Brazil’s government wants 348 influencer accounts that push illegal betting wiped from social media. The Ministry of Justice and Public Security asked for the removal on Monday 9 November 2026, and one of the targeted accounts has 1.4 million followers.
Together, the 348 profiles reach more than 150 million followers, the ministry says. The move widens a crackdown that has run since late September, and it follows our coverage of the fight over the betting ban.
Key Facts
•Who. Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security asked for 348 influencer profiles to be removed.
•When. Announced Monday 9 November 2026.
•Reach. The accounts have more than 150 million followers in total; one has 1.4 million.
•Scale. The ministry’s running count tops 60,000 sites, pages, profiles, groups and servers.
•Not known. Which platforms must act, and by when, has not been published.
•Power Index. Brazil ranks 1st of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 74.2 points (November 2026 edition).
Brazil is moving from blocking betting sites to going after the people who advertise them.
What the Ministry Asked For
The ministry said it requested the removal of 348 profiles of digital influencers used to promote illegal bets on social networks, reported to be Instagram accounts. Justice Minister Wellington César Lima e Silva is quoted in the statement, which credits the ministry’s National Secretariat of Digital Rights and its National Public Security Secretariat, working through its Cyber Operations Laboratory, Ciberlab.
Why Influencers Are the Target
Illegal betting sites rely on creators who post odds, promo codes and winning streaks to large audiences. Taking down the account removes the audience in one step, which is faster than chasing each new website.
The ministry’s running total covers more than 60,000 sites, pages, profiles, groups and servers. The counts include Telegram groups, Facebook pages and Instagram profiles.
In plain English. A takedown request asks a platform to remove content, and the platform decides whether to comply under its own rules and Brazilian law.
Where the Betting Ban Stands
The government banned fixed-odds betting by provisional measure, an executive decree with immediate force of law, on 25 September 2026. Challenges to the ban are before the Supreme Federal Court, Brazil’s top court.
A federal appeals judge briefly cleared three brands to operate, as we reported in Brazil Court Lifts Betting Ban for 3 Brands, but the court’s president suspended that ruling. Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet has asked Supreme Court Justice Luiz Fux to suspend related lawsuits.
What It Means for You
For US readers with exposure to betting groups, media companies or social platforms active in Brazil, the message is that enforcement now reaches advertisers and not only operators. Platforms that carry the accounts face more takedown requests from Brasília, as our Brazil coverage shows.
Travellers and expats in Brazil may notice fewer betting promotions online, though that depends on how fast platforms respond. Bettors who use unlicensed sites do so outside the protection of Brazilian rules.
What Is Not Known
The ministry has not said which platforms received the request, how long they have to comply or what penalties apply to the influencers themselves. It also has not said how many of the profiles have already gone offline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who asked for the 348 profiles to be removed?
Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security made the request on 9 November 2026. Its digital rights secretariat and public security secretariat handled it.
Are the profiles already offline?
That is not confirmed. The ministry announced a request, and it has not said whether the platforms have acted or by when they must.
Is betting legal in Brazil right now?
The sector is banned under a provisional measure issued on 25 September 2026, and the ban is being challenged at the Supreme Federal Court. The prosecutor-general has asked for related lawsuits to be suspended.
Sources: Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security, statement of 9 November 2026 on the removal of 348 influencer profiles (gov.br/mj); Provisional Measure 1,394/2026 on betting.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error
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