Politics · Brazil · 7 hrs ago
Brazil seeks removal of 348 influencers promoting illegal betting
Brazil’s Justice Ministry asked platforms to remove 348 influencer accounts that it says promoted illegal betting.
The Instagram accounts have more than 150 million followers combined, and the investigation also found related pages, groups and websites on other platforms.
The request is part of a wider effort to curb illegal betting promotion across social media and messaging services.
A measure dated September 25 banned the operation, offering, brokering and advertising of bets in Brazil.
Since September, authorities say they have tracked more than 60,000 sites, pages, profiles, groups and servers linked to promoting irregular bets.
The requested removals have not been confirmed, and the ministry did not say when platforms would act.
Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security requested the removal of 348 influencer accounts promoting illegal betting.
The ministry said the accounts had more than 150 million followers in total.
Investigators also identified thousands of Facebook pages, Telegram groups and websites promoting illegal bets.
The action is part of a wider effort to curb illegal betting promotion and reduce its financial and social harms.
- Who
- Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security, with support from digital rights and public security agencies.
- What
- It requested the removal of 348 influencer accounts that promoted illegal betting.
- When
- The request was made on Monday, November 9.
- Where
- The accounts were identified on Instagram; related content was also found on other online platforms.
- Why
- To stop illegal betting platforms reaching the public and reduce the financial and social harm caused by illegal betting.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Provisional Measure No. 1,394/2026 prohibited the operation, offering, intermediation and advertising of betting in Brazil.
The ministry said monitoring and takedowns had covered more than 60,000 sites, pages, profiles, groups and servers linked to illegal betting promotion.
The ministry requested the removal of 348 influencer accounts promoting illegal betting.
- Influencer accounts
- 348
- Combined influencer followers
- More than 150 million
- Facebook pages
- 2,207, with 7.5 million followers
- Telegram groups
- 18, with about 182,000 participants
- Websites
- 998
- Wider monitoring total
- More than 60,000 sites, pages, profiles, groups and servers since September
What people are saying
It is not enough to take illegal betting sites offline if these platforms continue reaching the public through influencers and social media.
The state must also act in the digital environment, where these practices find millions of potential victims.