SAO PAULO — (AP) — Brazil on Friday started blocking over 2,000 gambling websites designated as irregular, part of a push by the government to regulate the sector. The move comes as concerns grow about addiction, especially among tens of millions of vulnerable people.
Authorities have begun enforcing a law signed by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in December 2023, regulating and taxing betting companies. Brazil’s government estimates more than 52 million people started betting online in the last five years.
Most types of gambling, such as casinos and slot machines, are illegal in Brazil, but online betting was authorized in 2018.
Currently, 96 companies which hold 210 gambling websites remain active. The federal government said in a statement that these firms have demonstrated a willingness to comply with the new legislation and can operate until the end of the year, while their license applications are reviewed.
Some of the betting companies that have not been authorized to operate in Brazil are taking …