From the Ministry of Finance, it was indicated that they will further strengthen controls to eradicate the offering of unlicensed betting and enhance the supervision of the activity.
Brazil.- The government of Brazil has taken a significant step in combating illegal betting by blocking over 11,500 websites that were operating irregularly. This measure is part of an effort to regularize the sector, following the implementation of new rules that came into effect in January 2024. The head of the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance, Regis Dudena, highlighted the importance of collaboration with the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel), responsible for the elimination of these unauthorized portals.
So far, the Ministry has granted licenses to 68 companies that operate online betting in the country. Each of these companies can manage several brands, which implies an expansion of legal sites. Through this authorization process, R$ 2.100m (USD 363m) in revenue has been generated for the State.
The government's strategy is clear: only authorized sites will be able to operate from January 1, 2024. In addition, supervision has been intensified with 75 operations to date, in order to ensure that online betting is conducted transparently and safely.
The regulation also includes the creation of new regulations, with the publication of 11 ordinances until July 2024, and the planning of 14 additional acts to further strengthen control over the market. According to Dudena, the government has received 349 applications for authorization to operate in the sector, of which 68 have already been approved after an exhaustive analysis of more than 45,000 documents.
In parallel, a public consultation has been opened to discuss the regulation of sports betting and online casinos for the years 2025 and 2026. The consultation seeks to involve all stakeholders in the sector to develop more efficient and transparent legislation. Dudena assured that key issues such as advertising standards, supervision, monitoring of financial transactions, and measures to prevent the risk of addiction to gambling will be addressed.
On the other hand, the government is focusing on digital influencers who promote illegal betting sites. According to Dudena, 51 influencers have been sanctioned for advertising unauthorized platforms, reinforcing the tightening of rules on betting advertising. This measure aims to protect consumers, especially the younger ones, from the risks associated with gambling and the abuse of these platforms.
Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, governor of the Mexican state, stated that the goal is to quadruple what has been achieved so far and to take illegal gambling elements that are linked to organized crime out of circulation.
Mexico.- The governor of Michoacán, Alfredo Ramírez Bedolla, assured that they will seek the seizure and subsequent destruction of 10,000 slot machines and mini casinos that operate illegally in the state. To date, approximately 2,500 have been seized in municipalities such as Morelia, Uruapan, Zamora, Zitácuaro, Lázaro Cárdenas, Apatzingán, and Maravatío, but the state government's intention is to practically quadruple this figure to advance in its fight against illegal gambling and criminal maneuvers.
The state leader pointed out that these machines are not innocent games of chance, but an instrument of social destruction, a gateway to crime, and a threat to the families of the entity.
“The damage is not only economic, these machines are a trap that corrupts our children, boys and girls, promotes school dropout, and exposes them to environments of risk and violence. We will not allow organized crime to disguise itself as entertainment,” stated Bedolla.
It should be noted that these machines are mostly imposed by organized crime for the tenants to operate. The leader stated that this business generates weekly profits of MX$ 600m (USD 29m), resources that are used to finance illegal activities and fund networks of organized crime.
“I call on the people of Michoacán, to not allow crime to disguise itself as entertainment, do not moralize these machines that only feed crime and violence, report their installation and operation,” stated the governor.
