Colombia, Mexico, Brazil Intensify Crackdown on Illegal Gambling Platforms

Recent investigations and regulatory actions across the Americas highlight escalating concerns about illegal and unregulated online gambling. In Uruguay, a study revealed that 27% of teenagers aged 12 to 18 engage in daily online betting, often without parental consent, raising alarms about youth gambling normalization and insufficient regulatory safeguards. Meanwhile, Latin American governments, including Colombia, Mexico, and Brazil, are intensifying efforts to combat illegal gambling by blocking unauthorized websites, with Colombia blocking over 28,000 sites to protect its legal market. In the U.S., Michigan has ordered eight illegal online casinos to cease operations to uphold market integrity, while Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin declared unlicensed prediction markets like Kalshi illegal gambling, emphasizing the need for proper licensing and enforcement. These developments underscore a regional push to strengthen gambling regulations, protect consumers, and ensure compliance in increasingly digital gambling environments.