On October 1, Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) strengthened responsible gambling rules by issuing Ordinance No. 2217 and updating Instruction No. 22. The amendments require licensed betting operators to block individuals receiving government social assistance, including Bolsa Família and the Benefício de Prestação Continuada (BPC), from registering or betting on fixed-odds platforms.
The measures follow precautionary directives from the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in ADI cases 7721 and 7723 and rulings from the Federal Court of Accounts (TCU). In Brazil, the government aims to protect vulnerable populations from gambling-related harm.
Who Operators Must Exclude
Operators must deny access to:
- Individuals diagnosed with ludopathy by a mental health professional.
- People excluded by judicial or administrative decisions.
- Bolsa Família and BPC beneficiaries within Brazil.
Required Operator Actions
Operators will cross-check player data against government databases via the Sistema de Gestão de Apostas (Sigap) using taxpayer IDs (CPF). They must act at three points:
- At registration – immediately reject flagged accounts.
- At first login of each day – close flagged accounts within three days.
- Every 15 days – review all users to ensure compliance.
Operators must notify players within 24 hours if they close an account, allow a two-day window to withdraw funds, and refund any remaining balance directly to the player’s registered bank account. They must also log all actions and store records for five years.
Balancing Market Growth and Player Protection
Brazil’s regulated gambling market continues to grow, but the SPA emphasizes that expansion must accompany robust consumer protections. By linking betting eligibility to social welfare status, the country introduces one of Latin America’s strictest responsible gambling systems.
Operators now face stricter compliance requirements. Over the coming months, authorities will monitor how effectively the industry adapts and assess the impact of enforcement on the betting sector in Brazil.
