Brazilian government prepares register of people banned from betting on football

The proposal is the priority item on the secretariat's regulatory agenda for 2025 and 2026. According to Dudena, the database is prepared by the Ministry of Finance, to centralise the list of all persons who, for whatever reason, are banned from online gambling and transmit the data to the companies.

“In the second quarter, we intend to put this model out for public consultation and, depending on the responses and comments we get, we will be able to implement it. The idea, then, is that this will be implemented in the second half of the year, depending on the solutions,” the secretary said at a press conference to present the agency's agenda until the end of next year.

The legislation prohibits football coaches, players, referees, under-18s and members of regulatory bodies from gambling. In addition to this information, the register will include anyone banned from gambling by a court decision.

“The technological solution is a centralised database that will think about how best to ensure that those who are banned are not accepted for registration at bookmakers,” Dudena said.

Although the negative registration of gamblers will be left for a later date, the government wants to gather suggestions from society to elaborate the regulatory agenda. Available on the Participa Mais Brasil platform, the public consultation will be open until 27 March for stakeholders to submit their suggestions. On 21 February, the secretariat will hold an online public hearing to listen to stakeholders.

Regulation statistics

In addition to outlining the secretariat's priorities, Dudena presented statistics from the first phase of e-gambling regulation, which ended on 31 December. In total, 68 gambling companies were authorised to operate in the country, with 70 paid licences and 153 licensed brands. The companies paid the government R$2.1 billion in three-year licences, each worth R$30 million, according to the legislation.

As for illegal websites, Dudena said the secretariat had ordered the blocking of 11,555 domains by the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), which enforces the ban. In January alone, after the entry into force of the regulated market, 75 actions were carried out to inspect influencers.

The secretary explained that the inspection is only carried out at the administrative level, but that it has the power to order the removal of advertisements that violate the regulation of electronic gambling.

“The regulatory body does not mix with the criminal prosecution body. It is up to us to identify who they are, to associate those influencers with the companies they provide services to, to talk to platforms, media and social networks to ask for them to be removed. We have a regulatory role and then the prosecution bodies are called in", he said.

Agenda

The public consultation will take place via the Participa + Brasil Platform, and experts, industry bodies and citizens will have 45 days to make written contributions - until 27 March. In addition, on 21 February at 2pm there will be an online public hearing on the subject, with registration via electronic form.

On 4 April, the Regulatory Agenda 2025-2026 is due to be published, taking into account the contributions made at the consultation. In addition to the issue of betting, other points within the Secretariat's remit are also on the Agenda put out for consultation, such as the regulation of commercial promotions, the Exclusive Instant Lottery (Lotex) and the collection of popular savings.

In the agenda proposed by the SPA, the first item will be the construction of a national system of excluded and self-excluded bettors, to inform people who are prohibited from betting by law, such as athletes and SPA employees, for example, as well as people who, of their own free will, do not want to participate or receive betting communications or advertising. The agenda also includes 13 other topics.