Since sports betting boomed in Brazil, the market for renting and selling accounts on these platforms grew almost in parallel. With the regulation of betting operators and the new verification requirements for bettors, Brazilian players began seeking access to third-party accounts in other countries.
There are several reasons why players seek access to accounts owned by others, especially those who claim to have more profitable betting methods. Platforms often impose measures to block users who move large sums of money, which has fueled a parallel market for account access.
“Purchases have always happened due to the limitations imposed by the betting houses. It’s a small portion of players, but they wager high amounts,” said Leonardo Benites, Communications Director at the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL).
On social media, it’s common to see more prominent bettors mentioning how many accounts they’ve acquired from third parties—often more than a hundred. On Facebook, account trading groups have thousands of members. Offers for account access typically range from R$50 (US$9) to R$200 (US$35). Frequently, the bank account details linked to these betting accounts are also sold, as they are necessary for withdrawing funds.
This entire process is surrounded by reports of scams. Recently, even profiles claiming to offer "solutions for sports betting" have started to act as intermediaries in these transactions, promising greater security.
In a statement, the Ministry of Finance said: “Regarding Facebook groups, whenever the monitoring team from the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting detects suspicious activity or the offering of illegal bets, it files a report through Meta’s designated channel for content removal.” Meta declined to comment when contacted.
The Ministry also emphasized that since the beginning of the year, Brazil has implemented rules that make such practices more difficult among betting operators. “First, the bettor is required to register a bank account under their own name to deposit or withdraw funds from a betting platform, which complicates third-party use, since it would require renting both the betting account and the bank account.”
Regulatory tightening and exodus abroad
Currently, Brazilian betting platforms are also required to implement facial recognition during account registration, during updates to user information, and for withdrawals. This necessitates the physical presence of the account holder in front of the device, making it harder for third parties to use these accounts.
Why is gambling addiction so dangerous?
With facial registration, frequent SMS verifications, and the new tax on winnings introduced by regulation, Benites notes that demand for foreign accounts has increased.
Argentina is the most popular destination. The report found Brazilian students in Argentina actively seeking accounts in Facebook groups—as long as they have a National Identity Document (DNI), which allows them to open and maintain accounts on Argentine platforms.
Additionally, the trade of access to digital wallets that enable cross-border transactions is common. A frequently offered option is AstroPay, known for its ease of use with the Pix payment system. The company did not respond to inquiries. Benites also noted that cryptocurrencies are being used to withdraw funds from platforms. The report found listings for accounts at crypto exchanges in these groups.
Peru, known in Latin America for having one of the most lenient betting laws, is also highly sought after by bettors. Other countries with locally traded accounts found in the report include Colombia and Paraguay.
Benites believes that some measures aimed at controlling gambling in Brazil may further fuel this exodus. He points to ongoing proposals to ban so-called secondary bets, which include wagers on things like yellow cards or corner kicks in a match. In his view, if Brazilian platforms stop offering these types of bets, players will have even more incentive to turn to foreign sites.
The link between restrictive regulation and the exodus of players abroad has precedents. Portugal, often cited by analysts as having overly strict legislation, has already seen many bettors resort to VPNs to access foreign platforms.
In Brazil, the use of such tools is currently less common than in other countries, according to Benites. The Ministry of Finance reinforces that Brazilian regulation requires betting operators to implement detection and blocking mechanisms for access via VPN.
What does the law say?
Betting accounts are personal and non-transferable, reminds Carlos Portugal Gouvêa, a professor of Commercial Law at the University of São Paulo (USP) and founding partner of PGLaw. “The goal is to prevent fraud and implement anti-money laundering programs, ensuring that, just like in banks, fraudulent accounts are not created,” he explains.
Gouvêa points out that under current legislation, if fraudulent accounts are identified, betting operators may face penalties, as they are responsible for preventing such practices.
The practice not only violates contractual terms with operators but may also lead to civil and criminal liability, warns Thiago de Miranda Coutinho, a specialist in criminal intelligence.
According to him, who has been monitoring the topic since before regulation took effect, there is potential for charges such as identity fraud, criminal conspiracy, and money laundering—especially if the strategy is used to conceal or disguise the origin, location, movement, or ownership of illicit funds.
Since foreign accounts do not involve Brazilian operators, Benites acknowledges that the government's ability to act on international purchases is limited. The Ministry of Finance declined to comment when asked about platforms based in other jurisdictions.
Risks and criminal ends
“People selling accounts often don’t understand the risks they’re taking,” says Benites. Transfers usually involve not only personal data like CPF numbers but also banking information—actions that may be linked to criminal activities, particularly money laundering.
“Those who 'sell' their accounts need to understand that they may later be investigated as accomplices in criminal activity and won’t be treated as victims, unlike someone whose account was cloned,” Gouvêa warns. “The consequences can be devastating, even destroying families with loved ones drawn into criminal schemes,” he concludes.
On YouTube, a video explaining how third-party accounts can be used for money laundering—and the legal consequences—has garnered dozens of comments from viewers thanking the creator for the warning, saying it prevented them from transferring their accounts.
Current legislation has addressed the issue, notes Coutinho. Due diligence is now mandatory, including user profiling, identifying atypical transactions, and immediate reporting to the Financial Activities Control Council (COAF). “In addition, there is a ban on using payment slips, credit cards, and third-party accounts under regulation, precisely to make it harder to conceal the origin of funds,” he adds.
Source: DW Brasil
