The technical study by the National Association of Games and Lotteries estimates that the share of unlicensed platforms could rise from 41% to 82% if authorized operators stop offering online casino games.
A potential ban on online casino games for licensed betting operators in Brazil could lead to significant growth in the illegal market, according to a technical study conducted by the National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL).
According to the association, the share of unlicensed platforms, currently estimated at 41%, could reach 82% of the market if companies authorized by the Ministry of Finance stop offering these types of games.
ANJL attributes this scenario to the widespread availability of websites operating without authorization in the country. According to the study, between June and August 2026, an average of 13.7 new illegal websites were registered every day.
The scale of the illegal market was also highlighted by monitoring carried out by the association’s technical team between September 11 and 18. During that period, 6,409 active and accessible illegal betting domains were identified.
Risk of further expansion of the illegal market
According to Plínio Lemos Jorge, president of ANJL, a potential ban on online games offered through authorized platforms could push millions of users toward illegal operators, many of which are hosted outside Brazil and do not have tax obligations in the country.
“Our study showed that, among websites located outside the country, 55.8% use a distribution network that conceals their original hosting location, while 98.3% of the domains do not end in ‘.br’,” said Plínio Lemos Jorge.
According to the association’s president, this scenario could also make player protection measures more difficult, as illegal platforms would not be subject to the same control mechanisms required of authorized operators.
ANJL estimates that more than 25 million bettors registered with legal platforms could be exposed to these sites if the legal offering of online games were restricted.
The association also estimates that Brazil could lose between R3.6millionandR7.4 million in annual tax revenue as a result of a potential ban.
“Millions of people will not stop betting. They will simply access these sites, which do not pay any taxes. The most vulnerable segments of society, precisely those the federal government seeks to protect, will be even more exposed,” the ANJL president said.
The association added that illegal platforms also do not provide protection mechanisms such as self-exclusion tools or controls targeting beneficiaries of social welfare programs, measures that form part of the regulated gaming framework.
Source: BNL Data / ANJL
Original article on BNL Data
