The number of unauthorized betting sites identified in Brazil rose sharply after the government suspended regulated online betting, according to monitoring by Bet Legal and cybersecurity company Iron Security.
Bet Legal identified 295 unauthorized domains by 6pm on September 25, when the government announced the ban. The number reached 710 by 7:10pm on September 27, representing a 141% increase over two days. A total of 415 new unauthorized sites were identified during the period.
294 New Sites Identified in One Day
The largest increase occurred on September 26, when Bet Legal identified 294 new unauthorized sites within 24 hours.
The monitoring system, operated in partnership with Iron Security, cross-references official government publications and regulatory notifications while checking factors such as connectivity, security protocols and domain ownership.
The data measures newly identified unauthorized domains rather than necessarily representing 415 separate gambling companies, as operators can use multiple domains and variations of the same website.
ANJL Warns of Illegal-Market Growth
The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) said the increase demonstrates that banning regulated operators does not automatically eliminate demand for online betting.
ANJL President Plínio Lemos Jorge said unauthorized platforms could use the disruption to attract customers previously using licensed operators.
The association has also argued that consumers moving to unregulated platforms could lose access to safeguards available within Brazil’s former regulated framework.
Government Blocks Illegal Platforms
Brazilian authorities have responded by expanding enforcement against unauthorized betting platforms.
A joint task force involving the Ministries of Justice and Finance reported blocking 506 sites suspected of offering illegal betting after the provisional measure took effect. Authorities also identified 43 Telegram channels and groups promoting betting and online casino games, with a combined 212,000 members.
By September 29, the government had requested the removal of 5,209 betting-related domains as enforcement efforts expanded. Authorities also targeted illegal advertising, social-media accounts and betting applications.
Illegal Market Faces Increased Enforcement
The rapid appearance of new domains alongside the government’s blocking campaign highlights the challenge of controlling unauthorized betting through website restrictions alone.
Brazilian authorities are now targeting multiple parts of the illegal ecosystem, including websites, applications, advertising, social-media promotion and financial activity.
The scale of new domain registrations will remain an important indicator of how unauthorized operators respond as Brazil implements its new restrictions and continues enforcement against platforms operating outside the legal framework.
