The Brazilian Gaming and Betting Secretariat (SPA) latest data shows that in the first six months of the licensed gaming market's operation in Brazil, total gaming revenue reached 17.4 billion Brazilian Real (approximately 3.2 billion US dollars). The market officially launched on January 1 this year, after operators had completed a six-month licensing application and met all stringent regulations.
According to the market performance update first released by the SPA on Tuesday, during the first half of the year, 17.7 million Brazilians placed bets on licensed operator platforms, with males accounting for 71% and females 28.9%. The most active betting group was aged 31 to 40, accounting for 27.8%; followed closely by the 18 to 25 and 25 to 30 age groups, at 22.4% and 22.2% respectively, while the 61 to 70 age group only accounted for 2.1%.
Through 78 licensed operators and their 182 authorized brands, the total betting amount in the first half of the year reached 17.4 billion Brazilian Real, with an average monthly expenditure of about 164 Real per active bettor. Additionally, the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service collected 3.8 billion Real in gaming taxes in the first half of the year, while SPA collected about 2.2 billion Real in licensing fees and 50 million Real in inspection fees.
The SPA stated that it will continue to frequently release market data. Its head, Regis Dudena, emphasized, "Regular disclosure of market dynamics is an important way to fulfill the government's transparency commitment and also helps to report the responsibilities of the state and private operators to society."
The release of this data comes at a time when Brazilian gaming regulation is facing adjustments. Parliament is considering new rules including advertising restrictions, and Congress will also vote on whether to increase the gaming tax rate. Many industry insiders warn that overly strict policies may foster the black market and call for policy impacts to be assessed based on actual data.
Dudena agrees with this, pointing out that the reports released by SPA will provide "key evidence" for future regulatory amendments, making decisions "based on real data rather than just estimates." He stated, "Evidence-based regulation is more conducive to the healthy development of the market."
SPA also disclosed progress in combating illegal gambling: since October 2023, the National Telecommunications Agency has shut down 15,463 illegal websites; in the first half of the year, SPA conducted 66 inspections on 93 companies, with 35 companies being sanctioned. Financial institutions reported 277 suspected illegal gambling transactions, freezing 255 bank accounts; payment institutions cooperated in closing 45 company accounts. Additionally, the regulator cleaned up 112 internet celebrity pages and 146 social media posts, making significant progress in combating illegal advertising.
