Brazil’s Betting Crackdown and Player-Protection Lessons for Africa

In this collaborative feature by GAMINGWEEK and Gamble Aware NG, Iyke Bede examines how Brazil’s betting crackdown raises questions about the limits of regulation when players move to unregulated platforms, and the lessons African markets can draw on enforcement, prevention and effective player protection

On September 25, 2026, Brazil’s government banned fixed-odds betting nationwide, including sports betting and online games, and ordered existing platforms to wind down their operations.

The move has brought the country’s unregulated market into sharper focus, but it has also raised a broader question about player protection: what happens when people who continue to gamble move beyond the reach of the regulated system?

To gain further insight, we spoke with Sarah Reis, a responsible gaming and player protection specialist in Brazil.

“My main concern is that, without effective enforcement measures and efforts to tackle the unregulated market, more and more consumers may turn to platforms operating outside the regulated environment,” she noted, sharing her concerns about the move.

She added, “This concern is not merely theoretical. In the first days following the measure that banned fixed-odds betting in Brazil, the government itself announced actions against hundreds of websites suspected of operating irregularly and identified networks promoting betting through digital channels. Although it is still too early to measure the impact of the ban on the size of the unregulated market, which appears to be growing rapidly, these figures show that tackling this activity remains a significant challenge.”

While the objectives of the ban translate well on paper, she warned that proper steps should be taken to implement, enforce, and assess the effects of the ban on consumers, especially those moving in droves to the black market.

Regulation can give authorities and operators the tools to protect consumers through measures such as self-exclusion, spending limits, age verification and behavioural monitoring. But those safeguards depend on players remaining within an environment where the rules can be enforced.

That tension matters beyond Brazil. Across Africa, where different jurisdictions are developing and refining their own gambling regulations, the experience offers a caution about the limits of regulation without effective enforcement.

“When a player uses an unregulated platform, they may be more exposed to risks related to the security of their personal data and money, lack of transparency, difficulties in recovering funds, and the absence of effectively enforced protection mechanisms. From a responsible gambling perspective, there is another fundamental issue: the ability to identify risky behaviour and intervene before the harm escalates,” she said.

In an unregulated system, punters have access to wager a stake. While that may sound favourable to the punter, it is only one half of the story. The other part surfaces when they begin experiencing gambling harm, with no platforms or support mechanisms to help them recognise the problem, manage their behaviour or seek help.

In other words, when the enforcement measures are unable to contain the unregulated market, the risk of worsening the scourge of problem gambling, identified by patterns such as debt, emotional distress, and impact on interpersonal relationships, abounds.

From Reis’ perspective, the gaps yet unseen for the Brazilian market facing the ban may become obvious sooner rather than later. For the African markets facing no bans at the moment, however, she warns that markets should not approach regulation with a reactionary mindset. A proactive approach is needed to ensure that risky behaviour does not morph into more serious problems.

Introducing responsible gaming rules does not automatically produce results. Implementation, compliance, data, staff training, intervention and oversight are what would help the various markets across the continent attain sustainability.

“Making a tool available does not necessarily mean that players will use it or that it will be sufficient to prevent harm,” said Reis. “The main lesson is that regulating a market does not simply mean authorising operators and establishing obligations. It is necessary to build a framework capable of monitoring the implementation of the rules, identifying gaps, and holding those who fail to comply accountable.”

Reis added, “These examples show the importance of combining individual tools with structural protection measures. Self-exclusion, for example, can provide an additional barrier for people who want to stop gambling, while behavioural monitoring allows operators to identify changes in gambling patterns and assess the need for intervention.”

Understanding the complexities of the African market, Reis does not present her thoughts as a one-size-fits-all solution for African markets. Instead, she implores experts to analyse the nuances and adopt what would possibly work for their respective markets.

“African markets should also consider the social, economic, and cultural particularities of each country. Protection measures need to take into account access to technology, consumer habits, levels of financial literacy, and the availability of mental health services.

“In addition, I believe it is essential to invest in training professionals who work directly with players. Customer support, responsible gambling, risk, and compliance teams need to be prepared to recognise signs of vulnerability, carry out appropriate interventions, and refer cases that require specialised support,” Reis explained.

With Brazil’s approach, which Reis describes as “political”, questions remain over whether the fuller player-protection picture was adequately considered, even as authorities crack down on the unregulated market.

“My main recommendation would be to place prevention and player protection at the centre of regulatory planning, with clear responsibilities for operators, effective enforcement, and collaboration between regulators, companies, healthcare professionals, and support organisations. The development of a sustainable market depends not only on the rules that are established, but also on the ability to enforce them and protect people in practice,” Reis noted.

Ultimately, Brazil’s crackdown exposes a fundamental player-protection challenge: regulatory safeguards lose their reach when consumers move outside the regulated system. For Africa, the lesson is to build markets where prevention, enforcement and player protection develop alongside the industry from the outset.