Digital Platforms Under Scrutiny Over Illegal Gambling

Brazil.– April 8, 2026 – www.zonadeazar.com The omission of platforms and intermediaries regarding the advertising of clandestine operators has entered a new stage in Brazil following the entry into force of Complementary Law 224/2025.

Overview

The debate over the advertising of illegal gambling is gaining strength in Brazil under a new legal framework that broadens responsibility across the sports betting and gaming chain. Complementary Law 224/2025, enacted at the end of last year, establishes that, after formal notification, financial institutions, payment intermediaries, companies or individuals that disseminate advertising for unauthorised operators may be held jointly liable for the taxes arising from those illegal operations.

This new scenario marks a significant change in regulatory logic. The rule no longer treats platforms and intermediaries as merely neutral actors and recognises that those who facilitate the circulation, promotion or transaction of unlicensed offers may also face legal consequences for the economic and fiscal effects generated by that activity.

Details / Context

The issue becomes even more relevant in an international context where other markets are already intensely debating the role of major digital platforms in relation to the advertising of illegal operators. Within this framework, Brazil is beginning to align itself with a broader view of responsibility, one that is not limited to sanctioning those who operate outside the law directly, but also includes those who sustain, promote or monetise that ecosystem.

One of the central points of the debate concerns the role of digital platforms which, on the one hand, sell advertising space to licensed operators and, on the other, end up obtaining economic benefits from the traffic, engagement and monetisation linked to content from unauthorised operators. According to the view expressed, this dynamic creates a conflict of interest that is becoming increasingly difficult to justify from the standpoint of market integrity.

When influencers or intermediaries create content that directs audiences towards clandestine operators, a value chain is activated that benefits the platforms hosting, distributing or amplifying that material. This content feeds algorithms, increases advertising revenue and strengthens the competitive position of the digital channels involved. From this perspective, the notion of technological neutrality loses credibility when the circulation of illegal advertising continues to generate profit.

Future outlook

The new Brazilian legislation sends a clear message: responsibility no longer rests solely with those directly running an illegal betting house, but also with those who help sustain the structure that makes it visible, accessible and profitable. This opens a new front for regulatory enforcement and challenges the narrative that certain digital content or flows are impossible to control.

In other sensitive areas, such as child protection, explicit hate speech or arms trafficking, platforms already operate with preventive mechanisms, filters and active policies. For that reason, the debate around clandestine betting raises a deeper question as to why tolerance has been greater when there is an economic benefit associated with the dissemination of illegal content.

Specific subtopics

From a regulatory standpoint, the expected response combines two complementary paths: strengthening direct enforcement against illegal operators while also transferring part of the cost and responsibility to those who derive indirect economic benefits from that activity. In this logic, shared responsibility is no longer seen as a legal exception, but rather as a tool for market integrity, consumer protection and fair competition.

The challenge going forward will be to implement these rules with clarity, transparency and predictability. Platforms, intermediaries and operators will need to understand precisely what their duties are, which behaviours may trigger legal consequences and how control mechanisms will be applied. The ultimate goal will be to effectively discourage the expansion of the clandestine market, which for years found in the omission of others one of its greatest advantages.

*André Gelfi é diretor, conselheiro e um dos fundadores do Instituto Brasileiro de Jogo Responsável (IBJR).

🔗 Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com