The first full year of regulated online betting in Brazil delivered significant revenue for the country. It highlighted the growth potential of the sector. It also highlighted the regulatory challenges posed by offshore operators. These operators continue to attract a significant share of players and transactions.
The SPA, or Secretariat of Prizes and Bets, reported on the licensed market. It generated BRL 37 billion in gross gaming revenue last year. This follows the official beginning of regulated online betting on January 1, 2025. With each license priced at BRL30 million, licensed operators collectively paid around BRL2.5 billion in license fees. Inspection feed added BRL95.5 million more in regulatory income.
The Federal Revenue Service disclosed that tax revenue from licensed betting reached nearly BRL 10 billion last year. Of that, BRL 1.1 billion was collected in December alone. Regis Dudena, the SPA chief, said the regulator now has data to guide future decisions aimed at protecting bettors. He said that the year 2025 marked the first time the state was fully present in this market. Data was received, providing an objective understanding of the sector and tools to monitor compliance with established rules. Dudena added that information on player behavior and financial activity helps prevent gambling problems. It also allows coordination with other bodies, such as the Ministries of Health, Sports, and Justice.
Unlicensed platforms remain a substantial part of the landscape in spite of the formal regulation and licensing. Held during ICE Barcelona, a previous study presented at Casa Brasil, estimated that an estimate of R$15 billion in GGR circulates outside the official system yearly. The consulting firm behind the estimate used surveys, PIX transaction data from the Central Bank, as well as the digital traffic analysis to reach its conclusion. This amount corresponds to almost one third of the total of the sector.
