Over 3 million welfare recipients blocked from betting sites in Brazil
More than 3 million recipients of federal social welfare programs have been blocked from opening or maintaining accounts on websites authorized to operate fixed-odds betting in Brazil. According to the Brazilian president’s press office, the block was made possible by a feature of the Betting Management System (SIGAP) implemented in October 2025. Among others, beneficiaries of cash transfer…
Over 3 million Brazilian welfare recipients have been blocked from accessing or maintaining accounts on betting websites, following a new regulation enforced by Brazil's president in October 2025. The restriction applies to those receiving cash transfers, assistance for the disabled and elderly, student loans, and debt renegotiation programs.
The blocking method is facilitated by the Betting Management System (SIGAP), which was implemented in October 2025 and can process 500 million daily records. The system allows the federal government to prevent welfare funds from being used for online gambling, thus avoiding negative impacts on household budgets and mental health, particularly among vulnerable populations.
The Supreme Court ruling in November 2024 made this measure mandatory for the government. SIGAP automatically verifies users against tax records upon registration, flagging those with restricted accounts. Operators then have up to three days to close the account and return the full balance. The decision is solely in the hands of the operator, with no manual intervention or penalties for users or companies.
Written by urgent.news from Agencia Brasil's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
