Inefficient customer service and campaigns that encourage indebtedness are also among the complaints, according to Senacon.
Although fixed-odds betting has been legal since 2018, regulation of the sports betting sector was only sanctioned at the end of 2024 and took effect in January of this year.
"Senacon works to ensure that regulation prioritizes citizens’ rights. The situation is concerning. Many Brazilians are lured by illusory promises of quick gains in an environment that is often non-transparent and sometimes abusive," said Wadih Damous, National Consumer Secretary.
The increase in debt-related cases and the enticing nature of massive advertising campaigns are other challenges to consumer protection, according to the Secretariat.
As Valor Investe recently reported, the number of indebted people betting on gambling platforms grew last year — including bettors who are already in default (i.e., currently have outstanding debts) — according to a survey by data intelligence fintech Klavi.
The percentage jumped from 4% to 10.6%, a 163% increase, more than doubling the number of bettors between 2023 and 2024. On the other hand, the number of people who actually received money from betting companies did not increase at the same rate.
While the number of people receiving money from betting platforms also rose, it did so more slowly: in October 2023, the percentage was 0.8%, rising to 2% a year later. According to the study, despite this 2.4x increase, the real growth of 1.2 percentage points widened the gap between those who bet and those who actually receive winnings — creating a 5.5-point differential.
The research also points out that users performed 2.8 betting transactions per month, which indicates that receiving money from betting platforms does not necessarily imply profit, as these amounts could be reinvested in new bets.
Government measures
The Secretariat for Prizes and Betting (SPA), under the Ministry of Finance, and Senacon, under the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, signed a technical cooperation agreement (ACT) to produce informational materials on consumer rights in this entertainment sector. These materials are aimed at both bettors and members of the National Consumer Defense System, including state and municipal Procons, public defenders, public prosecutors, and consumer protection NGOs.
The agreement also requires all online betting operators to register on the Consumidor.gov.br platform as a mandatory condition to operate in Brazil.
"In addition to enhancing consumer protection, this measure will serve as a monitoring tool for the SPA," said the government.
For users of betting platforms, Senacon advises checking whether the platform has a valid Brazilian business registration (CNPJ) and Portuguese-language customer support, reading the terms and conditions carefully, and filing complaints when necessary via Consumidor.gov.br or with a Consumer Protection Agency (Procon).
Source: Valor Investe
