77% of sports bettors in Brazil admit to irregular behavior, survey finds

A Locomotiva Institute survey published on Tuesday (11/8) says 77% of sports betting users in Brazil admitted to at least one irregular practice in the three months before the data was collected. Half of respondents reported at least two prohibited behaviors, which the study classifies as illegal betting even after sector regulation — a useful reminder that licensing rules do not erase the unlicensed market overnight.

1. The study says the share of bettors who committed two or more irregularities fell from 62% in the first half of 2025 and 55% in the second half of 2025 to 50% in May this year. That is a decline, but still a high level for a market that is supposed to be operating under a formal framework.
2. The four prohibited practices identified by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting, part of the Ministry of Finance, under a 2024 ordinance were: betting on sites without facial recognition, using platforms outside the bet.br domain, making deposits with credit cards, and using cryptoassets. Among respondents, 53% bet on sites that did not require facial recognition and 48% used platforms outside the official domain.
3. André Santa Rita, a regulatory law specialist, said facial recognition is meant to block access by people who are barred from betting, including minors and people who may have access to information about sporting events on which bets are placed. He also said the bet.br domain is tied to identifying sites operating across Brazil with a government license, so bettors can tell which national platforms are authorized.
4. Credit card deposits were reported by 37% of respondents, while 23% admitted using cryptoassets for betting. Daniel Dias, professor at FGV Direito Rio, described the credit card ban as a measure of “responsible gaming and prevention of overindebtedness.” On cryptoassets, he said the aim is anti-money laundering, tracing the source of funds, and financial traceability.
5. The most irregular segment was the 18 to 29 age group, where 54% of respondents said they had engaged in at least two prohibited practices. Among those aged 50 or older, the figure was 43%. The pattern was similar across gender and income: 51% of women and 49% of men admitted at least two irregularities, while the rate was 51% for bettors earning up to two minimum wages, 49% for those earning two to six minimum wages, and 48% for those above six minimum wages.

For PSPs, acquirers, and banks looking at Brazil, the important part is not just the headline share of irregular bettors. It is the mix of violations: facial-recognition gaps, bet.br compliance, credit card deposits, and crypto exposure all point to specific controls that licensed operators and their payment partners are expected to enforce.