators. As a result, 550 bank accounts were closed.
A total of 412 inspection processes against social media influencers were also concluded, with 324 profiles and 229 publications taken down.
“It is important to make it clear that regulation exists to be observed,” Dudena explained. “The SPA will be attentive to its compliance, and those who do not comply will be subject to the penalties provided for by law and regulation.”
Who is betting in Brazil?
The 79 licensed companies in Brazil reported 25.2 million Brazilians placed bets across 2025.
Of this 25.2 million figure, 68.3% were men while the remaining 31.7% were women.
Bets were predominantly (28.6%) placed by those aged between 31 and 40. The 18-24 and 25-30 age groups were joint-second with 22.7%.
Bettors aged over 61-years-old made up just 2.7% of the total.
Brazil’s betting regulator has published its first full-year data following the market’s landmark launch at the start of 2025.