Brazil has taken significant measures against illegal betting by blocking 506 websites associated with unauthorized gambling activities. This action follows the recent ban on fixed-odds betting in the country. The operation was led by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.
In addition to blocking these sites, Brazilian authorities have initiated further investigations into gambling advertisements on platforms such as Google and Meta. Between September 25 and 27, Brazil’s Ciberlab of Cyber Operations uncovered around 1,960 Google ads linking to seven domains that solicited users to register, deposit money, and engage in online gaming for real cash.
The investigation extended to Meta, where officials recorded seven ads promoting casino games that advertised registration bonuses and cash rewards. Some of these ads presented different names or links, complicating the task of pinpointing the operators behind them.
Concerns have been raised about the inadequacy of Google's advertising transparency tools, which hindered the investigators' ability to determine the start dates of campaigns and verify compliance with the newly established regulations. Authorities have set a deadline of October 5 for the removal of any ongoing gambling promotions.
Looking ahead, Brazilian officials plan to engage in technical discussions with Google, Meta, and TikTok to strategize on blocking future gambling advertisements, removing current ads, and identifying disguised pages and links. Continuous monitoring of these digital platforms will be a priority for the authorities after the scheduled removals.
