A study by Rede em Jogo at PUC-Rio found that 84% of betting operators most frequently recommended by Instagram to Brazilian users operate illegally in the country. The findings were published by The Intercept Brasil.
The analysis covered more than 55,000 Instagram accounts, cross-referenced against the list of licensed operators maintained by the Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA). The mechanism is straightforward: a user follows one betting-related profile, and the algorithm begins suggesting similar accounts — operators, influencers and specialist media. Among the 100 most recommended profiles were accounts with a combined audience of over 6 million followers and 114,000 posts. The three main categories: operators, content creators and specialist media.
Many promoted betting as a way to earn income, using phrases such as 'quit CLT' (Brazil's labour code) and 'dream income', and posting screenshots of supposed wins. Tipsters and self-described professional players sell access to Telegram groups with predictions. One influencer offered a premium group for 397 reais ($77.18) per month, later dropping the price to 14.91 reais on an annual subscription. Content included games such as Fortune Tiger, with creators streaming sessions, naming which operator 'pays more' and teaching viewers to spot patterns in the game interface.
Most recommended companies are not authorised by SPA. Some may hold licences in other jurisdictions, but that does not grant the right to operate in Brazil. Illegal operators use the term 'authorised' in their communications and .bet domains intended for licensed operators.
Meta's policy requires betting operators to obtain platform approval for targeted advertising by providing proof of licence, but the document removes Meta's liability for violations. The policy does not detail how certificates are verified, how content is monitored or what moderation measures apply. The study's authors call for expanded regulatory requirements from SPA and the Data Protection Agency, including mandatory monitoring of the ecosystem by digital platforms.
