Brazilian banks block Steam purchases due to gambling filter errors

Brazilian gamers are reporting transaction failures when attempting to purchase titles on Steam. Major financial institutions, including Nubank, Mercado Pago, and PicPay, have blocked payments made via credit cards and Pix, even when users have sufficient funds or credit limits.

The issue stems from a technical error in automated banking filters designed to restrict unregulated online gambling platforms (bets) following new federal decrees in Brazil. Because Valve uses PagBank as a payment gateway to process local transactions, banking systems are incorrectly flagging Steam purchases as gambling activities.

Some users have reported receiving messages stating that transactions cannot be completed because the recipient lacks authorization from the Ministry of Finance's Secretariat of Prizes and Betting. The affected banks have stated they are investigating the situation to adjust their security parameters and differentiate digital game distribution from gambling services.