25 million Brazilians bet actively in Brazil, says study
Brazil entered 2025 showing that the universe of betting has stopped being a trend and has become a real phenomenon. The most recent data released by Pay4Fun, requested from the Ministry of Finance through the Access to Information Act, confirms what the platforms themselves already felt on a daily basis. The country today has 25 million active bettors, a number capable of filling more than 300 Maracanã stadiums at the same time.
But it is not only the number of bettors that draws attention. These numbers help outline the first precise portrait of the Brazilian regulatory era, which is still in the adjustment phase, but already moves amounts capable of altering priorities, redefining public budgets and raising important social debates.
Profile of the Brazilian bettor
Of the total recorded between January and September 2025, 68.3% of bettors are men and 31.7% are women. Although the data by age group has not yet been released (the Prizes and Betting Secretariat said that the breakdown would require additional processing outside the legal deadline), specialists point out that female participation grows more and more each year, especially in modalities such as online bingo, live casino and strategy games.
The absence of data by age, however, does not prevent the general scenario of the sector from being clear; the Brazilian bettor is no longer part of that classic stereotype of the “occasional football player”. He is connected, multitasking, researching odds, following tipsters, using analysis tools and has access to a market that has ceased to be marginal to occupy headlines, public bodies, events and even political debates.
R$27.7 billion in GGR
If the user base is impressive, the volume of money moved creates an even greater impact. Only in the research period, authorised operators totalled R$27.7 billion in GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue), the indicator that calculates the companies’ revenue after paying out prizes. On this amount, the federal rate of 12% guaranteed the government R$3.327 billion. For a newly regulated market, this number shows an almost immediate capacity for collection, something rare in sectors that go through so many structural transitions.
And the most relevant thing is that this money is already circulating within areas considered a priority for the State. Although betting is often associated with the sporting universe, the size of the share allocated to the sector still draws attention. R$1.22 billion went directly to programmes and initiatives linked to sport. Tourism appears right behind, with R$953 million, a sign that the government wants to strengthen industries that have a multiplier effect on employment, events and international flow. Other sectors received smaller but relevant amounts. See below:
- Public Security: R$461.7 million
- Social Security: R$347.3 million
- Education: R$342.1 million
- Health: R$34.5 million
- Civil Society: R$16.9 million
- FUNAPOL: R$18.3 million
- ABDI: R$13.6 million
The amount allocated to health was relatively low and raised some criticism among sector specialists, even more so when we consider that the government itself already recognises the potential social impacts related to gambling addiction, a topic that has been much discussed since iGaming began to grow exponentially in Brazil.
The sector is profitable, moves the economy and is increasingly gaining space in the life of Brazilians; this is a fact. But there is another side of the coin, studies show that problems related to betting, such as addiction, indebtedness and mental health issues, can cost the country almost R$40 billion per year when medical care, loss of productivity, housing insecurity and even impacts on crime are considered. In other words, you gain on one side, you lose on the other.
Regulation under construction
The arrival of the regulation was not exactly smooth. In the first months of the new system, platforms suffered a considerable drop in transactions, more than 70% in January and more than 90% in February, according to official data previously released on market behaviour. It was a kind of regulatory shock; banks, operators, providers and gateways had to adapt simultaneously, in a tight timeframe, with new rules, stricter checks and increased attention from the SPA. From March onwards, however, the sector began to rebalance, and the numbers now show that the adjustment worked.
But if on one side the legal sector advances, on the other, the clandestine market still remains alive and fully active. Many platforms without federal licences continue to attract bettors with aggressive bonuses, lack of taxation and more flexible systems. Studies published recently indicate that in certain periods of 2025, the volume moved by illegal sites reached levels similar to those of regulated platforms, but without the obligation to pay the appropriate taxes.
This is a problem that affects both tax collection and the credibility of the sector. And, of course, it puts the consumer at risk, without guarantees, without legal security and without adequate support.
This article was first published in Portuguese on 10 December 2025.
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