PixBet, with $210 million in assets, has suspended operations in Brazil
In Brazil, authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal online betting operations. According to reports, the country’s Ministry of Finance has ordered the immediate suspension of operations by the operator PixBet as part of Operation Arena. The investigation is linked to suspicions of currency payment evasion and money laundering through sports betting.
According to data cited in the operation’s materials, assets totaling up to $210 million may be frozen. In addition, the operator must stop accepting new bets, and bets that have already been placed must be canceled, with the corresponding funds refunded to users. Failure to comply with the regulator’s requirements will result in a daily fine of approximately $38,500.
At the same time, it is important to note that PixBet is officially listed among the authorized operators by the Brazilian Ministry of Finance. The company received its operating license in 2025, and the platform itself states that it is regulated by the Secretariat for Prizes and Betting.
Therefore, claims that PixBet has completely ceased operations specifically within the Arena operation should be interpreted with caution until an official decision is issued by Brazilian law enforcement agencies or the regulator. At the same time, large-scale investigations into illegal gambling, money laundering, and circumvention of currency controls are indeed ongoing in the country.
In particular, in July, the Brazilian Federal Police conducted Operation Véu de Maia, during which it investigated a money laundering and illegal currency transfer scheme linked to illegal betting. The case involved 87 companies that may have been used as intermediaries to move funds for operators of illegal platforms.
Similar processes are also taking place in Kazakhstan. In late 2025, the country’s Financial Monitoring Agency reported the dismantling of a scheme linked to online casinos, in which “gray” terminals and fictitious contracts were used to disguise payments. According to Kazakhstani media reports, the case was later linked to the activities of a group led by Vadim Gordievsky.
Subsequent reports mentioned the freezing of Marginplus’s accounts and transactions, as well as an investigation into the possible diversion of significant funds through sports betting and casino payments. Some media outlets also reported on coordination between law enforcement agencies in Kazakhstan and Ukraine to identify other members of the group. At the same time, these claims are primarily based on media reports and sources, rather than on the full body of publicly available investigative materials.
Source: HighRisk News
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