More than five million Brazilians are now barred from accessing licensed betting platforms through self-exclusion and government restrictions. The figure represents 12.5% of the 40 million active users registered in the Sistema de Gestão de Apostas (Sigap), according to Ministry of Finance data for August 2026.
Finance Minister Dario Durigan said the restrictions are part of a strategy to curb betting and protect household incomes. 'More than five million people are now blocked or excluded from betting in Brazil. We treat betting like cigarettes and are restraining gambling in the country,' Durigan said.
Of the five million blocked, around 800,000 were barred after entering government debt restructuring programmes. Another three million recipients of Bolsa Família and Benefício de Prestação Continuada (BPC) social aid lost access to platforms by order of the Federal Supreme Court.
1.2 million people voluntarily self-excluded through the Centralised Self-Exclusion Platform launched by the Secretariat for Lotteries and Betting (SPA) in December 2025. The main reason was loss of control over play and mental health problems, accounting for 35.93% of requests. The second most common was unwillingness to share personal data with operators, at 20.63%. Most requests — 66.95% — were for permanent exclusion, with 21.6% opting for one year.
Among those blocked for debt are 794,181 participants in the debt restructuring programme and 33,123 in the Fies student loan scheme. The government also offers free courses on the behavioural and financial risks of betting through the self-exclusion platform, including a mental health self-assessment tool with access to public health services.
