How to Withdraw Your Money from Irregular Betting Sites

On the night of October 1, the Ministry of Finance released a list containing 199 brands authorized to operate in Brazil. To find out if the betting site where you have money is regularized, access the Ministry of Finance's Betting Management System (Sigap). It is important to highlight that Sigap presents the registered name of the company, not the commercial brand of the site, which can make the query more challenging.

Users should check if the site where they placed their bets appears on the list. If not, it means it is an irregular platform, and the deposited funds should be withdrawn immediately. It is essential to act quickly because, after the 11th, access to these sites will be blocked by Anatel, and withdrawing funds may become more complicated.

To withdraw funds deposited on a betting site, follow these instructions:

Log In: Access the betting app or site with your login details.

Check the Balance: Click on the balance area and select the withdrawal option.

Confirm the Amount: Choose to withdraw the total balance and confirm the operation.

Provide Bank Account Information: Enter the bank account details where you want the money transferred.

Choose the Transfer Method: Opt to receive via Pix or TED. Pix is more advantageous as it is instantaneous and operates 24 hours, while TED is restricted to business days and hours.

If after requesting the withdrawal the money is not deposited, the first step is to contact the support of the app or betting site. If support does not resolve the issue, contact consumer protection agencies such as Procon.

If, even then, the balance is not refunded, the chances of being a victim of fraud increase. In this case, the process enters the criminal sphere. The user must file a police report and seek the Public Prosecutor's Office, which can gather other complaints against the same company and initiate a class action. It is important to act quickly, as many betting platforms are foreign and do not have legal representation in Brazil, making accountability difficult.

Anatel will be responsible for shutting down irregular sites, an operation similar to the one conducted against X (formerly Twitter) at the end of August. These companies, which did not request authorization to operate in Brazil, will be banned from the national territory.

The Prizes and Betting Department (SPA) of the Ministry of Finance will lead the supervision of these activities in conjunction with Anatel, the Central Bank, and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security. It is worth noting that the list of authorized companies is not final, and those that were left out can apply for authorization to operate in Brazil. However, the response from the Ministry of Finance can take up to 150 days, with some authorizations only expected for 2025.

By December of this year, a new list will be released by the Ministry of Finance, updating the status of companies that have applied for authorization. The approved companies must meet all the regulations imposed by the government to continue operating legally in the country.

Bettors who cannot recover their money even after appealing to the Procon and the website's support should be prepared to enter a more complicated battle. The process may be complicated by the fact that many of these companies are foreign. This makes accountability more complex, as they do not have a fixed legal representation in Brazil.

Even so, it is advisable to report the incident to the police and contact the Public Prosecutor as soon as possible. Acting quickly can prevent the accusations from expiring, increasing the chances of a favorable solution.

As of October 11th, Anatel will begin shutting down irregular portals. The operation will be carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and is part of a broader effort to regularize the betting market in Brazil.

The authorized platforms will begin operating under a stricter regime, with the government monitoring and regulating their activities to protect bettors. Companies that intend to regularize and could not apply for authorization within the deadline will have to wait up to 150 days for a government response, which may extend until 2025.

The seven-day deadline for bettors to withdraw their money from irregular betting sites is a clear signal that the government is taking the regulation of this market seriously. The shutdown of approximately 600 irregular sites by Anatel demonstrates the country's intention to protect bettors and curb illegal practices.

For bettors, acting quickly to retrieve the money deposited on these sites is crucial. The stricter supervision, led by the Prizes and Betting Department and in partnership with Anatel and other entities, is an important step toward a fairer and more transparent betting market.

Even though the list of authorized companies is not definitive, and some operators may still regulate their situation, players need to be aware of the risks involved in betting on unregulated sites. Withdrawing funds and consulting the official list of the Ministry of Finance are essential to ensure the financial security of bettors in this transitional moment.