Esportes Gaming Brasil has published a seven-point checklist to help bettors verify whether an online betting platform holds a legal licence in Brazil. The operator warns that a .bet.br domain is necessary but not sufficient.
Since 1 January 2025, operators must obtain a licence from the Secretariat for Prizes and Betting (SPA). Licensed sites use the .bet.br domain, but that alone does not guarantee safety. Carol Luna, head of compliance at Esportes Gaming Brasil Group, explains: '.bet.br is the first filter, but security doesn't end there. You need to look at the whole experience: who manages the brand, how identity is verified, where payments come from, what control tools are available and how support works.'
The operator recommends cross-checking the platform against the official SPA list and accessing sites through verified channels rather than ads or search results. Other checks include identity verification procedures and payment methods, the presence of deposit limits and self-exclusion, and transparent support channels. Promises of guaranteed profit or recovery of past losses are a red flag.
Fraudsters copy the names, branding, advertising and social media of legal operators. Identity verification is another marker of a regulated environment: authorised operators verify player data and use facial recognition with liveness detection. Luna adds: 'Verification may seem like an extra step, but it prevents underage access, identity theft, fraud and transactions incompatible with the account holder.'
Regulated platforms provide financial and time limits, and payments must flow between the operator and a bank account or payment account in the player's own name. 'A regulated market must give consumers enough information to make informed decisions. Safety is not just protection from fraud at registration, it's transparency, access to control tools and support for those who decide to stop playing,' Luna concludes.
