Lawsuits Against Betting Firms in Brazil Surpass 10,000 Since 2023

Since Brazil’s Betting Law came into effect at the end of 2023, consumers have initiated over 10,000 legal actions against online betting operators. According to data compiled by analytics firm Predictus, the volume of new cases surged to 5,488 in 2024, the first full year of regulated operations, and has already reached 4,037 between January and May 2025, indicating an accelerating trend.

The litigation wave tracks the rapid expansion of Brazil’s online gambling market, which generated more than $1 billion in operator revenue last year. Predictus employed artificial intelligence to scan a nationwide database of 630 million court records, identifying cases where at least one betting company was a party. Because the surge is recent, the majority of cases remain unresolved: of 10,627 lawsuits mapped since 2018, only 38% have received a final decision, 44.1% are still active, and 17.9% were dismissed without a merits ruling.

The most frequent grievance centers on difficulties accessing winnings. Breakdowns show 636 cases where bettors claimed their accounts were frozen, preventing withdrawal of funds; 629 lawsuits over unilateral changes to platform terms; and 429 cases involving outright withdrawal blocks. These three categories together form the largest cluster of complaints.

Separately, Brazil’s regulated betting market recorded nearly 10 million active users in March 2025, according to the federal Betting Management System. The state of Rio de Janeiro emerged as the leading hub, with 1.8 million registered users. The data underscores the scale of consumer engagement and friction as the regulated market matures.