Brazil Shuts Down Over 2,000 Betting Sites in Major Crackdown on Online Gambling

Brazil has launched a crackdown on over 2,000 betting websites, including those sponsoring top football clubs like Corinthians, as part of a new push to regulate online gambling.

Finance Minister Fernando Haddad described the situation as a betting "pandemic," prompting the government to impose stricter regulations.

Since the legalization of sports betting in 2018, the industry has operated

Read full articlewith minimal oversight. Popular platforms allow users to bet on sports and play games like Aviator and Fortune Tiger.

Under new regulations, set to take effect in January, betting sites must comply with rules designed to combat fraud, prevent money laundering, and protect users, including banning underage betting.

Websites that fail to register under the new rules will be shut down, including Esportes da Sorte, which sponsors popular football clubs like Corinthians, Athletico Paranaense, Bahia, and Gremio. In total, 2,040 "suspicious" domains have been flagged for removal, with the sites also barred from advertising, including football sponsorships.

However, more than 200 betting sites that agreed to follow the new regulations will be allowed to continue operating.