Brazil strengthens consumer protections in betting sector with new SPA and Senacon partnership

The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) and the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon) have formalized a partnership aimed at strengthening consumer protection within Brazil’s regulated betting market. The agreement establishes a series of measures to enhance transparency, educate bettors about their rights, and improve regulatory oversight of betting companies.

A key component of the initiative is the development of informational materials designed to inform both consumers and regulatory bodies. These materials will provide guidance for bettors and serve as educational resources for members of the National Consumer Defense System, which includes state and municipal Procon offices, public defenders, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and civil consumer advocacy groups.

Additionally, SPA and Senacon plan to work together through the National Consumer Defense School, offering training sessions aimed at raising awareness among bettors and ensuring they understand their rights and available protection mechanisms.

One of the central requirements reinforced by the agreement is that all licensed betting companies must participate in the consumer.gov.br platform. This expands consumer protection and provides SPA with a monitoring tool to track companies’ performance and compliance in the sector. The two departments will also engage in a continuous exchange of information, allowing for more efficient oversight and identifying potential issues in the market.

Regis Dudena, Secretary of Prizes and Betting, stated: “The partnership between SPA and Senacon is an important tool for one of the pillars of the regulation of fixed-odds betting, which is the guarantee of bettors' rights. In a market as new as this one, providing people with information is especially important."

Wadih Damous, National Secretary of Consumer Affairs, stated that the agreement ensures bettors have access to effective recourse mechanisms. He also noted that, beyond requiring betting operators to join consumer.gov.br, the agreement establishes a direct communication channel between SPA and consumer protection agencies, which will facilitate the rapid identification of complaint trends and potential market irregularities.

Fixed-odds betting has been a legalized lottery modality in Brazil since December 2018, with its regulatory framework expanded by Law 14.790/2023 and several SPA ordinances enacted in 2024. After a transition period in 2023, the new regulatory rules took full effect on January 1, 2025, limiting operations to authorized betting companies only. One of the key requirements for operators is the use of the ".bet.br" domain extension, which is exclusive to licensed platforms.