The Secretariat of Prizes and Bets of the Ministry of Finance of Brazil (SPA/MF) is going through its second year at the head of a market that, although it has advanced significantly in terms of regulation, still faces important structural challenges. Among them, the persistence of illegal gambling, the protection of the bettor, and the consolidation of a solid and transparent legal ecosystem.
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Daniele Correa Cardoso, recently confirmed as secretary of the body after months at the head of the interim management, presented these issues in an interview published in the special supplement “Bets: The challenges of the second year of regulation of the sector,” released by the Brazilian newspaper O Globo.
The illegal market, the main obstacle to regulation
For Cardoso, combating the clandestine market is one of the central priorities of the SPA. The official warned that the existence of illegal operators not only harms authorized companies but also makes it difficult for the State to exercise effective control and supervision over the activity.
“When citizens turn to the illegal market, state supervision becomes difficult,” explained the secretary, who remarked that the goal is not to prohibit gambling, but to redirect bettors toward regulated platforms, where there are clear obligations and control mechanisms.
Cardoso was emphatic that no jurisdiction in the world has managed to completely eliminate illegal gambling. In this context, she pointed out that Brazil currently records a channeling rate of between 70 and 80% toward the legal market, an indicator that the body considers positive although perfectible.
More than 29.000 illegal sites blocked since 2025
One of the most relevant pieces of data provided by the official refers to the joint work that the SPA is developing alongside the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) and the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL). Since 2025, this alliance has managed to block more than 29.000 illegal gambling websites, an action that represents a direct impact on a clandestine market that moves billions of dollars a year in the region. The secretary made it clear that this work will continue in a sustained manner.
“Could new illegal sites emerge? Yes, it is possible. But the measure is necessary because we continue to make the work of these criminals difficult,” underlined Cardoso, who recognized that the clandestine market has sophisticated its methods, but that this will not stop regulatory action.
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Protecting the bettor and the popular economy
Beyond the fight against illegality, Cardoso reaffirmed that protecting the bettor and the popular economy is an essential function of the SPA. In that line, she highlighted Ordinance No. 1.231/2024, a regulation that establishes a series of concrete obligations for operators acting within the legal framework.
Among the requirements imposed by said ordinance are the implementation of a customer service (SAC), the figure of the ombudsman, a direct communication channel with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, a spending limit button for the bettor, and the use of facial recognition as an identity verification tool. These provisions take on special relevance in a market where online sports betting already generates estimated revenues of billions of dollars annually in Brazil.
These measures seek not only to organize the functioning of the market but also to ensure that users have real protection tools against possible abuses or problematic gambling situations.
A second year marked by consolidation and new challenges
The balance that Cardoso draws on the second year of the regulated market in Brazil is that of an ongoing process, with concrete progress but also with challenges that demand constant work. The regulation of online gambling in the country is still recent, and both authorities and operators continue to adapt to an environment that evolves rapidly.
The body’s bet involves building an ecosystem where the legal offer is attractive and reliable enough to naturally displace clandestine operators, while at the same time strengthening controls and improving the bettor’s experience within the regulated market.
