Suspicious movements with bets will more than triple in 2025, points out Coaf

The number of suspicious financial transactions involving bookmakers and bettors reported to the Financial Activities Control Board (Coaf) more than tripled in 2025. According to data obtained by Estadãocommunications jumped from 40 thousand in 2024 to 140 thousand by August this year.

The survey was prepared internally by the government intelligence agency to map activities in the sector, which gained prominence with the entry into force of the regulated betting market. Despite regulations, thousands of clandestine websites continue to operate illegally in the country.

The Brazilian Federation of Banks (Febraban) stated that the start of the new market had a “significant impact” on the areas of money laundering prevention (PLD) of financial institutions, which needed to adapt their control mechanisms. Betting companies claim to maintain cooperation with Coaf and Febraban to improve monitoring, but point out that part of the increase in communications is due to the actions of illegal platforms.

According to Coaf, communications sent by banks and other institutions indicate signs of atypical transactions, the use of “oranges”, incompatibility between amounts transferred and declared income, in addition to suspicions of money laundering. The agency passes the information to the Federal Police and the Federal Public Ministry to support investigations.

Technicians assess that the significant growth in the number of reports is positive, as it expands the volume of data available for investigations. The challenge now, they say, is to qualify communications — making them more accurate and less redundant.

The National Association of Games and Lotteries (ANJL) highlighted that the increase reflects the adaptation phase of banks and companies to a newly regulated market. According to the entity’s legal director, Pietro Cardia Lorenzoni, “this maturity curve will mean that we have less communications, but with more quality”. He also warned of the expansion of illegal betting, which “does not follow legal requirements or controls to prevent financial crimes”.