Brazilian Households Lost $12.5 Billion to Gambling in 2025
Highlights:
- In 2025, Brazilian households suffered losses of BRL62.5 billion via wagering on gambling.
- The study reveals that a substantial proportion of gambling is occurring in the hands of unlicensed operators.
The BRL62.5 billion amount is a net amount of betting transactions, meaning it’s the total amount minus any winnings that were returned to the player. The amount was equivalent to approximately 0.68% of Brazilian households’ gross disposable income.
The study also pointed out the size of Brazil’s illegal gambling market. LCA Consultores’ studies have estimated that the illegal betting market represents 41% to 51% of the overall market.
The discrepancy between the Comsefaz estimate and a previous estimate of BRL36.9 billion from the Brazilian Ministry of Finance was BRL25.6 billion. This gap was generally in agreement with the range of estimates for the unlicensed market, which are generally lower, researchers said.
The study focused on the rollover of Pix transfers from individuals or companies in the area of arts, culture, sports and recreation between October of 2024 and March of 2026. Researchers warned that the results are a statistical simulation and shouldn’t be seen as definitive evidence of a direct causal connection between gambling and family income.
The report also revealed that the prohibition of betting by Bolsa FamÃlia beneficiaries coincided with a drop in the number of relevant transactions, implying that lower-income families could be a big part of Brazil’s online betting market.
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