The São Paulo Ministry of Finance is cracking down on predatory virtual gambling games. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Crackdown on predatory virtual games begins

The São Paulo Ministry of Finance is cracking down on internet gambling sites that offer certain games that promise fast, unrealistic returns on investment. Games affected include Fortune Tiger, Fortune Dragon, and other virtual slot machines, card games, and roulette. The Ministry of Finance has now published an ordinance—which becomes active in January 2025—to regulate these games and others with similar formats.

While the ordinance might seem like punishment, Games Magazine Brazil notes that it in fact “ends the uncertainty about the legality of online slot machines by detailing how so-called slot games, such as Fortune Tiger and Fortune Dragon, should work.”

The decision blocks a number of websites who are out of compliance with the ordinance, including:

• cxxbet.com
• hot777.com
• 7yjogo.com
• fresh.casino
• 1993bet.com
• 4444king.com
• 7slots.casino
• 9f.com
• afun.com
• amuletobet.com
• bbajogo.com
• br678.com
• iribet.com
• ninecasino.com
• x1jogo.com

If the websites remain active and in violation, the government has defined what penalties they will incur, “which include fines of up to R$2b (US$360m).” As of Monday morning, however, at least seven of the listed websites were still active and accessible.

Websites responsible for monitoring user activity

The website purveyors are being held accountable for promising misleading betting odds with games such as Fortune Tiger, with “around 500 police reports [that] have already been filed in São Paulo.” According to an investigation by the Civil Police, gamblers who played the games lost as much as R$200,000 (US$35,700).

If notified, each betting site will be obligated to prevent registration or limit access to those medically diagnosed with “gambling addiction,” as well as those “who are prohibited from betting by administrative or judicial decision.”

each site will be charged with monitoring browsing data from each user

The betting sites will have a further responsibility to respond to “reports of addiction and pathological gambling” in order to resolve complaints delivered to an ombudsman’s office. In addition, each site will be charged with monitoring browsing data from each user so as to “identify signs of addiction.”