Banks close 323 accounts linked to illegal gambling in the first quarter.

Banks and payment institutions closed 323 accounts linked to illegal gambling operations in the first quarter of 2026. The accounts belonged to individuals and legal entities suspected of operating or acting as intermediaries for illegal betting.

The data was obtained by Pay4Fun from the Ministry of Finance through the Access to Information Law, as published by Lauro Jardim of O Globo . The survey reveals that the pressure on the illegal betting market has reached the banking system.

The month of March saw the highest number of account closures: 131 accounts were closed after the identification of transactions inconsistent with the activity declared by the account holders. In January, the number was 65 accounts; in February, 127.

Patterns that triggered the alerts

Among the signs that led to the closure of the accounts are thousands of transactions via Pix (Brazil's instant payment system) carried out in short intervals and the use of third-party accounts. Companies formally registered for activities such as commerce or service provision were also part of the group—in practice, they received funds from bettors and made mass payments to individuals. This pattern is typical of operations associated with the illegal betting market, according to data obtained by the Ministry of Finance.