MMABet fined over R$850 for failing to implement self-exclusion from betting.
The betting platform MMABet was fined R$ 850.327,20 by Procon Ceará for failing to block a consumer enrolled in the betting self-exclusion program. The fine, equivalent to 135,000 Ufirces (Fiscal Reference Unit of the State of Ceará), was announced this Tuesday (July 28).
The infraction occurred after the platform allowed a user, whose CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) was blocked for betting, to register again and deposit money on the site, as reported by g1 CE. The consumer protection agency concluded that Select Operations Ltda., the company responsible for MMABet, violated the Consumer Protection Code and the specific regulations of the betting sector.
The consumer, a 28-year-old woman whose identity was not disclosed, had requested her exclusion from authorized platforms on March 28, 2026. The request was for a period of three months due to compulsive gambling. Even so, she managed to register again and resume betting on April 8th, about ten days after enrolling in the program. Between April 8th and 10th, she deposited R$ 1.077 on the platform's website.
How does self-exclusion work?
The self-exclusion tool was launched by the Ministry of Finance in December 2025. The mechanism allows consumers to register their CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID) in the program through registration on the gov.br portal. From then on, betting platforms are obligated to prevent new access or bets linked to that CPF. The exclusion period can be one, three, six, or twelve months, or indefinite.
The consumer filed a complaint against the company with Procon Ceará in June 2026 and requested the return of the deposited amounts. The agency scheduled a conciliation hearing between the parties, but no agreement was reached.
Company's defense and Procon's decision.
In its administrative defense, Select Operations Ltda. argued that there was no failure in the provision of service and stated that the deposits and bets were made in a "free, conscious and voluntary" manner. However, the company did not explain how the consumer's CPF (Brazilian taxpayer ID number), which was blocked, could be used on the website.
The Ceará Consumer Protection Agency (Procon Ceará) rejected the argument. According to the agency, "the self-exclusion mechanism is precisely intended to protect consumers in vulnerable situations related to problematic gambling. Therefore, the claim of voluntariness does not absolve the supplier of responsibility."
The superintendent of Procon Ceará, Bárbara Xavier, stated that "today we know how betting houses have been driving the economy, the market, and unfortunately also negatively impacting people who become addicted and end up jeopardizing their entire financial lives." She added that "the fine is applied by Procon after analyzing this case and considering the possibility of other consumers being harmed, given the scale this is reaching."
To calculate the fine, Procon took into account the company's classification as a large corporation and considered "the retention of deposited funds, the lack of redress, and the failure to mitigate the effects of the error." The agency also acknowledged that the error has the potential to harm other consumers with gambling addiction problems.
The company was notified of the fine on July 15, 2026, and has until July 29 to file an appeal, which will be internally reviewed by Procon Ceará. g1 contacted MMABet for comment but received no response by the time of publication.
