Brazil’s newly regulated betting market generated BRL37 billion ($7 billion) in gross gaming revenue (GGR) in its first full year of operation, according to data released by the country’s betting regulator. The figures, published on Thursday by the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA), cover 2025, the first year since Brazil’s legal online betting market launched on 1 January. The data offers the most comprehensive snapshot to date of the market’s economic impact, regulatory enforcement, and early consumer protection outcomes.

 

Revenue, fees and tax intake

Under Brazil’s licensing regime, operators are required to pay a BRL30 million licence fee. The SPA said licensed companies paid approximately BRL2.5 billion in licence fees during 2025, alongside BRL95.5 million in inspection fees. Separately, the Federal Revenue Service reported that it collected close to BRL10 billion in tax revenue from licensed betting operators over the year. Of that total, BRL1.1 billion was collected in December alone, reflecting a strong year-end performance.

SPA chief Regis Dudena said the availability of detailed market data marked a structural shift in the state’s oversight of betting activity. “The year 2025 marked the first time the state was fully present in this market,” Dudena said. “Data was received, allowing for an objective understanding of the sector, in addition to monitoring tools to track compliance with the established rules.” He added that the information would support coordinated action with other government bodies, including the Ministries of Health, Sports and Justice, particularly in relation to harm prevention.

A central component of Brazil’s consumer protection framework is the SPA’s centralised self-exclusion platform, launched in December 2025. The system allows players to block themselves from accessing all licensed betting sites through a single request. The regulator has previously described the platform as its most important regulatory priority. Early usage figures suggest strong demand. In the first 40 days after launch, the platform received more than 217,000 self-exclusion requests. The most commonly cited reason for self-exclusion was “loss of control over gambling – mental health”. According to the SPA, 73% of users opted for an indefinite exclusion period rather than a fixed-term block.

Dudena said the combination of behavioural data and self-exclusion tools would help authorities identify and address gambling-related harm more effectively. “We have economic data and information on individuals, which helps us prevent gambling problems and allows us to act in coordination with other bodies,” he said.

Despite the scale of licensed market revenues, industry concerns remain focused on taxation and competition from unregulated operators. Recent legislative changes will see Brazil’s betting tax rate rise gradually to 15%. At the same time, market estimates suggest illegal operators may still account for up to 50% of total betting activity in the country. The SPA has prioritised enforcement against unlicensed activity. Through a partnership with the National Telecommunications Agency, the regulator said more than 25,000 offshore betting sites have been blocked.

During 2025, the Undersecretariat for Monitoring and Inspection registered 132 cases against 133 companies, with 80 cases still ongoing for the application of penalties. Financial enforcement has also expanded. By the end of the year, 54 payment and financial institutions had submitted 1,255 reports to the SPA, relating to 1,687 individuals suspected of making payments to illegal operators. As a result of these investigations, 550 bank accounts were closed.

The regulator has also targeted online promotion of illegal betting. In total, 412 inspection processes involving social media influencers were concluded, leading to the removal of 324 profiles and 229 individual publications. “It is important to make it clear that regulation exists to be observed,” Dudena said. “The SPA will be attentive to its compliance, and those who do not comply will be subject to the penalties provided for by law and regulation.”

The SPA’s data also sheds light on who is participating in the legal betting market. The 79 licensed operators reported that 25.2 million Brazilians placed bets during 2025. Men accounted for 68.3% of bettors, while women represented 31.7%. Participation was highest among those aged 31 to 40, who made up 28.6% of users. Bettors aged 18 to 24 and 25 to 30 were joint second, each accounting for 22.7%. Older age groups were less active. Those aged over 61 represented just 2.7% of the total betting population.

 

Regulation exists to be observed, and those who do not comply will be subject to the penalties provided for by law.

 

A data-driven regulatory phase

With its first full year completed, Brazil’s betting regulator is now moving from market launch to consolidation. The combination of strong fiscal returns, high consumer engagement, and aggressive enforcement has positioned betting as a significant regulated industry.
At the same time, the scale of self-exclusion requests and the persistence of illegal operators highlight ongoing challenges. How the SPA balances tax policy, market competitiveness and consumer protection is likely to shape the next phase of Brazil’s betting market development.