Brazil blocks 2.8 million Bolsa Família beneficiaries from online betting
The Brazilian Ministry of Finance has blocked access for approximately 2.8 million recipients of the Bolsa Família and Benefício de Prestação Continuada (BPC) programs to authorized online betting platforms. The action follows a Supreme Court (STF) ruling that bars the use of social‑benefit funds for gambling. A database linking beneficiaries’ CPF numbers with the Sistema de Gestão de Apostas (Sigap) is consulted by betting operators at registration, login and periodic checks. When a match is found, the operator must block the account within three days and return any remaining balance.
The 2.8 million users represent about 10 % of the roughly 27 million people covered by the two programs. In addition, around 925 000 (over 900 000) persons have voluntarily entered the government‑run auto‑exclusion system, which lets individuals block their own CPF from betting sites for periods up to 12 months. New advertising rules for bets, effective 17 July, require warning messages and prohibit certain promotional tactics.
Authorities note that illegal, unregulated betting sites remain a challenge, as they are not subject to the blocking mechanism.