Illegal Betting's Share Of Brazil's Market Fell In H1 2026
The share of Brazil's online betting that runs through illegal operators fell in the first half of 2026, according to a new study for the Brazilian Institute for Responsible Gaming.
The research estimated that illegal sites took between 38% and 44% of online bets over the period, down from a range of 41% to 51% in a comparable survey published in June 2025.
What The Study Measured
The study, titled "Sizing and Combating the Illegal Betting Market in Brazil", was produced by LCA Consultores using survey data gathered by the Locomotiva Institute in May 2026 from 2,291 gamblers across the country.
It set out to size how much wagering still bypasses the licensed market, where players use regulated betting sites.
In the three months before the survey, 53% of respondents said they had bet on sites that did not require facial recognition, and 48% used domains ending in something other than .bet.br, the suffix reserved for licensed operators.
Some 37% had deposited by credit card and 23% by cryptocurrency, neither of which is accepted in the regulated market.
Regulation Starting To Bite
Carlos Lima, executive president of the IBJR, said: "The numbers show that the regulations and measures adopted by the federal government to combat illegal platforms are beginning to produce concrete results.
"The observed reduction is a positive sign of the consolidation of the Brazilian regulated market."
Brazil's licensed betting market has operated since January 1, 2025, when rules took effect requiring operators to hold a licence, meet tax obligations and follow player-protection standards.
In the first year, licensed betting companies contributed BRL9.95 billion in taxes and legal allocations, and each paid a BRL30 million concession fee, the institute said.
Still Half The Market
Renato Meirelles, president of the Locomotiva Institute, said: "The study reveals a slight reduction in the participation of illegal betting. But it is still at high levels, with half of Brazilian bettors operating in the unlicensed market."
The research also found that 77% of those surveyed agreed, fully or in part, that illegal sites do not follow responsible-gambling rules and are therefore more dangerous for bettors.
