Brazil: Police confiscates BR30m in operation targeting illegal betting

Police froze BR30m in assets as part of “Operação Cartão Vermelho”, or Operation Red Card, targeting practices such as Jogo do Bicho, an illegal lottery-style game popularized in Brazil, online bingo, unlicensed slot machines and the popular Fortune Tiger, or “Jogo do Tigrinho” as it’s known in Brazil.This is not the first time the “Jogo do Tigrinho” has been the focus of a crackdown in Brazil: recently, an influencer who spent two months evading authorities over promoting the game was arrested.

According to the Brazilian Police, the network allegedly laundered money through companies and used those structures to create what appeared to be legitimate betting platforms. Investigators believe that a now-regularised betting operator was initially built on an illegal foundation.

At least 10 individuals are believed to be at the center of the scheme. Authorities also confiscated real estate, vehicles and digital equipment that will be examined during the next phase of the investigation.The action follows a previous police operation launched last year that led to the seizure of 41 properties, 29 vehicles, and other high-value assets in towns across the state.

Good to know: The Brazilian Senate has advanced a bill to legalize casinos and bingos nationwide

While the country has launched new financial oversight strategies to combat illegal betting transactions, local authorities continue to crack down on parallel illegal activities that operate in the shadows.

Carlos Mendez

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Odds tell a story long before the result does. When bettors learn to read that story properly, betting becomes a matter of discipline and value rather than emotion or guesswork.

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