Esportes Gaming Brasil warns .bet.br is not enough to protect bettors from fraudulent sites

Esportes Gaming Brasil has called for greater consumer awareness of fraudulent and illegal betting platforms, warning that checking for a .bet.br domain should be the starting point rather than the only step bettors take to verify a legitimate operator. Marking National Online Betting Day, the Brazilian betting group highlighted seven checks consumers can make to distinguish authorised operators from illegal sites, cloned pages and attempted fraud. Since 1 January 2025, only companies authorised by Brazil’s Secretariat of Prizes and Betting (SPA) have been permitted to operate nationally, with licensed websites using the.bet.br domain. However, Esportes Gaming Brasil warned that fraudulent sites can imitate the names, branding, advertising and social media profiles of legitimate operators in an attempt to deceive consumers. Carol Luna, Head of Compliance at Esportes Gaming Brasil Group, commented: .bet.br is the first filter, but security does not end with checking the domain. Consumers should look at the entire experience: who operates the brand, how their identity is verified, where payments can come from, which control tools are available and how customer support can be accessed. Esportes Gaming Brasil identified seven areas consumers should consider when assessing a betting platform: checking the operator against the SPA’s official list; accessing platforms through verified channels rather than relying on advertising or search results; confirming that appropriate identity verification takes place; checking payment methods; looking for limits and self-exclusion tools; ensuring clear customer support is available; and being wary of promises of guaranteed profits or recovery of losses. The group also highlighted identity verification as an important distinction between regulated and illegal betting environments, with authorised operators required to confirm bettor information and use authentication measures including facial recognition with proof of life. Luna added: Verification may initially be perceived as an additional step, but it serves a very practical purpose. It helps prevent underage access, the misuse of another person’s identity, fraud and transactions that are inconsistent with the account holder. Esportes Gaming Brasil stressed that consumer protection should continue throughout the player journey rather than ending once an account has been opened. Regulated platforms provide tools including financial and time limits and self-exclusion, while payments must move between the operator and a bank or payment account held in the bettor’s own name. Luna concluded: A regulated market needs to provide consumers with enough information to make informed decisions and recognise their own limits. Safety is not simply about preventing fraud during registration. It is also about ensuring transparency, access to control tools and support for anyone who decides to stop gambling.