Key Highlights
- The percentage of Brazilians making betting deposits jumped from 11% in May to 34.8% after World Cup kickoff
- Klavi’s research analyzed Central Bank of Brazil Open Finance data from 1.2 million individuals
- Mean deposit values increased from BRL 188 to BRL 272, with a single-day peak of BRL 524 following Brazil’s match against Morocco
- The Finance Ministry launched administrative proceedings against bet365, Betnacional, and KTO for World Cup advertising infractions
- Potential penalties could reach BRL 2 billion under current Brazilian gaming legislation
Brazilian fintech firm Klavi has released new research showing a dramatic surge in sports betting participation following the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The study reveals that more than one-third of Brazilians—specifically 34.8%—placed deposits with betting platforms after the tournament commenced. This represents a significant jump from the 11% participation rate documented in May, prior to the competition’s start.
Klavi’s analysis drew from the Central Bank of Brazil’s Open Finance infrastructure, examining transaction patterns across a sample population of 1.2 million citizens.
An important limitation of the research is that it exclusively monitored transfers to regulated betting operators. Unlicensed platforms, which Klavi believes account for approximately half of all wagering activity in Brazil, were not captured in the dataset.
Average Wager Values Show Upward Trend
The increase in betting participation was accompanied by rising deposit amounts per individual bettor.
Prior to the World Cup’s commencement, average deposits stood at BRL 188. By June 28, this figure had risen to BRL 272.
The most dramatic spike occurred on June 14, immediately following Brazil’s fixture against Morocco. On that particular day, average deposits reached BRL 524 per person.
The temporal distribution of betting activity showed strong correlation with match broadcast times. More than 60% of all deposits occurred after 6:00 p.m., coinciding with World Cup game schedules.
Morning hours accounted for merely 10% of deposit activity. This pattern indicates that betting behavior is predominantly driven by live match viewing rather than distributed evenly throughout the day.
The research also uncovered significant concentration of spending among a minority of users. The top 10% of bettors deposited 20 times more funds than the bottom 90% collectively.
Government Launches Enforcement Action Over Advertising Violations
In a parallel development, Brazil’s Ministry of Finance has initiated administrative proceedings targeting three prominent betting operators: bet365, Betnacional, and KTO.
The enforcement action concerns advertisements aired during CazéTV’s World Cup coverage. The Secretariat of Prizes and Betting conducted a review of these promotional materials and identified multiple compliance failures.
Specific violations included creating undue pressure on viewers to place bets immediately. Additionally, mandatory warnings regarding age restrictions and financial risk were displayed in illegibly small typeface.
Brazil’s National Advertising Self-Regulation Council had previously issued recommendations to withdraw the advertisements before government intervention. The Ministry has now formally ordered CazéTV to cease broadcasting the non-compliant ads.
Under Law No. 14,790/2023, Brazil’s governing legislation for betting operations, the implicated companies face potential financial penalties reaching BRL 2 billion. The law also provides for supplementary sanctions.
Government officials have signaled that additional advertising restrictions for the gambling sector are forthcoming. However, no specific implementation schedule has been announced.
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