Ban on social media in sports betting: understand the Treasury's veto - BNLData

Ban on social media in sports betting: understand the Treasury's veto - BNLData Ban on social media in sports betting: understand the Treasury's veto. Betting The 25.06.26 By: Magno Jose Share: -A + A The measure impacts operators and aims to protect consumers against the risks of gamification and compulsive behavior. The Brazilian Ministry of Finance's Prize and Betting Secretariat has prohibited the implementation of social interaction features on sports betting platforms in Brazil. The decision came in direct response to a query from Kaizen Gaming Brasil Ltda., which intended to launch the product for its registered bettors. The document (Official Circular SEI No. 1062/2026/MF), signed by the General Coordinator of Betting Supervision, Renato Perez Pucci, makes the regulatory position clear; the installation of social engagement tools on betting platforms violates Ordinance SPA/MF No. 722 of 2024, and may result in administrative sanctions against operators that adopt them. The product that prompted the ban. The social network, restricted to its own users, was a product that envisioned a... feed The company envisioned a public platform where bettors could share their bets and casino activities using pre-defined text, as well as profile pages, an influence index based on engagement, and a user ranking. The company also planned to create verified profiles for former athletes and brand ambassadors. streamers and influencers within the platform. Why did SPA reject the argument? The Secretariat did not accept this distinction. According to the regulatory body, the sharing of betting slips, results, or any data related to gambling activity between users, even in a public and moderated environment, constitutes an indirect form of data exchange, contradicting item 12 of Annex II and item 8 of Annex III of Ordinance SPA/MF No. 722/2024. The regulatory text prohibits the transfer of data of any kind between bettors, and this prohibition, according to the Secretariat, has autonomous wording and a broader scope than the chat restrictions. There is also a second area of ​​concern: responsible gambling. The SPA (Portuguese Society of Authors, Composers and Trademarks) understands that typical social media functionalities tend to encourage user engagement and retention in gambling activities, rather than contributing to risk prevention and mitigation. Technical Note SEI (No. 4910/2025/MF) elaborates on this argument, stating that the integration of social interactions with betting platforms requires special caution because both present potentially addictive characteristics, and prolonged exposure to environments of continuous engagement can contribute to compulsive behaviors. The influencer element received specific attention in the technical note. The creation of verified profiles for streamers The circular letter, featuring former athletes and ambassadors, reinforces the influence these agents have on other users. It reiterates this point, stating that "the influence exerted by other bettors, especially those who acquire reputation, visibility, or a prominent position on the platform, has direct economic relevance and can significantly affect consumer behavior." Consequences for the sector The circular is addressed to all relationship directors of fixed-odds betting and online gaming platforms with the Ministry of Finance. Its regulatory force therefore affects all operators authorized to operate in Brazil. The Secretariat also refuted an argument that operators could invoke to distinguish their internal networks from external platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. The regulatory reasoning is that, in broader social networks, people interact spontaneously, whereas a network created within a betting platform for the circulation of "comments" on sporting events and games... online This represents an environment controlled by the operator for defined commercial purposes. The sharing of bets by users, in this context, cannot be treated as a spontaneous act; it is an integral element of the commercial experience offered by the company. SPA-MF added that this regulatory caution is not unique to Brazil. In several regulated markets, regulators have been showing increasing concern about features capable of increasing the frequency, intensity, or duration of consumer engagement in betting activities. User rankings, such as leaderboard As expected, they also failed to pass regulatory scrutiny. The technical note outlines... leaderboards Based on winnings, volume, or betting time as gamification strategies, these practices are already prohibited by Ordinance SPA/MF No. 722/2024, due to their potential to encourage risky behaviors. For operators that already offer or plan to launch similar functionalities, the circular establishes a direct consequence: the identification of these tools on the platforms will lead to the initiation of an inspection process and, eventually, an administrative sanctioning process. Share: Results of the CAIXA Lottery Mega-Sena lottery draw 3022: 02 - 03 - 08 - 11 - 17 - 22 Lottery draw 3023: Prize R$ 3,5 million Lotofácil contest 3718: 01 - 05 - 07 - 09 - 11 12 - 14 - 16 - 17 - 18 19 - 20 - 21 - 22 - 25 Contest 3719: Prize R$ 5 M Most read See also... Ministry of Justice orders 'Preliminary Investigation' of CazéTV advertising. Caixa adopts refund policy for Quina de São João promotional kit, angering lottery agents. 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