According to Procon (Protection and Consumer Protection Foundation of the State of São Paulo), the controlling company used abusive clauses on two websites — Pixbet (Pixbet (https://pix.bet.br/) and Pixbet Sports (https://pixbet.com/sports/) —, which are included in the "Terms and Conditions" and which put consumers at an excessive disadvantage, such as:
* Allowing the company to unilaterally modify the content of the contract after its conclusion and without prior notice to the consumer;
* Preventing the withdrawal of amounts deposited and not used, depriving the consumer of the right to a refund of the amount paid;
* Limiting the amount of the consumer's withdrawal, preventing them from using their resources.
In addition, according to the terms, the consumer is obliged to release the company from objective liability for the platform services that gave rise to the consumer's complaint, as well as assuming the obligation to reimburse any collection costs, without the same right being granted to the consumer against the supplier.
The company was not included in the list published on December 31 of last year, but received the concession on January 6, according to a publication in the DOU (Official Gazette of the Union).
In addition to PixBet, Procon closes in on betting houses
Recently, several online betting platforms have been the target of actions by consumer protection agencies in Brazil. In October 2024, Procon-SP notified companies in the sector that they had not reimbursed consumers for amounts retained in their systems.
A month later, the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), linked to the Ministry of Justice, notified 17 online betting companies to clarify practices related to bonuses, advertising and consumer protection measures – especially regarding minors and prevention of excessive debt.
Among those notified was PixBet, in addition to peers such as Bet365, Betano, Parimatch, Sportingbet and others.
Regulation of betting houses
As of January 1, 2025, the regulation of sports betting in Brazil came into effect, a rule that establishes rules for the operation of betting houses and aims to protect consumers.
The text provides for licensing rules, for example. Starting this year, to operate legally in Brazil, betting companies must obtain a license from the government, paying a fee of R$30 million (US$5.3m).
In addition, there is now taxation of the segment. Companies pay 18% on net revenue (what they earn after paying prizes to bettors), while bettors who earn more than R$2,112 (US$372) are taxed at 30% on the amount that exceeds this limit.
Source: GMB
