Since October 11, when the blockades began, more than 5,200 irregular websites have been taken offline.
The rapid growth of the online betting market has brought regulatory challenges to Brazil. Many platforms, which have not even formalized the request to operate legally in the country, operate clandestinely, disregarding the legal regulations proposed by the Federal Government for the sector and exposing consumers to financial risks.
The ACT was designed precisely to address these irregularities in an integrated manner, using technology and efficient communication between agencies.
The process of regulating fixed-odds betting was consolidated in 2024 with the publication of several rules that establish strict criteria for legal operation in Brazil. These measures ensure greater legal certainty and transparency in the sector, in addition to creating a healthy competitive environment.
As of January 1, 2025, the regulated market will officially begin operating, with all authorized bookmakers being required to include “.bet.br” in their domains, making it easier for users to identify the platform and reinforcing its credibility.
One of the first tasks provided for in the agreement is the preparation of a detailed Work Plan, which details the operational procedures and defines the communication flows to be adopted. The plan will serve as a basis for improving all activities already carried out, ensuring greater efficiency in joint actions.
How the blocking works
The SPA is responsible for identifying and cataloging irregular websites, determining their blocking based on administrative analyses. These decisions are then sent to Anatel, which acts as a sector regulator and technical intermediary, ensuring that the orders are passed on to the companies providing internet connections for execution.
The process is completely online, using the Federal Government's own systems, which guarantees security, traceability and agility in the process.
After receiving the list of illegal betting houses, Anatel uses a methodology that takes into account access and connectivity infrastructure, to ensure greater effectiveness in blocking. The agency informs the SPA about the conclusion of the measures, closing a transparent and traceable communication cycle.
According to the SPA secretary, Regis Dudena, agile electronic communication and well-defined attributions allow for effective confrontation of irregularities and protection, above all, for bettors.
“Anatel has been a very important partner since we stepped up our fight against illegal activities. Now, with the ACT, this relationship will be even more fluid and efficient, which is a gain for the country in the challenge of ridding the betting sector of the presence of opportunistic and malicious groups,” he said.
Anatel president Carlos Baigorri highlighted the importance of the partnership in ensuring the effectiveness of the blocks: “The Agreement will allow for an agile flow for processing the blocks. We know that it is a challenging task to prevent Brazilians from accessing illegal betting sites and, precisely for this reason, cooperation is essential so that the blocks are carried out in the shortest possible time by telecommunications service providers.”
“As a state agency, we have a duty to combat illicit practices that cause competitive imbalances and violate our legislation,” he said.
Source: GMB
