Brazil Moves to Remove Polymarket’s Local Instagram Profile

Brazil.- 25 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Brazilian authorities have taken further action involving Polymarket after the prediction market platform’s Brazilian Instagram profile became unavailable to users in the country.

The @polymarketportugues account was used to distribute content related to prediction markets, including contracts tied to political events and Brazil‘s 2026 general election.

The action expands the regulatory dispute between Brazilian authorities and international prediction market platforms, several months after Polymarket was included among 27 services whose access was blocked domestically.

Profile Unavailable in Brazil

Polymarket’s Brazilian-facing Instagram account became unavailable to users in the country on 23 September 2026.

The development followed action by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, SPA, within Brazil‘s Ministry of Finance.

Full details of every communication sent to digital platforms have not been publicly disclosed.

@polymarketportugues

The account was specifically targeted at Portuguese-speaking audiences.

Its content promoted markets available through Polymarket.

Some posts related to Brazilian political events.

Markets Linked to the 2026 Election

A major regulatory concern involved the availability of contracts tied to Brazil‘s general election.

The first round of Brazil‘s 2026 general election is scheduled for 4 October.

Voters will elect the president and vice-president, governors, senators and federal, state and district deputies.

TSE Involvement

Brazil‘s Superior Electoral Court, TSE, had identified the promotion and availability of markets related to the Brazilian election.

The matter was subsequently referred to the Office of the Attorney General, AGU.

The case therefore moved beyond betting regulation alone and also involved institutions responsible for the electoral process.

AGU Request for Information

On 11 September, the AGU asked the Ministry of Finance for information on measures taken regarding Polymarket.

The agency sought details concerning action against markets linked to the presidential election.

It also asked about investigations, potential penalties and possible further blocking measures.

Ministry of Finance Action

The SPA acted within its responsibilities for Brazil‘s regulated fixed-odds betting market.

The authority has taken the view that certain products offered by prediction markets may materially fall within activities covered by Brazilian betting legislation.

Where such products are offered without authorisation, enforcement can extend to their promotion and availability.

Content Removal

The AGU confirmed that the Ministry of Finance acted to seek removal of material connected with the case.

However, authorities did not publicly identify every individual piece of content involved.

It was also not confirmed whether all relevant posts had been removed.

Geographic Restriction

The account subsequently appeared unavailable to Brazilian users.

This represents a territorial restriction on access through Instagram.

Availability in other jurisdictions can depend on the platform’s own enforcement mechanisms.

Polymarket

Polymarket is an international prediction market platform.

Users can acquire positions linked to whether specific future events will occur.

Markets can cover categories including:

Politics.
Elections.
Economics.
Sport.
Entertainment.
International affairs.

Different jurisdictions have taken different regulatory approaches to the model.

Prediction Markets

Prediction markets allow contracts linked to future outcomes to be traded.

Position prices change according to transactions between participants.

Contracts settle once the underlying event has been resolved.

Classification Debate

A major global regulatory question concerns how these products should legally be classified.

Depending on their structure, they may be treated as:

Financial products.
Event contracts.
Derivatives.
Betting.
Hybrid instruments.

The classification determines which regulator and legal framework apply.

Brazil‘s Approach

Brazil‘s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting specifically examined prediction markets during 2026.

In April it issued a technical note analysing the provision of fixed-odds betting through platforms offering contracts linked to future events.

The analysis distinguished between economic-financial products and contracts linked to other types of events.

Technical Note 2958

SPA/MF Technical Note No. 2958, issued on 23 April 2026, examined prediction markets operating in Brazil.

It compared their contract structures with fixed-odds betting governed by federal legislation.

The analysis considered prize determination, settlement mechanisms and the nature of the underlying event.

Sporting Events

SPA considers that some contracts involving sports may have characteristics equivalent to fixed-odds bets.

When such products are provided without authorisation, they can be treated as irregular activity under Brazil‘s betting framework.

The use of secondary trading mechanisms does not necessarily change that assessment.

Politics and Elections

Similar issues arise with political event contracts.

Licensed Brazilian betting operators are not permitted to freely offer wagering on any future event.

Election-related markets have therefore attracted the attention of multiple public bodies.

April Blocking Action

The Instagram case follows a broader action taken several months earlier.

On 24 April 2026, Brazilian authorities ordered access blocked to 27 prediction market platforms they considered inconsistent with the country’s regulatory framework.

Polymarket was among them.

Other Blocked Platforms

The action also included services such as:

Kalshi.
PredictIt.
Robinhood.
ProphetX Prediction Market.
Fanatics Markets.
IBKR ForecastTrader.
Other prediction contract providers.

Implementation involved Brazil‘s telecommunications regulator, Anatel.

Anatel’s Role

Anatel notified internet service providers of the domains identified by the authorities.

Thousands of providers received instructions to restrict access within Brazil.

This mechanism is also used against unlicensed betting websites.

Domain Blocking

Website blocking has become one of Brazil‘s principal enforcement tools against illegal betting.

SPA identifies domains considered irregular and seeks restrictions on domestic access.

Anatel and telecommunications providers may then implement the technical measures.

From Domains to Social Media

The Polymarket case demonstrates a broader enforcement focus.

Authorities are no longer addressing only access to a core website.

They can also target channels used to promote services considered unauthorised.

Advertising Unauthorised Operators

Brazilian law imposes restrictions on advertising by operators without domestic authorisation.

The rules can extend beyond the gambling business itself.

Other parties facilitating irregular campaigns may also face removal obligations.

Article 17 of Law 14,790/2023

One legal basis cited by authorities is Article 17 of Law 14,790/2023.

The law sets requirements for advertising and marketing within Brazil‘s regulated fixed-odds betting framework.

Its purpose includes limiting the promotion of unauthorised operators.

Digital Platform Responsibility

Following valid regulatory notification, application providers and other digital platforms can be required to remove content or campaigns associated with unauthorised betting operations.

This brings technology and social media companies directly into the enforcement chain.

Instagram and Meta

Instagram is a major digital marketing channel for gaming companies.

Restricting a specific account can substantially reduce its ability to reach Brazilian users.

The case illustrates the growing importance of social platforms in gambling-advertising enforcement.

Influencers

Regulatory attention extends beyond official brand accounts.

During 2026, commercial activity was identified involving Polymarket and Brazilian influencer profiles.

Creator marketing helped expand exposure of the platform domestically.

More Than 15 Profiles

The same review identified more than 15 influencer accounts involved in commercial activity linked to Polymarket.

The use of multiple social profiles shows how brands can continue generating exposure even after a principal domain is blocked.

This helps explain the authorities’ increasing focus on social media distribution.

Undisclosed Advertising

Brazilian consumer-protection standards require transparency when content is commercial advertising.

Failure to clearly disclose sponsorship can create separate regulatory concerns regardless of the legal status of the promoted product.

Brazil has also recently strengthened requirements applying to digital advertisements and promoted content.

New Digital Advertising Rules

Brazil introduced additional digital-advertising transparency requirements in September 2026.

Platforms offering advertising services must retain information about advertisers, content, targeting, reach and payment.

The wider objective is to make enforcement against irregular campaigns easier.

Information Retention

Certain advertising platforms must keep relevant records for at least one year following the end of a campaign.

The required information can include:

Advertiser identification.
Ad content.
Campaign period.
Audience targeting.
Estimated reach.
Payment data.

The requirements increase traceability across digital marketing.

Event Contracts

Prediction markets commonly use event contracts.

A user acquires a position linked to the outcome of a future event.

The value of that position can change while trading remains open.

Settlement takes place once the event is resolved.

Difference From Traditional Betting

The technical structure can differ from that of a conventional bookmaker.

Some prediction markets allow participants to trade directly against one another.

Brazilian authorities, however, assess not only the technical structure but also the economic substance of the transaction.

Early Exit

Users may be able to sell positions before final settlement.

This can resemble cash-out functionality available through conventional sportsbooks.

SPA has considered such similarities when analysing the products.

Brazil‘s Regulated Market

Brazil has operated a federal regulated fixed-odds betting framework since 2025.

Authorised businesses must meet requirements covering:

Licensing.
Taxation.
Responsible gambling.
Advertising.
Anti-money laundering.
Customer identification.
Consumer protection.

Businesses outside the system cannot legally provide products covered by those rules.

SIGAP

The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting uses the Betting Management System, SIGAP, as a central regulatory technology platform.

It supports authorisation and supervision of regulated operators.

Further functionality has been added throughout 2026.

Centralised Self-Exclusion

Brazil also operates a centralised self-exclusion platform.

Consumers can request exclusion across authorised betting companies.

By September 2026, more than one million people had used the tool.

Regulated and Unauthorised Markets

Brazilian authorities have placed channelisation at the centre of enforcement.

Licensed companies must meet requirements that overseas unauthorised platforms may not follow.

Directing gambling activity towards the regulated sector is therefore a key objective.

Financial Blocking

Brazil has also introduced measures designed to restrict financial services available to illegal operators.

These can affect payment services and companies facilitating transactions.

The aim is to make unauthorised operations more difficult to fund and monetise.

Electoral Dimension

The action involving Polymarket comes shortly before the first round of Brazil‘s general election.

The TSE’s involvement specifically concerns the presence and promotion of contracts linked to electoral events.

The Court does not regulate gambling, but it has institutional responsibilities for the election process.

4 October Election

The first round is scheduled for 4 October 2026.

A possible second round for president and governors is scheduled for 25 October.

The dates are established in the official electoral calendar.

Prediction Market Prices

Prices observed on a prediction market reflect trading by participants in that particular market.

They are not election results or official measurements of the electorate.

They are also distinct from opinion polls conducted using defined survey methodologies.

Political and Commercial Advertising

Promoting election-linked markets creates an additional layer of regulation.

Alongside betting rules, issues can arise involving commercial transparency, digital communications and electoral law.

This helps explain the involvement of several different public institutions.

AGU Coordination

The Office of the Attorney General represents the federal administration in legal matters.

Its involvement allowed information to be requested from the Ministry of Finance following the issue raised by the TSE.

The case therefore involves agencies with different institutional responsibilities.

Multi-Agency Enforcement

The matter illustrates an enforcement model involving:

TSE.
AGU.
Ministry of Finance.
Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.
Anatel.
Digital platforms.

Coordination allows authorities to address different parts of the distribution chain.

Industry Context

Prediction markets are undergoing rapid international expansion.

That growth is forcing jurisdictions to determine whether the products should be treated as financial instruments, gambling or a separate regulatory category.

During 2026, Brazil has adopted a restrictive position toward contracts involving politics, elections, sport and other non-economic events when provided outside the authorised betting framework.

Social Media as a Regulatory Front

Gaming businesses increasingly depend on digital acquisition.

Blocking a domain may have a limited effect if brands continue reaching customers through social media, influencers and paid campaigns.

The Polymarket action indicates that Brazilian enforcement is increasingly extending to those distribution channels.

Next Steps or Impact

Authorities may continue examining content and commercial partnerships connected with Polymarket in Brazil.

The AGU had already requested details regarding investigations, penalties and potential additional measures involving the company and its partners.

The case may also increase scrutiny of influencers and digital platforms promoting unauthorised prediction markets.

For Polymarket, the unavailability of its Brazilian Instagram account adds another restriction following the blocking of its domain in April.

For Brazil‘s regulated betting market, the episode shows enforcement expanding beyond website access into advertising, social media and customer-acquisition channels.

The proximity of the October election adds an additional institutional dimension, while the underlying regulatory issue remains Brazil‘s treatment of unauthorised prediction-market products and their promotion.

Editó: @fonta

Fecha: 25 septiembre, 2026

25 septiembre, 2026