Brazilian lawmakers urge Apple to host licensed sports betting apps to combat illegal activity

Brazilian lawmakers have formally asked Apple to make authorized sports betting applications available on its platform, in a bid to expand the country’s regulated betting ecosystem and curb illegal activity.

The request was submitted through a letter sent on Thursday by the External Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, which examines the sports betting market.

The document was signed by Congressman Julio Lopes, coordinator of the External Commission of Brazil Legal, and addressed to Mario de La Cruz Sarabia, Apple’s head of government affairs for Latin America. The letter calls for the inclusion of licensed betting products in the company’s online app stores.

The move follows earlier developments involving Google, which began allowing betting applications on its Android system in June 2025. Brazilian authorities and industry stakeholders have been urging major technology platforms for more than ten months to provide access to approved apps, with lawmakers now intensifying those efforts.

According to the External Commission’s assessment, users in Brazil tend to favor mobile applications as their primary method for placing bets, making app store access a key factor in shaping market behavior. Officials argue that expanding access to licensed platforms is necessary to shift users away from unauthorized channels.

The initiative is also aimed at addressing illegal betting operations and reducing fraud. Lawmakers have emphasized that strengthening the regulated market is essential to limiting the role of organized crime in the sector.

In the letter, Lopes stated that "Unauthorized offerings operate outside of state supervision, without integrity controls, user identification, or transaction monitoring, making them particularly vulnerable to illegal activities by criminal organizations."

Further scrutiny of the issue is expected, with the Chamber’s Communications Committee scheduled to hold a public hearing on the matter next week.