5,000 fake online casinos identified and exposed in Brazil
Brazil has become one of the world’s largest regulated online betting markets, but its rapid growth has also attracted an equally significant problem: the proliferation of fraudulent platforms.
An investigation released by verification platform Gamecheck claims to have identified 5,000 fake online casino websites operating in the country during the first half of 2026. According to the company, the initiative will result in a series of ten weekly reports, each revealing around 50 irregular domains.
According to the findings, Gamecheck has already detected more than 8,000 counterfeit games worldwide, with more than 6,800 cases identified in Brazil. In a single month, the platform says it identified approximately 3,800 fake casinos, making Brazil the largest concentration of this type of activity among all the markets monitored.
Gamecheck founder James Elliott attributes this scenario to the rapid growth of the Brazilian market. “Brazil has become one of the fastest-growing online casino markets in the world, and fraudulent operators have moved at the same speed to take advantage of it,” Elliott said, according to the report.
Regulated market grows, but the illegal sector remains a challenge
Since January 2025, only operators authorised by Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) have been allowed to legally offer fixed odds betting in the country. The regulatory framework introduced requirements such as identity verification, anti-money laundering policies, responsible gambling measures and stricter advertising rules.
However, the regulatory framework is still evolving, with new rules continuing to be introduced in the Brazilian market. The latest update concerns betting advertising and promotional rules. A recently published ordinance requires advertising platforms and internet service providers to verify whether advertisers are authorised by the SPA before allowing advertising campaigns. In addition to licence verification, the regulation also strengthens restrictions on advertising content, prohibiting advertisements that associate betting with financial success, target minors or encourage irresponsible gambling.
Despite these measures, industry organisations warn that the illegal market still represents a significant share of betting activity. The Brazilian Institute of Responsible Gaming (IBJR) believes that around half of the market continues to operate illegally, even after thousands of websites were blocked by the National Telecommunications Agency (ANATEL). The institute warns that players using illegal platforms have no guarantee of payment, fraud protection, identity verification and responsible gambling tools.
Why are fake casinos a concern?
Unlike an operator that is simply unlicensed, a fake casino typically uses altered versions of original games or copies the visual identity of well-known brands to mislead users.
According to Gamecheck, its verification process includes hands-on testing of games, evidence collection and confirmation with the original game developers to determine whether the content genuinely belongs to the stated provider. Identified websites remain under continuous monitoring after being added to the company’s database.
Fred Azevedo, Gamecheck’s Brand Ambassador for Latin America, said game authenticity should be the first step in consumer protection: “Before discussing RTP, volatility or responsible gambling, players deserve to know that the game they are playing is real. If the software cannot be trusted, nothing else about the experience can be trusted.”
The report itself attributes the increase in fraud to the success of the Brazilian market. According to Gamecheck, the combination of a growing player base, the widespread use and influence of smartphones, and millions of first-time online casino players has created an especially attractive environment for fraudulent operators. The company also observed recurring patterns among these websites, including the use of short domains, numbers in web addresses and names that closely resemble established brands.
This assessment is consistent with analyses published by Gamecheck itself, in which the company states that emerging markets have a greater need for independent verification tools because many players are still learning how to distinguish legitimate operators from fraudulent platforms.
Consumer protection is the priority
The advancement of Brazil’s regulatory framework has increased the focus on player protection measures. In addition to biometric identity verification and anti-money laundering requirements, the country has introduced a national self-exclusion platform that allows users to block their own access to all authorised operators.
Data released by the Brazilian government shows that more than 600,000 people have already used the tool, with loss of control over gambling being the main reason reported by users.
Combating illegal operators has become an essential part of the consumer protection strategy. After all, features such as self-exclusion, financial limits, behavioural monitoring and formal customer support channels simply do not exist when players use illegal platforms.
This article was first published on the Portuguese SiGMA News page on 20 July 2026.
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