Brazil Tightens Payment Controls on Illegal Betting Operators
Brazil.- 17 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Brazil has strengthened its illegal-market enforcement strategy by introducing new obligations for banks, payment institutions, digital wallets and financial intermediaries handling transactions potentially connected to unauthorised gambling operators.
Ordinance SPA/MF No. 2,750/2026 establishes specific procedures to identify suspicious activity, report it to the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, SPA, block associated accounts and prevent further payments from financing illegal operations.
Enforcement Moves Beyond Website Blocking
The new framework broadens Brazil‘s approach to illegal gambling.
Alongside blocking websites, domains and applications, authorities will increasingly target the financial infrastructure operators use to accept deposits and move funds.
The intention is to reduce their ability to remain economically viable.
New Duties for Banks and Payment Providers
The measure applies across participants in Brazil‘s National Financial System and Brazilian Payment System.
Those covered include:
- Banks.
- Payment institutions.
- Payment processors.
- Financial intermediaries.
- Digital wallets.
These companies must strengthen monitoring mechanisms designed to identify activity linked to unauthorised betting.
Transaction Warning Signs
The regulation identifies several patterns that may suggest illegal gambling activity.
These include:
- Frequent small or medium-value payments from multiple senders.
- Sudden increases in transaction volumes.
- References to gambling or betting in payment descriptions.
- Repeated changes to Pix keys.
- Frequent replacement of QR codes or payment links.
- Repeated use of new recipient accounts.
Newly Created Companies
Financial institutions are also expected to examine newly established companies suddenly receiving large numbers of payments.
Transactions inconsistent with a company’s declared business activity may also trigger enhanced scrutiny.
The aim is to identify corporate structures being used to disguise gambling-related flows.
Use of Intermediary Accounts
Another focus will be transactions concentrated through intermediary accounts.
Institutions must also identify situations where blocked arrangements are rapidly replaced by new accounts, third-party recipients or alternative intermediaries.
The requirement therefore extends beyond individual transactions to wider changes in payment behaviour.
Shared Responsibilities
Financial providers are responsible for analysing suspicious activity and identifying evidence.
SPA will subsequently issue a formal finding identifying the unauthorised operator and linking it to relevant:
- Websites.
- Applications.
- Domains.
- Accounts.
- Transactions.
That finding provides the basis for account-blocking notifications.
45-Day Analysis Deadline
Financial institutions have up to 45 days from publication of the ordinance to complete relevant suspicious-activity analysis under the new procedure.
The requirement is intended to establish a faster and more structured compliance process.
Reporting by the Next Business Day
Where an institution identifies evidence of illegal betting or attempts to circumvent restrictions, it must report the matter to SPA by the following business day.
This significantly shortens the period between detection and potential regulatory action.
Accounts Blocked Within 24 Hours
Once SPA issues a formal notification, institutions holding accounts associated with the identified operator must implement the block within 24 hours.
The rule is designed to prevent funds continuing to move after regulatory intervention.
Confirmation Within 48 Hours
Following a block, the institution must confirm compliance to SPA within 48 hours of taking the action.
This creates a formal record of enforcement across the payment system.
Pix Under Greater Scrutiny
Pix is particularly important because of its scale and speed within Brazil‘s payments ecosystem.
Illegal operators may attempt to rotate Pix keys, recipient accounts, QR codes and payment links to avoid disruption.
The new rules require those repeated changes to be treated as potential warning signals.
Central Bank Communication Channels
Communication between financial institutions and SPA should preferably take place through secure electronic systems operated by Brazil‘s Central Bank.
This is intended to streamline information exchange and provide a formal channel for regulatory action.
Public Security Co-operation
Information concerning certain blocked accounts may also be forwarded to the National Secretariat of Public Security, Senasp.
The procedure creates stronger links between gambling supervision, financial monitoring and wider law-enforcement structures.
Replaces 2025 Rules
Ordinance 2,750/2026 replaces SPA/MF Ordinance 566/2025.
The updated framework incorporates additional legal instruments introduced during 2026 and expands the mechanisms available for disrupting payments to unauthorised operators.
Regulated Market Uses .bet.br
Since 1 January 2025, only companies authorised by SPA have been permitted to offer fixed-odds betting nationally.
Authorised brands operate through websites using the .bet.br domain, creating a visible distinction between federally approved businesses and unauthorised platforms.
Targeting the Economics of Illegal Gambling
The new framework reflects a shift in enforcement strategy.
Blocking access to a website can make an illegal platform harder to reach but may not prevent the underlying business from receiving money.
Disrupting payments directly targets the infrastructure required to sustain the operation.
Industry Context
Brazil continues to consolidate its federal regulated betting and online gaming market.
The regulatory focus is increasingly moving towards enforcement, financial controls, consumer safeguards and reducing illegal supply.
Mandatory involvement from banks and payment providers makes the financial system a central part of this next phase.
Next Steps and Impact
Financial institutions will need to adapt internal monitoring, investigation and reporting processes to meet the new SPA deadlines.
For illegal operators, the measure creates greater difficulty in one of the most critical parts of their business: receiving and transferring funds through Brazil‘s financial system.
For the regulated sector, the intended effect is to reduce competition from businesses operating outside authorisation, taxation and player-protection requirements.
Brazil‘s illegal-market strategy is therefore moving beyond domain blocking towards direct disruption of the payment infrastructure that enables unauthorised betting to operate.
Editó: @fonta
