Brazil Federal Police Freezes Nearly BRL1 Billion in Third July Crackdown on Illegal Betting
2026-07-16
Source: iGaming Business
Brazil's Federal Police, in coordination with the SPA, froze nearly BRL1 billion in assets during Operation Slots, the third anti-illegal betting operation in July, targeting a money-laundering ring linked to drug trafficking that used fake government stamps and influencers to promote unlicensed sites.
Brazil’s Federal Police executed 'Operation Slots' on Wednesday, the latest coordinated effort with the Secretariat of Prizes and Bets (SPA) to dismantle unlicensed betting operations. The probe targeted a network suspected of using clandestine platforms to launder money tied to drug trafficking, marking the third such SPA-supported action in July alone.
A court order froze BRL951.1 million ($190.22 million) in assets and funds, while authorities also seized a luxury property and several high-end vehicles. The individuals under investigation have been barred from promoting unauthorised betting sites, and companies linked to the scheme have had their operations suspended.
Investigators found that the group leveraged digital influencers to advertise illegal betting platforms operating in Brazil. Revenue from these operations was funnelled through shell companies designed to obscure the money trail. The suspects accumulated wealth far out of proportion with their declared income, raising red flags during the probe.
Further evidence revealed that the illicit sites displayed counterfeit symbols of the SPA’s Betting Management System (Sigap) and the National Advertising Self-Regulation Council (Conar). This was done to create a false veneer of legitimacy, even though the platforms lacked any official authorisation. Bettor deposits were redirected to companies without the legal right to handle such funds.
In total, 14 search and seizure warrants and two temporary arrest warrants were issued by the 2nd Criminal Court of Vitória (Espírito Santo). Operations spanned six states: Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná, Paraíba, and Sergipe. Those charged could face counts including illegal gambling, money laundering, criminal organisation, drug trafficking, and conspiracy to traffic drugs.