Brazil’s betting sites and apps go offline from today, with R$ 1.33 billion still sitting on platforms

Online betting sites and apps in Brazil are being taken offline from Tuesday, while R$ 1.33 billion was still held on the platforms by mid-afternoon on Monday. For PSPs and acquirers, the important bit is not the shutdown itself but the unwind: operators must pass unpaid balances to banks by CPF, and the refund flow runs on a tight government-set timetable.

1. From Tuesday, betting sites and apps in Brazil become unavailable. By Monday afternoon, the balance still held on the platforms was R$ 1.33 billion.
2. Between Wednesday and Thursday, companies must inform financial institutions of the balances not yet withdrawn, broken down by CPF. Banks then have from October 9 to 14 to return the funds to users.
3. If any obstacle prevents repayment, from October 14 the funds will be transferred to Caixa Econômica Federal, which will be responsible for returning the money to bettors.
4. The government has ordered traffic from blocked sites to be redirected to the public domain www.brasilsembets.com.br, where withdrawal instructions and campaigns warning about gambling risks will be hosted.
5. The shutdown follows a schedule: October 5, until 23:59, was the last day for voluntary withdrawals; October 6, from 0:00, sites and apps had to come offline; October 7 and 8 were for reporting balances to banks; October 9 to 14 are the refund window.

According to the government, app stores, internet providers, and CGI.br (the Brazilian Internet Steering Committee) must also help block access. ANJL, the National Association of Games and Lotteries, called the decision electoral and legally invalid, and told its operators not to implement it.