Brazil has taken significant action by blocking a total of 506 websites involved in illegal betting activities. This move follows the recent ban on fixed-odds betting, prompting investigations focused on these platforms. The operations were coordinated by the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, the Ministry of Finance, and the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting.
In another development, inquiries into gambling advertisements on Google and Meta are underway. From September 25 to 27, Brazil’s Ciberlab of Cyber Operations uncovered around 1,960 Google ads that directed users to seven domains associated with enticing individuals to register, deposit funds, and engage in online gambling.
Additionally, seven advertisements were found on Meta platforms promoting casino games, registration bonuses, and cash incentives. These ads often used misleading page names or links, complicating efforts to trace the associated operators.
The current advertising transparency measures employed by Google proved inadequate, limiting investigators’ capacity to determine the start dates of these campaigns and whether they violated the new regulatory framework. Brazilian authorities have set a deadline of October 5 for the removal of gambling-related promotions.
To address ongoing concerns, officials plan to engage in technical discussions with Google, Meta, and TikTok regarding the prevention of future gambling advertisements, the removal of current ads, and the detection of disguised links. Authorities will continue to monitor these digital platforms closely and conduct further analyses on their operations following the upcoming ad removals.
