Brazil Strengthens Payment Blocks Against Illegal Betting Operators
Brazil.- 17 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Brazil has tightened its enforcement strategy against illegal betting by introducing new obligations for banks, payment institutions, processors, intermediaries and digital wallets.
Ordinance SPA/MF No. 2,750/2026 establishes procedures for identifying suspicious transactions, reporting evidence of illegal gambling and blocking accounts connected with unauthorised operators.
Financial Flows Move to the Centre of Enforcement
The new framework is designed to complement website and domain blocking by targeting the financial infrastructure that allows illegal operators to receive and transfer money.
Authorities want to reduce their ability to continue operating even when domains, payment routes or customer-acquisition channels are changed.
Institutions Covered
The measures apply to participants in Brazil‘s National Financial System and Brazilian Payment System.
They include:
- Banks.
- Payment institutions.
- Processors.
- Financial intermediaries.
- Digital wallets.
Warning Signs
The ordinance identifies several payment patterns that institutions should monitor.
These include:
- Frequent small or medium-value transfers from multiple senders.
- Sudden increases in transaction volumes.
- Betting or gaming references in payment descriptions.
- Repeated replacement of Pix keys.
- Frequent changes to QR codes or payment links.
- Successive use of different recipient accounts.
Companies and Intermediary Accounts
Newly established companies receiving high volumes of payments may also attract scrutiny where transactions appear inconsistent with their declared business activities.
The rules additionally focus on intermediary accounts and payment structures that are rapidly replaced following enforcement action.
Duties for Financial Institutions
Financial providers must analyse activity and identify possible evidence of illegal betting or attempts to circumvent restrictions.
Monitoring therefore extends beyond isolated payments to changes in broader patterns of financial behaviour.
SPA’s Role
Where sufficient evidence exists, the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting can issue a formal finding of irregularity.
That finding may connect an operator with:
- Websites.
- Applications.
- Domains.
- Accounts.
- Related transactions.
It can then provide the basis for financial blocking measures.
Up to 45 Days for Analysis
From publication of the ordinance, institutions have up to 45 days to complete the relevant suspicious-activity analysis required under the new framework.
The deadline forms part of the initial implementation process.
Reporting by the Next Business Day
Where evidence of illegal betting or an attempt to evade controls is identified, the institution must report the case to SPA by the following business day.
The rule is designed to reduce the gap between detection and regulatory intervention.
Blocking Within 24 Hours
Following formal notification from SPA, an institution holding an account linked to an identified illegal operator must implement the block within 24 hours.
The purpose is to prevent funds from continuing to move after the operator has been identified.
Confirmation Within 48 Hours
Once the blocking action has been completed, the institution must confirm compliance to SPA within 48 hours.
This creates a formal audit trail around each enforcement action.
Pix Under Greater Scrutiny
The widespread use of Pix makes it particularly important within the monitoring framework.
Repeated changes to Pix keys, recipient accounts, QR codes or payment links may indicate attempts to keep payment channels active following intervention.
Institutional Co-operation
Communications should preferably use secure electronic systems operated by Brazil‘s Central Bank.
Information concerning certain account blocks may also be forwarded to the National Secretariat of Public Security, Senasp, strengthening co-operation between financial supervision, betting regulation and law enforcement.
Replaces the 2025 Ordinance
Ordinance 2,750/2026 revokes SPA/MF Ordinance 566/2025.
The updated framework incorporates legal tools introduced subsequently and expands the administrative procedures available for disrupting illegal betting payments.
Industry Context
Since the launch of Brazil‘s federally regulated betting market, authorities have progressively broadened their approach to illegal supply.
Enforcement is no longer focused solely on blocking websites, with payments, advertising, intermediaries and digital channels playing an increasingly important role.
Next Steps and Impact
Banks and payment providers will need to review monitoring, detection, reporting and blocking procedures to meet the new deadlines.
For illegal operators, the measure targets a core part of their business: collecting deposits and moving funds through Brazil‘s financial system.
For regulated operators, the ordinance reinforces a policy intended to reduce the operating capacity of businesses acting without authorisation and outside tax, technical and consumer-protection requirements.
Editó: @fonta
